Mixed Schools

[cJw]

'mornin.

I was wondering how often it is that people mix schooling types of fish. . . it seems like a fairly basic idea, yet I never see pics of it and rarely see anything written about it. Does anyone have any mixed schools in their tanks currently?

I'm planning on getting 6 more danios, either leopard/spotted or zebra, depending on availability, as soon as I'm able to drop 'em in the tank and was curious.

Also - schooling fish question; I've seen everywhere that danios are more middle-swimmers than top, so how come my lonely 6 pearl danios stay towards the top of the tank? Even when I'm not near the tank, so I've dismissed that they're just begging. . .

 

[Jchillin]

I have an example of two schooling species (Tetras and Angels). Getting pics of this is extraordinarily hard (since they are constantly "schooling"). I'd give my right arm to have pictures of it. If you're referring to mixing more than three, yes, it's done but remember, sometimes the recommended schooling number(s) are dependent on your stocking parameters.

The schooling location is just an average of where they may be at any given time. Since schooling is more "follow the leader", if the leader is a little silly, the rest will hang with him. Angels are supposed to be an all around but they spend most of they're time either at the top or the bottom, very rarely in the middle.

 

[QTOFFER]

By mixed schools, do you mean one of each schooling species mixed together, or a several groups of schooling species?
Lots of people with smaller tanks do the former, but the fish won't really school together. They may shoal together in a loose group, but you won't see concerted movement and tight formation of a school.
To really observe schooling behavior, you need to do the latter - but you'd either need a generous-sized tank, or limit yourself to a species-only tank. Most schooling fish school best in groups of six or more.

Regarding the danios, when I had them, they would spend equal amounts of time on the bottom, mid-level, and surface, even though they're 'supposed' to be mid/top dwellers. I think they go wherever they think the food is.

 

[TankGirl]

I think your danios may find there is more O2 at the surface right now since you are cycling, and if there is nitrite present they'll be a little more starved for oxygen. Once the tank is cycled and fully stocked you'll find the danios behaving more typically.

 

[cJw]

Well, Qtoffer - I meant the former. . . my hopes were that the pearl danios would mix with any new danios introduced and form up into a school. . . but that's apparently not the norm? Ah well, looks like more pearls, then - which isn't so bad; I've grown to like 'em though I thought they were fairly boring looking at first.

TankGirl - at last testing, I was (ammonia:nitrite:nitrate) 1.0 : .125-ish : 10ppm. . . so I'm thinkin the water is fine for 'em? Of course, that test was Sunday afternoon, and I'm testing tonight. . . but they've always stayed up top.

I'm thinking when there're more fish types in there, they'll act a little different.

 

[TankGirl]

1ppm ammonia is not good at all for them, so a PWC is in order to get it down to 0.5 if you can. Nitrite 0.125 (correct? That's pretty exact!) is cool for now, but just for the record ANY ammonia and nitrite is not good for fish, but during cycling it is doable.

 

[cJw]

Duly noted on the 1.0 ammonia; I did a pwc on Sunday after getting those results on Sat, although I honestly can't recall if I tested before or after the pwc on Sunday. . . looks like I'll be testing AND a pwc tonight.

The .125 Nitrite is an estimate - using the AP Master kit the color was in the middle between .0 and .25, so, then, it's .125. Close enough to know there's some nitrite in there.



And what's the deal with the 'preview' option when posting? It seems to have stopped working for me. out: