Multiple schooling fish in 40 breeder?

[Parrisgg]

Looking to get a school of red cardinal tetras, but would it be okay to have them with my school of white minnows + harlequin rasboras?

 

[jcolon]

Sure... Sounds like a great choice personally. You'll certainly have nice colors. All are peaceful you should have no issues.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Community Tank

Looking to get a school of red cardinal tetras, but would it be okay to have them with my school of white minnows + harlequin rasboras?

Hello Parris...

If your tank is large enough, I'd say 38 gallons + and well planted, then groups of small fish in the same tank would work well. The Rasboras are a little different than the other two. They aren't schooling fish, but are comfortable in a group of 6 or more like your schooling fish.

I'd have some floating plants in the tank for protection for your schooling fish. They don't often swim near the bottom of the tank. Anacharis is excellent. A fast grower and good nutrition too.

B

 

[Parrisgg]

Hello Parris...

If your tank is large enough, I'd say 38 gallons + and well planted, then groups of small fish in the same tank would work well. The Rasboras are a little different than the other two. They aren't schooling fish, but are comfortable in a group of 6 or more like your schooling fish.

I'd have some floating plants in the tank for protection for your schooling fish. They don't often swim near the bottom of the tank. Anacharis is excellent. A fast grower and good nutrition too.

B

How are the rasboras different from schooling fish? I will look into getting the anacharis.

 

[Botanica]

How are the rasboras different from schooling fish? I will look into getting the anacharis.

Rasboras are schooling fish as far as I've learned....I don't see why you would have an issue with this stocking plan.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

My rasboras have never really schooled tightly except for when I first got them. Guess they got really comfortable. Same with my neon tetras

 

[Botanica]

My rasboras have never really schooled tightly except for when I first got them. Guess they got really comfortable. Same with my neon tetras

Tetras aren't really schoolers...I've just read up on it because my husband was looking for a school when we bought our cardinals. They never really swam around in a school...more of a swarm. So I looked it up and found that they were really shoaling fish. Shoaling fish swim somewhat independently, but in such a way that they stay connected, forming a social group. Schooling fish swim in the same direction in a coordinated way. At any rate...I don't see a problem with the stock list.

 

[Parrisgg]

Sounds good to me guys, any opinions on glass catfish?

 

[BBradbury]

Rasboras

How are the rasboras different from schooling fish? I will look into getting the anacharis.

Hello again Par...

OK. I understand I'm getting a little too technical here and the difference in these fish is likely very small, but Rasboras are shoaling fish, not schooling fish. Briefly, schooling fish stay in tight groups during the daylight hours for protection. When one moves, the others mimic that move. Watch any species of Tetras, these are all schooling fish.

Shoaling fish will stay in loose groups when they forage for food, but their movements are entirely individual. An example is species of Corydoras "the little cats".

Your Rasboras will be much less grouped and will move individually.

Just thought I'd better explain me statement.

B

 

[vanimal]

Hello again Par...

OK. I understand I'm getting a little too technical here and the difference in these fish is likely very small, but Rasboras are shoaling fish, not schooling fish. Briefly, schooling fish stay in tight groups during the daylight hours for protection. When one moves, the others mimic that move. Watch any species of Tetras, these are all schooling fish.

Shoaling fish will stay in loose groups when they forage for food, but their movements are entirely individual. An example is species of Corydoras "the little cats".

Your Rasboras will be much less grouped and will move individually.

Just thought I'd better explain me statement.

B

I learned this the other day too. But if you want to do. Catfish I would suggest Cories or South American Bumble Bee Catfish.

 

[aqua_chem]

My harlequin rasboras always schooled very well by the classical definition of schooling. WCMM are a good example of shoaling fish. Tetras are definitely in the middle, and it varies highly from species to species and from tank to tank. Almost all comfortable, stress free fish won't school particularly well.

 

[vanimal]

My harlequin rasboras always schooled very well by the classical definition of schooling. WCMM are a good example of shoaling fish. Tetras are definitely in the middle, and it varies highly from species to species and from tank to tank. Almost all comfortable, stress free fish won't school particularly well.

I agree saltwater fish school better.

 

[Tetra1990]

My rasboras have never really schooled tightly except for when I first got them. Guess they got really comfortable. Same with my neon tetras

+1 both my neons and harlequin Rasboras don't really school or shoal. They are just in like a group. Although separate groups/tanks.

 

[vanimal]

+1 both my neons and harlequin Rasboras don't really school or shoal. They are just in like a group. Although separate groups/tanks.

Yeah mine just kinda go off on their own.

 

[Botanica]

Well I guess that's good to know...I've been reading for two days looking for a better schooling group for the mid to high levels of our tank. We thought the cardinals would do it but I found out that shoal not school. Several people recommended danios and rasboras...but I guess as long as everyone is comfy none will really school. He will be bummed...

 

[Rivercats]

I like glass catfish and the few times I kept them they would stay together pretty tightly. They don't swim back and forth but tend to hang in a group, usually towards the lower levels and like to hang out at the edge of plantings. They don't hide unless you don't have enough, they just like to hang out and chill, but usually always in view.

 

[hpiguy]

Well I guess that's good to know...I've been reading for two days looking for a better schooling group for the mid to high levels of our tank. We thought the cardinals would do it but I found out that shoal not school. Several people recommended danios and rasboras...but I guess as long as everyone is comfy none will really school. He will be bummed...

Danios and rasboras would be great. Even though they shoal, it looks like a "school" to most people.

I have some zebra danios in with harlequin rasboras and they really look great and compliment each other as they move about.

They'll split up their groups, then come back together for a half hour, then split up. It's fun to watch. Sometimes the two species even intermingle and move about as one big group.

On the other hand, the cherry barbs and black skirt tetras, which were bought as a school of each and stuck together at first spend most of their time split up exploring and only rarely come together as a group.

In a 40B, a large group of each would be very pleasing to watch. Add in a school of cory cats on the bottom (6+ size group) and they also will putter about all over the bottom woven together.

 

[Rivercats]

If you want something to school in the upper tank level check into Hatchetfish, Marbles are my favorite. They will stay close to the water surface and they will stay close together.

 

[Botanica]

Danios and rasboras would be great. Even though they shoal, it looks like a "school" to most people.

I have some zebra danios in with harlequin rasboras and they really look great and compliment each other as they move about.

They'll split up their groups, then come back together for a half hour, then split up. It's fun to watch. Sometimes the two species even intermingle and move about as one big group.

On the other hand, the cherry barbs and black skirt tetras, which were bought as a school of each and stuck together at first spend most of their time split up exploring and only rarely come together as a group.

In a 40B, a large group of each would be very pleasing to watch. Add in a school of cory cats on the bottom (6+ size group) and they also will putter about all over the bottom woven together.

Yeah...our black skirts and our gold barbs don't school or even shoal most of the time. The other day I saw all 7 skirts swimming together for the first time since adding them to the tank...so I checked...and the rainbowfish boys were sparing for dominance...I guess it freaked them out...lol.

 

[...joey...]

Looking to get a school of red cardinal tetras, but would it be okay to have them with my school of white minnows + harlequin rasboras?

Bleeding heart tetras are my FAVORITE!