Shoaling

[Dagon]

Hi all

I have a 110 litre tank which is fairly new, so I’m adding fish slowly.

I moved 4 kitty tetra in as a first step. I know the group is too small. They were certainly nervous and tended to stay in one corner.

My plan was to add 7 more to make a decent group but the LFS only had 4.

I’ve added them and now the original batch seem much happier - all of them now using the whole of the tank. However, they remain dispersed rather than swimming as a school.

So my questions

Will they shoal more tightly if I add a few more (or will it make no difference)?

Will they school with other similar sized fish/tetra?

Is it the presence of other fish that will encourage tighter schooling?

I ask partly as my other tank has 5 rummynose tetra and they are a very tight bunch.

Any insight appreciated.

Thanks

Dagon

 

[coralbandit]

Hey Dagon ,
Rummies are considered some of the tightest schooling fish available to us.
Many will point out the difference of schooling and shoaling .
Shoaling is much looser and 'wandering' can be expected I think .
I am a shoaler !
I think you have enough tetras for their group.
Like any other fish a larger more 'scary' fish may tighten them up.
Shoaling and schooling is really a survival technique used to escape predators.
Not suggesting any aggressive fish .
What other fish have been thinking about getting?

 

[BBradbury]

Dag...

A couple things: Tetras are schooling fish. The group will mimic the movements of an individual early on, but once they get used to their surroundings, they'll swim more on their own. Schooling is a reaction to a threat. If the fish no longer feel threatened, they'll stop schooling.

A shoaling fish is like a Corydoras. These fish forage in groups, but their movements are individual.

B

 

[Dagon]

Thanks both for your thoughts.

My current intention is to get 10 dwarf (salt and pepper) corydoras.

They shouldn’t affect the tetras behaviour- and I wouldn’t want to do anything to stress any of the community,

The tank also has 6 shrimp.

After that I will be looking for one more species. Not sure what yet.

Considering dwarf or pearl gourami. Or maybe some emerald tetra/ Chili Rasbora i.e something small and bright.

Any thoughts/ particularly for a fish that will swim quite tight together?

 

[BBradbury]

Thanks both for your thoughts.

My current intention is to get 10 dwarf (salt and pepper) corydoras.

They shouldn’t affect the tetras behaviour- and I wouldn’t want to do anything to stress any of the community,

The tank also has 6 shrimp.

After that I will be looking for one more species. Not sure what yet.

Considering dwarf or pearl gourami. Or maybe some emerald tetra/ Chili Rasbora i.e something small and bright.

Any thoughts/ particularly for a fish that will swim quite tight together?

D...

Your 25 gallon tank is small and adding fish would test your tank management skills. The water in a small tank can change rather suddenly if you miss a water change or have a filter problem. If you can make a habit of removing and replacing half the tank water a couple of times a week and do a good job of vacuuming the bottom material, you could possibly add a few very small fish, but I'd suggest keeping what you have for a while and following an aggressive water change routine to see how things progress.

B

 

[Dagon]

B

Thanks for your thoughts.

As you suggest, my intention is that leave the stock as it is, certainly for the time being. I’m keen for the fish to acclimatise and for the planting to get more established.

I was very interested in your broader comment on stocking levels. I realise it is not a hard and fast rule, but I reckon I have - at most - 60 cm of fish, once all inhabitants are mature, the tank is well planted, although it has a not fully matured. I also recognise the importance of proper maintanance.

Notwithstanding this is your feeling I am overstocked?

D

 

[earhtmother]

I use ***Aqadvisor.com*** when trying to figure out stocking for my tanks. Its not perfect but since puts your filtration into the equation a little more accurate than most

 

[Dagon]

Eartmother

Thank for your thoughts. I have used this calculator, which as you say adjusts for filter etc.

Which is why I was a little surprised at the impression I took from the earlier message. The suggestion seemed to be that I was close to the boundary, when I thought I was some way off.

Thanks f course, it is very possible I got the wrong end of the stick. The advice may have been about pace of stocking, which seems very sensible.

All advice always appreciated.

Cheers

D

 

[flitabout]

I will be honest just hearing what you wanted to put in there I thought it would be crazy overstocked. But I ran it through aqadvisor and it works. I guess just add slowly so your bacterial filter can keep up watch your levels and enjoy your fish! You still may find that getting them to hang in a tight group might not happen I am still trying to figure is out my neons wouldn't do it and neither would my cardinals. I guess we both keep trying! My evil Glofish doesn't even get them to do it.

 

[Dagon]

Flitabout

Hi. I should say the species of Cory I have is very small - much smaller than more standard versions. That may be why others have been more cautious about my stocking choice,

On the tetras, they seem happy as there are, if they don’t swim together then good for them.

Also, thanks for the wisest advice- enjoy your fish!

Cheers all.

D

 

[flitabout]

You too!