Hello John...
Corys aren't schooling fish, they're shoaling fish. It's a difference between a tight group making the same move and a very loose group foraging in different directions. If you're looking for a schooling fish, watch any species of Tetra, those are schooling fish.
Corys of different species may or may not stay in a group. Mine don't.
B
A group of fish is called a School in common usage.
Per Wiki
"Corydoras are generally found in smaller-sized streams, along the margins of larger rivers, in marshes and ponds.[2] They are native to slow-moving and almost still (but seldom stagnant) streams and small rivers of South America where the water is shallow and very clear.[citation needed] Most species are bottom-dwellers, foraging in sand, gravel, or detritus.[2] The banks and sides of the streams are covered with a dense growth of plants, and this is where the corys are found. They inhabit a wide variety of water types but tend toward soft, neutral to slightly acidic or slightly alkaline pH and 5-10 degrees of hardness. They can tolerate only a small amount of salt (some species tolerate none at all) and do not inhabit environments with tidal influences.[citation needed]
They are often seen in shoals.[2] Most species prefer being in groups and many species are found in SCHOOLS or aggregations of hundreds or even thousands of individuals, usually of a single species, but occasionally with other species mixed in.[citation needed] Unlike most catfishes which are nocturnal, Corydoras species are active during the daytime.[2]"
It is easier to call a group a school as a general term.
While schooling and shoaling mean different things within biology, they are often treated as synonyms by non-specialists, with speakers of British English tending to use "shoaling" to describe any grouping of fish, while speakers of American English tend to use "schooling" just as loosely.[1]
So, Yes I know the terminology. I also know that in the US we call a group of fish a school, even Corydoras.
If you choose to continue debating the American English language you can PM me.
Regards
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