Mixing schooling fish

[Camescu]

We know that some fish are sociable and like to stay in schools for safety in numbers. (Although it seems none of mine are particularly bothered with schooling).

So, a question. Do you find that these fish will only school with their species? Or do they also school with this similar?

Eg neon and cardinal tetras
Dwarf raInbow and boseman rainbow

 

[Supergummy]

They can school together or alone. It's thier choice

 

[Camescu]

Sorry. What i kinda meant was you are meant to keep a certain number in a school (generally 6 gets banded about). Would 3 neons and 3 cardinals (to use my previous example) be considered happy enough for a school?

Is it just trial and error then?

 

[Supergummy]

If they schooled together then sure it's a school

 

[Coyne]

As a general rule for the hobby, 5-7 is typically the minimum recommended amount of a single species of schooling fish. Keep in mind that in their natural environment there are often hundreds of fish in a school. So when there numbers are reduced to single digits, it's more difficult for them to "school up".

 

[AntonTheSaint]

Ive heard neon and cardinal tetra are a special exception, but in general different species won't school together.

 

[Luananeko]

Sorry. What i kinda meant was you are meant to keep a certain number in a school (generally 6 gets banded about). Would 3 neons and 3 cardinals (to use my previous example) be considered happy enough for a school?

Is it just trial and error then?

You can... But they'll be more nervous, shy, and won't display as much of their natural behavior than if you went with either 6 cardinals or 6 neons. So while they may "school" somewhat, they'll likely still be less comfortable and for the most part won't hang out together unless there's something "scary" around.

 

[ScotJudd]

I keep a mixed tetra tank, generally about 5-7 of each. No schooling by any fish but I have just upped my black neons to 11 and within 2 days they have schooled well. They still split up occasionally but look fab in formation.

 

[Camescu]

You can... But they'll be more nervous, shy, and won't display as much of their natural behavior than if you went with either 6 cardinals or 6 neons. So while they may "school" somewhat, they'll likely still be less comfortable and for the most part won't hang out together unless there's something "scary" around.

Thanks. This is the sort of thing I was looking for.

 

[sabrinarichard]

I have cardinal and neon tetras that school together.. Also my pink and zebra danios hang together a lot
Edit: I still have full groups of minimum 6 of each species

 

[Camescu]

So I guess they are already comfortable in their little school and just school up with similar.

 

[Luananeko]

I have cardinal and neon tetras that school together.. Also my pink and zebra danios hang together a lot
Edit: I still have full groups of minimum 6 of each species

The edit note is key there. If you have 6 of each species then it's quite common for the two schools to join up for a big school, but they'll be most comfortable doing so and will do so more frequently if they already have their own species group to bolster their confidence first.

 

[Camescu]

Yeah. All of my schools are 6 minimum with the exception of my Corys. Now 5 due to a death overnight