schooling

[randy86]

So I hear everyone talking about their schooling fish.... So my question is in my 55 gal community tank do I need some? My current stock is

4 angel
1 clown loach
1 spotted picus
2 dwarf graumies
1 gold graumie
1 blue graumie
2 rubber nose pleco
1 Chinese alge eater
1 silver dollar
1 giant mono

Sounds crazy I know so goahead and let me here it!

 

[josh7]

Well I would rehom the clown loach can get to a foot long need at least a 100 gallon tank silver dollar needs at least a 6 foot tank due to it's activeness and adult size chineese algae eater will become aggressive with the plecos and other fish and the 2 dwarf gouramis will get picked on constantly by other gourami species and either the blue or gold gourami because they will fight amongst themselves a lot. Also up the spotted pictus numbers to 4 as they are a shoaling fish and I would add a school of 10 gold barbs if you rehome the fish to fill in the middle level of your tank.

 

[randy86]

Yeah its a pretty crazy tank but i love it and all of them seem to get along great and the dwarf graumies are fixing to step down to a se.I planted 29 gal

 

[josh7]

Well if you are moving the dwarf gouramis I would still move either the blue or gold gourami.

 

[calfishguy]

Move the gourami four angels will not work for long term and the clown loach needs to be moved asap

 

[calfishguy]

I would also move the silver dollar if you move all the fish as suggested than you could add a schooling fish such as rainbows.

 

[KaylNeko]

Er...clown loaches and silver dollars are both schooling fish, aside from the size issues with the tank.

No, schooling fish are not a requirement for a fish tank. People add them because they add some cohesion to a tank, and because they enjoy watching them when they decide to school tightly.