schooling or shoaling?

[PlatyLady]

Okay, dummie question here! Please forgive my ignorance!

What's the difference between shoaling and schooling? Are they the same thing? I've seen the term 'shoal' on here often, and it's also in my fish books...

TIA!

 

[Bearfan]

A shoal is a group of fish that stay together for social reasons.

A school is a synchronized and polarized swimming group.

http://www.eeb.uconn.edu/Courses/EEB200/EEB200s01/Behavior_social.htm

 

[PlatyLady]

Waaaay different than I was expecting! I had no idea.

Thanks Bearfan!

 

[Bearfan]

Not a problem, I was interested too.

 

[Neuve]

I have some neons and want them to school, theyre all spread around the tank... Any ideas there?

 

[stoneydee]

IME, neons school best in large schools of odd numbers, like 9, 11, 15, etc. and in a long (as opposed to high) tank. I don't think you're likely to see good schooling behavior in less than a 20 gal long tank.

 

[Allivymar]

They also generally won't school if they feel safe. Having a fish they see as threatening (even if it isn't a threatening fish at all) in the tank with them will cause them to keep in a school. Safety in numbers *grin*

 

[William]

Buffet in numbers.

 

[Neuve]

hows that william?