Schooling vs. shoaling

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Anna94

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Mar 27, 2016
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I just learned about schooling vs. shoaling from Rachel O'Leary's recent video. My question is, out of all of my fish: lemon tetras, cardinal tetras, and Celebes rainbows. Which ones are schooling and shoaling and how many fish should be in a shoal (I know that a school requires 6 or more).
 
Shoaling is just an older English form of word for schooling which just means enough in samples in a group to have a busy "school room." In a fish tank I would say six is a good number. Cardinals school fairly well in quantity 12+. The others I'm not familiar with.
 
Ann...

There's a considerable difference between schooling and shoaling. Schooling fish like Tetras, mimic one fish's movements and they do this so aggressive fish believe the school is one larger fish. This is for protection. Once a group of schooling fish feels comfortable in their environment, they'll no longer school. Shoaling fish like Corydoras, forage in a rough group, but their movements are individual.

Schools are 8 or more. A shoal is roughly six.

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