Tiger barb and albino tiger barb schooling question

[mikemou]

Hi,
Do tiger barbs and albino tiger barbs school together in a community tank with no other types of barbs? I lost one of my two tiger barbs and I'd like to get her some company, while I also want to add a few albino tiger barbs. So, I'm thinking to add 2-3 tiger barbs and 3-4 albinos to make it 7 in total. I would love to have them school together because (1) it's fun, and (2) supposedly reducing aggressiveness.
Thanks!

[Endgame319]

Tiger barbs aren't schooling fish. But they are shoaling fish. The albino tigers will probably shoal with your other tigers. Have you considered green tiger barbs? They're cool too.

Schooling: Fish swim together and are all facing the same direction, they swim in unison.

Shoaling: The fish stick in the same general area as their friends but they are facing every which way and doing their own thing.

[pkremer]

I don't have a lot of experience, but I have watched the tiger barbs and albinos at various pet stores as they are by far my favorite fish. I too hope to get several of both varieties!

I too had been curious about that question, and had asked some reps at my local pet stores. Both from their experience and from my observation, it seems that it depends on the individual fish. I noticed some tigers and albinos cruising around together, but I also noticed that for the most part, all the tigers were together, and the albinos had formed their own separate group.

Maybe if you only had 7 total, they would 'shoal' together just fine, maybe they only separate if you have large amounts of each?