Your favorite Schooling Fish?

[beginner on the loose]

Just a question....
Feel free to hijack this thread...

What is your favorite type of schooling fish?

Based on: Apperance, Size, Location in tank, and Behavior.

Thanks for the help!

 

[ddodad]

I personally love my harlequin rasbonas, they are small and really interesting to watch, usually they are in the upper part of the tank.

I also really like my boesmani rainbows, they are colorful and larger so they stand out. Both live in my planted community tank.

What size of tank do you have? Any other fish? Any type you really want? Planted/unplanted? Sorry to ask so many questions but the more we know the better we can help

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Striatia botia

 

[Luananeko]

Not the answer you're looking for but... It totally depends on what I'm looking for!

- Dwarf Chain Loaches have hilarious personalities while still looking attractive and are excellent bottom dwellers.

- Threadfin Rainbows have fascinating fin displays when the males are showing off for girls or standing off against rival males and are great for adding activity to the mid/upper levels.

- Danios are lively and constantly on the move all over the tank.

- Guppies, while not exactly schoolers, are fun to watch with all their colors and finnage, and tend to go all over the tank.

- Cardinal and Neon Tetras are shy, but are so brightly colorful.

The list could go on for a while, but I'll stop here since I think you get the point

 

[Cynic]

I personally love my harlequin rasbonas, they are small and really interesting to watch, usually they are in the upper part of the tank.

I also really like my boesmani rainbows, they are colorful and larger so they stand out. Both live in my planted community tank.

What size of tank do you have? Any other fish? Any type you really want? Planted/unplanted? Sorry to ask so many questions but the more we know the better we can help

Yeah I'm very fond of my Harlequins too

 

[cgthebeast]

Glass catfish, the ones I have are quite adventurous, they come right up to the front of the tank.

 

[patrickriley2010]

I like my long fin zebra danio

 

[kmny34]

Not the answer you're looking for but... It totally depends on what I'm looking for!

- Dwarf Chain Loaches have hilarious personalities while still looking attractive and are excellent bottom dwellers.

- Threadfin Rainbows have fascinating fin displays when the males are showing off for girls or standing off against rival males and are great for adding activity to the mid/upper levels.

- Danios are lively and constantly on the move all over the tank.

- Guppies, while not exactly schoolers, are fun to watch with all their colors and finnage, and tend to go all over the tank.

- Cardinal and Neon Tetras are shy, but are so brightly colorful.

The list could go on for a while, but I'll stop here since I think you get the point

I have been thinking about adding another schooling fish to my 30 gallon.

I have it narrowed down to threadfins or cardinals. I'm gonna add 5 of which one i pick. I really want the one that schools more often and tight. Any suggestions between the two?

 

[MMantelli]

Rummynose tetras. Not only do they school very tight but there nose will tell you if you have water problems. I also really like clown loaches. Yeah they dont school they shoal but its awesome to watch them do the "loach dance".LoL.

 

[Cactuspixie]

I have been thinking about adding another schooling fish to my 30 gallon.

I have it narrowed down to threadfins or cardinals. I'm gonna add 5 of which one i pick. I really want the one that schools more often and tight. Any suggestions between the two?

I'm also considering cardinals for my 6ft tank. Either them or chilli rasboras. If I can get them.

Is there a reason so many people prefer neons over cardinals??

 

[Luananeko]

I have been thinking about adding another schooling fish to my 30 gallon.

I have it narrowed down to threadfins or cardinals. I'm gonna add 5 of which one i pick. I really want the one that schools more often and tight. Any suggestions between the two?

Neither Threadfins or Cardinals will school very tightly. Cardinals only school when they feel threatened, same with Threadfins. When they're feeling safe, the males of the Threadfins will each stake out a spot and display to any females that come near, and will stand off against any males that get too close. Cardinals tend to just do their own thing

I'm also considering cardinals for my 6ft tank. Either them or chilli rasboras. If I can get them.

Is there a reason so many people prefer neons over cardinals??

I think it's because Neons stay smaller, which means you can keep more of them for a more impressive school. In a 6ft tank though, I'd go with the Cardinals, since space really isn't an issue and I'd worry the neons would sort of get lost in the crowd in such a large space. I prefer the Cardinals more in general between the two though, so I'm biased

 

[kmny34]

Is there any fish that school whenever? Not just when they feel threatened!

 

[Luananeko]

Rummynose tetras are the only ones I know of that school constantly. Almost all other "schooling" fish are really just shoaling fish that school when threatened.

 

[MMantelli]

Rummynose tetras are the only ones I know of that school constantly. Almost all other "schooling" fish are really just shoaling fish that school when threatened.

+1 that I have rummynoses and there always in either one big group or 2 groups of 6ish

 

[kmny34]

Rummynose tetras are the only ones I know of that school constantly. Almost all other "schooling" fish are really just shoaling fish that school when threatened.

Since I really have nothing to threaten the cardinals it looks like I'm gonna do the rummy nose in my 30 gallon!

I am setting up a 29 gallon that will have an angelfish, 1 kribensis, 1 bn pleco, and 8 cardinal tetras. Will the cardinals school in that tank being that the other fish could make them feel threatened?

 

[fishfan88]

+1 harlequin rasboras! I find that they school better then most of my other schoolers actually. I have nine. Sometimes they school in groups of 4 and 5 or 3 and 6 but you never see one on its own. Most of the time all nine are together. I'm thinking of getting some more soon and maybe some rummynose tetras

 

[Luananeko]

"Threatened" is usually a short term event, such as someone walking by the tank, or you sticking your hand into the tank to do maintenance. They generally won't school constantly just because they're nervous about other tank inhabitants. A more likely scenario if they're nervous is that they'll just go into hiding and you'll just see them peeking out of the plants here and there. Without real dither fish (like Threadfins, Danios, etc, basically fish that are brave and active as a shoal that can signal the coast is clear), Cardinals are very shy fish.

As to whether they'll hide or not in your 29 gallon, it will depend on the Angel's personality. Full grown Angels tend to like biting out the shiny eyes of Neons, so I'm not sure if the Cardinals would be big enough to avoid the same fate. If you have a passive Angel, the Cardinals may get comfortable enough around it that they'll hang out and do their own thing like normal when non-stressed.

 

[ddodad]

+1 harlequin rasboras! I find that they school better then most of my other schoolers actually. I have nine. Sometimes they school in groups of 4 and 5 or 3 and 6 but you never see one on its own. Most of the time all nine are together. I'm thinking of getting some more soon and maybe some rummynose tetras

I agree I have 10 they always seem to be together no matter what. It's quite funny during feeding time, the entire school goes into a feeding frenzy. They compete and often win against all the larger fish

 

[MMantelli]

Since I really have nothing to threaten the cardinals it looks like I'm gonna do the rummy nose in my 30 gallon!

I am setting up a 29 gallon that will have an angelfish, 1 kribensis, 1 bn pleco, and 8 cardinal tetras. Will the cardinals school in that tank being that the other fish could make them feel threatened?

Awesome! Just make sure to take your time acclimating them and keep your water paramaters pristine they can sometimes be delicate. I was lucky and got a dozen real hardy ones. I've moved them into a Rubbermaid tote for a few days while I changed the substrate and planted it and re acclimated them and didn't loose a single one.

 

[kmny34]

Awesome! Just make sure to take your time acclimating them and keep your water paramaters pristine they can sometimes be delicate. I was lucky and got a dozen real hardy ones. I've moved them into a Rubbermaid tote for a few days while I changed the substrate and planted it and re acclimated them and didn't loose a single one.

Thanks!!! Will do. I am not adding any fish until I know for sure that my tank is cycled!