Good Schooling Fish

[Cardiak21]

Any hardy fish that school? and what amount would be ok for a 72? I heard that chromis will eventually widdle down their numbers due to dominance. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

 

[ctenophore]

Lyretail anthias are a good choice. Chalk bass and many cardinalfish are also good schoolers.

 

Welcome to WAMAS!

[flowerseller]

I'd say grouper,

but it's really a play on words..........

[Coral Hind]

Most schooling fish do not exhibit the schooling behavior as much in captivity once they settle in or mature unless the tank is large or there are aggressive fish that would cause them to stick together for safety.

 

I second the cardinals and the anthias. The anthias normally require more frequent feedings to survive.

[DDiver]

Longspine Cardinals are the best schoolers imo...

[Sharkey18]

Bangaii cardinals are NOT good schoolers. I bought 5 because I was looking for schoolers as well. Turns out, once

they mature they will fight. I've had both males and females going after each other for weeks on end.

 

Laura

[Aurora]

If you have the room, Moorish Idol looks awsome as a small school.

[Coral Hind]

If you have the room, Moorish Idol looks awsome as a small school.

 

How many do you have in the school?

[chucelli]

If you have the room, Moorish Idol looks awsome as a small school.

 

Not a good choice even given space.

They have very low long term survival rates and eventually starve.

Ask paulb, I think he got lucky with one...

 

Forgot to add, Green Chromis, although don't technically school, look very nice in large numbers and I found contrary to what most have experienced, long term survival rates can be 100% if given multiple feedings. Basically, if you treat them like the much more expensive Anthias, you should not lose any to aggression. IME, the reason they start dwindling one by one is due to the fact that the more dominant ones harass the weaker ones and prevent them from feeding. Feeding methods need to be modified (ie. multiple feedings per day, smaller food particles with strong current to spread food to all territories) so that even the weakest ones can gorge themselves with food before the day is out.

-R

Edited September 14, 2010 by chucelli

[Charlie]

The "pajama" Cardinals that I have school (so what) and they're very hardy and reasonably cheap. They were the first fish I put in my tank and I wanted something screw-up proof (or at least resistant), cheap (I think that I paid $15 each) and non-aggressive. What I didn't want was to put something like damsels in then have to worry about them beating on everything to follow. The only problem that I experienced was convincing them to eat pellets rather than demanding mysis shrimp.

[Grav]

I'd say grouper,

but it's really a play on words..........

 

 

that is so "chip"