What's your favorite schooling fish?

[Itaysworld]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 180 gallon mixed reek tank (build thread here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1403283).

It's been up since June and with fish since late August.

I've got 7 fish so far (plus 3 coming out off QT this weekend - yay!)

I'm looking to add about a dozen small schooling fish and I'm having trouble making up my mind between some type of cardinal fish, or chromises, anthias, etc...

What do you guys suggest?
What kind of fish schools tightly and swims together?

I'm looking for that effect.

Thanks in advance!

[snorvich]

None will school, cardinals (various except Bangai) will shoal.

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13747038#post13747038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich
None will school, cardinals (various except Bangai) will shoal.

Thanks for the clarification Steve.

I looked up the difference (I didn't know) and now understand it :)


So EDIT: Which are you favorite shoaling fish?

[dadonoflaw]

depends on color. if you have the parameters and means to feed several times a day than lyretail anthias are among my faves.

[FOSELONE]

my favorite...

http://aquapetcenter.com/shopping/images/apogon_leptacanthus.jpg

[michael_cb_125]

I think a big group of thread-fin herring would be coolio :)
~Michael

[el aguila]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13747854#post13747854 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by FOSELONE
my favorite...

http://aquapetcenter.com/shopping/images/apogon_leptacanthus.jpg
How do these do in a tank with high flow (190 with 4-way on a hammerhead closed loop)?

[snorvich]

I happen to agree with FOSELONE and in fact have them in two of my aquaria. They are difficult initial shippers but once acclimated into your aquarium, will eat well, are exceptionally hearty, and will shoal in a nice relative tight group. They seem to have a very strict social hierarchy and in fact have paired off with in my shoal.

One of my tanks (which has seven of these) is a 350 gallon SPS with high flow and there seems to be no issues. They tend to congregate slightly below the flow but move around to different parts. This particular aquarium has caves and overhangs, but they tend to be out more than not.

[EMV7904]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13748269#post13748269 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by el aguila
How do these do in a tank with high flow (190 with 4-way on a hammerhead closed loop)?

What are they? I don't know by just looking at em.

Thanks.

[teetimefun]

Threadfin cardinals, blue eyed cardinals, glass cardinals. I have 7 in a SPS tank with high flow no problems

[Itaysworld]

I like those - I will look into them.

There are very nice stripped cardinals that I saw in some pictures... do most cardinals behave similarly?

Any pictures from your tanks these, or any other cardinals, would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance@!

[JazzZero]

blue-green chromis

[snorvich]

Most (except Bangai) cardinals will shoal. They come in various colors. Chromis often willow the shoal down as they don't really like each other.

[espocrespo]

bicolor chromis look very cool, and they are different.

[Gwynhidwy]

I would go with the threadfin (Apogon leptacanthus) or orange lined (Apogon cyanosoma) cardinals or possibly some anthias. I love my bartletts (Pseudanthias bartlettorum) and my bicolor (Pseudanthias bicolor).

[reefusaca]

Tangs and anthias

[snorvich]

tangs don't shoal or school.

[Gwynhidwy]

snorvich, are you meaning only in tanks? I though that a few species of tangs did shoal in the ocean, convict tangs for instance. Am I mistaken?

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13756793#post13756793 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gwynhidwy
snorvich, are you meaning only in tanks? I though that a few species of tangs did shoal in the ocean, convict tangs for instance. Am I mistaken?


I'm pretty sure they do in nature.

Here are 3 pictures from a dive in the bahamas - what an amazing place! There were hundreds of them!

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg289/ItaysWorld/DSC00289.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg289/ItaysWorld/DSC00288.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg289/ItaysWorld/IMG_1259.jpg

[Itaysworld]

Thank you all for the responses.

Do you guys mind posting some pictures of your tanks with your shoaling fish?

Thanks again!

[LockeOak]

Blue-green chromis will shoal, especially if you have something vaguely threatening in the tank to keep them in line. I have 4 in my 50G, they stick pretty close to one another most of the time.

[BangkokMatt]

Steve will have meant in home aquaria.
I agree with the cardinals being best for shoaling. I disagree that anthias shoal in home aquaria. They may occassionally group but that is it (unless you have a n insanely large tank, of course)

[t5Nitro]

I've always wanetd 7 or so blue-green chromis just because they seem to stick tight to each other. Just the problem is everyone says they buy them and end up with one or two. I really like the looks of those on top. Where do you find those cardinals? Would there be any conflict adding them to a 125 with a tank having already 2 bangaiis?

Thanks.

[snorvich]

As Matt said, I was referring to home aquaria.

[m0nk]

I have a school of chromis in my 180 and they're great to watch. Of course, someone on here has a school of yellow tangs in a huge tank.... wish I had the room for that.

[bkvreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13761137#post13761137 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LockeOak
Blue-green chromis will shoal, especially if you have something vaguely threatening in the tank to keep them in line. I have 4 in my 50G, they stick pretty close to one another most of the time.
I agree I didn't have any in my 110g. My other fish would periodically come out from the rocks. I then got 6 and they were always swimming around the tank and it brought the others out much more often.
I have since upsized to a 220g and really like how they move in the tank togehter.
They have actually started to include the powder blue tang in their group. They are hovering around it as if it was a member of their group.
My votes for the chromis

[Itaysworld]

Thank you very much for all your responses. I think Blue Chormis are the winners!

I would love to see some pictures of them in your tanks, if you don't mind sharing.

My next question is how many?

I have a 180 gallon mixed tank with plenty of live rock (210 lbs) big sump and good skimmer and a relatively low bio load.

- Hippo Tang
- Yellow Tang
- Purple Tang
- Flame Fin Tang
- Blue Spot Jawfish x2
- Black Percula Clownfish x2
- Foxfaced Rabbitfish

(and a Six Line Wrasse about to come in)

I'm thinking of adding between 7 to 12 of Chromis. Do you guys think its a good amount?

Again, would love to see pictures of your tanks with them!

Thanks in advance!

[BangkokMatt]

hmmm, should have gone for the cardinals

[Itaysworld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13776124#post13776124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BangkokMatt
hmmm, should have gone for the cardinals

I'm still not 100% convinced :) hence the request for photos.

The other alternative is not to pick one of them, and to go with smaller groups of both.

Say, 5 cardinals / 5 chromis - something like that, or maybe a bit more of each.

A picture is worth 1000 words, and I want to see what you guys have!

Regards,

[BonesCJ]

I have 3 pyjama cardinals in a 90, they loosly shoal all day long and are very entertaining to watch, keep thinking of adding 2 more!