Schooling

marinereef28 · 03/07/2008, 09:27 PM

has anyone kept any schooling fish that aren't chromis or anthias???

plateboy3293 · 03/07/2008, 09:45 PM

Cardinalfish

Clownfish kinda school I guess?

ScubaDiver93 · 03/08/2008, 12:10 AM

Heniochis, my favorite!

twon8 · 03/08/2008, 12:22 AM

chromis wont' school except in the largest of aquariums

tom3201 · 03/08/2008, 11:03 PM

I have six chromis in a 30 cube and they are always swimming together

snorvich · 03/09/2008, 04:09 PM

Yes, they are shoaling not schooling.

Reeftanks6 · 03/09/2008, 05:34 PM

I have never kept any schooling fish but here are some that i have seen school.

Tangs
Clowns

snorvich · 03/09/2008, 06:27 PM

Shoaling. Neither of these fish school.

Reeftanks6 · 03/09/2008, 06:44 PM

I have seen them school in very large groups.

snorvich · 03/09/2008, 07:11 PM

Well clown fish do not school or shoal. In the wild they will group with a male and female sexually differentiated pair and 3 to 6 sexually undifferentiated individuals around an anemone. By the way, this is called association; the anemone hosts clown fish, the clown fish associate with the anemone.

Tangs (some) will aggregate in a shoal but will not "school" which is an aligned movement with all individuals facing the same direction. Normally schooling requires dithering behavior.

Reeftanks6 · 03/09/2008, 08:06 PM

OK my mistake sorry about that.

snorvich · 03/10/2008, 10:30 AM

No problem. Noone knows everything which is why we all read this board. I learn something new almost every day.

silvers · 03/10/2008, 10:35 AM

double post

silvers · 03/10/2008, 10:37 AM

Have you seen tangs in the wild, I know for shure atlantic tangs school I have seen it many times diving in the Keys .Hundreds if not thousands in a school.

ggk1988 · 03/10/2008, 11:11 AM

what is the difference between schooling and shoaling?

thor32766 · 03/10/2008, 11:25 AM

Tangs (some) will aggregate in a shoal but will not "school" which is an aligned movement with all individuals facing the same direction. Normally schooling requires dithering behavior.

courtesy of snorvich in his above post.

flameangel88 · 03/10/2008, 12:02 PM

May be this article can clear it up a bit:

http://www.thatfishshop.com/reference/shoal.htm

snorvich · 03/10/2008, 05:01 PM

Some butterfly fish will also shoal although none will school. Some of the fish that I have seen school are: barracuda, jacks, silver sides but schooling behavior in normal aquaria is not going to happen for a variety of reasons. Some of the fish I have seen shoal in an aquarium are some varieties of cardinal fish, yellow zoster butterfly, and some chromis and some anthias. I have heard that some tangs will shoal but have no personal experience observing this in aquaria. I have seen this in the wild many times but it depends on the species.

Untamed12 · 03/10/2008, 05:52 PM

I very much want to purchase a number of fish that will "school" in my 400.

I've NOT purchased the traditional Chromis or Anthias because my observation is that they "shoal"...loosely at best.

I've tried to obtain Pygmy Sweepers (as seen at the Georgia Aquarium), but they aren't generally available. Aside from their schooling behaviour, they aren't particularly attractive, I suppose)

So....has anyone found another fish that will truly "School" in a tight formation?...and stays small so that you can have 15 or 20 of them? (and maybe be in decent supply so that you can replace the one's that stray from the school and get eaten...)

BMW///M3 · 03/10/2008, 07:47 PM

I would say it's a safe bet this is "schooling" They are all facing the same direction, and ALWAYS do....

Untamed12 · 03/10/2008, 07:54 PM

Pigmy Sweepers at the Georgia Aquarium. This is what I call schooling.

Not that your collection of yellow Tangs isn't gorgeous...just not quite what I have in mind.

BMW///M3 · 03/10/2008, 07:57 PM

It's not my tank, I think it's a 10+ foot tank....

snorvich · 03/10/2008, 10:12 PM

The yellow tangs are not schooling. The pymy sweepers are schooling. Good example showing the difference between them.

BMW///M3 · 03/11/2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by snorvich
The yellow tangs are not schooling. The pymy sweepers are schooling. Good example showing the difference between them.

dude, if thats not schooling I don't know what is. I read the differences and thats seems to fit it to the "t"

Untamed12 · 03/11/2008, 01:46 AM

OK..OK...let's not quibble over definition of terms here.

I'm hoping that someone can find me a fish that groups together as tightly as the photo of the pigmy sweepers above. This is what I'm hoping to achieve, regardless of what it might be called.

03/07/2008, 09:27 PM	#1
marinereef28 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Covington Wa Posts: 49	Schooling has anyone kept any schooling fish that aren't chromis or anthias??? __________________ Taking all AP yep, in all honors too, but still have time too keep a girlfriend, 3.95 gpa, and mange too sit at the cool table. Current Tank Info: 55 gal reef and 1000 gal new 5000

03/07/2008, 09:45 PM	#2
plateboy3293 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hillsborough, New Jersey Posts: 1,004	Cardinalfish Clownfish kinda school I guess? __________________ Viva Las Vegas Current Tank Info: 2 14 Gallon Biocubes Reef

03/08/2008, 12:22 AM	#4
twon8 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: slightly sw of richmond, va Posts: 5,314	chromis wont' school except in the largest of aquariums __________________ Anthony Richmond Reef Club red house, up there^ = my tank pics Current Tank Info: 90g asm g3 mod/30sump/20 chaeto/\ 180 beckett 400s both mostly zoanthdis/sps with clams /\ 29g live rock tank /\ 55 soon to be set up frag tank

03/09/2008, 04:09 PM	#6
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	Yes, they are shoaling not schooling. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math)

03/09/2008, 05:34 PM	#7
Reeftanks6 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: PA Posts: 3,552	I have never kept any schooling fish but here are some that i have seen school. Tangs Clowns __________________ 90G Tank Check It Out Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef

03/08/2008, 12:10 AM	#3
ScubaDiver93 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angles, CA Posts: 569	Heniochis, my favorite!

03/08/2008, 11:03 PM	#5
tom3201 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 16	I have six chromis in a 30 cube and they are always swimming together

03/09/2008, 06:27 PM	#8
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	Shoaling. Neither of these fish school. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math)

03/09/2008, 06:44 PM	#9
Reeftanks6 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: PA Posts: 3,552	I have seen them school in very large groups. __________________ 90G Tank Check It Out Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef

03/09/2008, 07:11 PM	#10
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	Well clown fish do not school or shoal. In the wild they will group with a male and female sexually differentiated pair and 3 to 6 sexually undifferentiated individuals around an anemone. By the way, this is called association; the anemone hosts clown fish, the clown fish associate with the anemone. Tangs (some) will aggregate in a shoal but will not "school" which is an aligned movement with all individuals facing the same direction. Normally schooling requires dithering behavior. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math) Last edited by snorvich; 03/09/2008 at 07:22 PM.

03/09/2008, 08:06 PM	#11
Reeftanks6 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: PA Posts: 3,552	OK my mistake sorry about that. __________________ 90G Tank Check It Out Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef

03/10/2008, 10:30 AM	#12
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	No problem. Noone knows everything which is why we all read this board. I learn something new almost every day. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math)

03/10/2008, 10:35 AM	#13
silvers Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ga Posts: 356	double post __________________ Lord knows Im weak wont somebody get me off this reef-Sublime Current Tank Info: 120g

03/10/2008, 10:37 AM	#14
silvers Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ga Posts: 356	Have you seen tangs in the wild, I know for shure atlantic tangs school I have seen it many times diving in the Keys .Hundreds if not thousands in a school. __________________ Lord knows Im weak wont somebody get me off this reef-Sublime Current Tank Info: 120g

03/10/2008, 11:11 AM	#15
ggk1988 Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NW suburbs Chicago, IL Posts: 588	what is the difference between schooling and shoaling?

03/10/2008, 11:25 AM	#16
thor32766 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chuluota, FL Posts: 5,947	Tangs (some) will aggregate in a shoal but will not "school" which is an aligned movement with all individuals facing the same direction. Normally schooling requires dithering behavior. courtesy of snorvich in his above post. __________________ "Live your life so no one has to lie about who you were at your funeral" click on my red house to see my tang compound! Current Tank Info: 29 gallon in Wall!

03/10/2008, 12:02 PM	#17
flameangel88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 3,499	May be this article can clear it up a bit: http://www.thatfishshop.com/reference/shoal.htm

03/10/2008, 05:01 PM	#18
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	Some butterfly fish will also shoal although none will school. Some of the fish that I have seen school are: barracuda, jacks, silver sides but schooling behavior in normal aquaria is not going to happen for a variety of reasons. Some of the fish I have seen shoal in an aquarium are some varieties of cardinal fish, yellow zoster butterfly, and some chromis and some anthias. I have heard that some tangs will shoal but have no personal experience observing this in aquaria. I have seen this in the wild many times but it depends on the species. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math)

03/10/2008, 05:52 PM	#19
Untamed12 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 1,795	I very much want to purchase a number of fish that will "school" in my 400. I've NOT purchased the traditional Chromis or Anthias because my observation is that they "shoal"...loosely at best. I've tried to obtain Pygmy Sweepers (as seen at the Georgia Aquarium), but they aren't generally available. Aside from their schooling behaviour, they aren't particularly attractive, I suppose) So....has anyone found another fish that will truly "School" in a tight formation?...and stays small so that you can have 15 or 20 of them? (and maybe be in decent supply so that you can replace the one's that stray from the school and get eaten...)

03/10/2008, 07:47 PM	#20
BMW///M3 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Winston Salem/Charlotte NC Posts: 128	I would say it's a safe bet this is "schooling" They are all facing the same direction, and ALWAYS do....

03/10/2008, 07:54 PM	#21
Untamed12 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 1,795	Pigmy Sweepers at the Georgia Aquarium. This is what I call schooling. Not that your collection of yellow Tangs isn't gorgeous...just not quite what I have in mind.

03/10/2008, 07:57 PM	#22
BMW///M3 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Winston Salem/Charlotte NC Posts: 128	It's not my tank, I think it's a 10+ foot tank....

03/10/2008, 10:12 PM	#23
snorvich ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Barrington, Illinois Posts: 12,400 Blog Entries: 5	The yellow tangs are not schooling. The pymy sweepers are schooling. Good example showing the difference between them. __________________ Warmest regards and best wishes, ~Steve~ Marine tanks since 1991, freshwater since 1957 (please do NOT do the math)

03/11/2008, 01:46 AM	#25
Untamed12 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 1,795	OK..OK...let's not quibble over definition of terms here. I'm hoping that someone can find me a fish that groups together as tightly as the photo of the pigmy sweepers above. This is what I'm hoping to achieve, regardless of what it might be called.