fish school

[Dustin2]

Ok i am setting up a 180 gallon reef soon and i am wanting to add a school of fish. I am pretty sure i want them to be chromis because they are cheaper than any other fish. Also how many should i keep in the school. I have heard only odd numbers but i am not sure?

 

[impreza619]

I started with a school of 20 in my tank and 6 months later I have 15, and they are staying at 15. most of the 5 missing ones went missing the first 2 weeks then no more losses after that. I dont think odd numbers matter in green chromis, the less healthy ones get picked off and die and the stronger ones remain. They are great to look at as a school, and are really affordable at that.

 

[impreza619]

I have also heard of batches of chromis all dying off becuase of foul collection/transport methods so you have to make sure your LFS is keeping them alive for a few day before selling.

 

[reefergeorge]

How are you going to get them to sit at the desks?
Sorry not funny, but couldn't resist.

 

[Chibils]

Chromis have a tendency to pick each other off, you may or may not have luck. Another thing is to look into cardinals. Most don't look too flashy, but in shoals they get an awesome iridescence and group more tightly than chromis. They're also relatively inexpensive if you can find them.

 

[snorvich]

Cardinals work very well in shoals (no fish are actually going to school)

 

[Dustin2]

ok thank you also can i add a few at a time and keep adding more and more?

 

[snorvich]

You can. I personally got a group and then added to it. But it works fine either way. In your size tank, I would guess that 3-5 would work well.

 

[BonesCJ]

I know I'm planning a group of 3-5 pyjama cardinals in my 90, love their colors and personalitys

 

[snorvich]

Yes, that would work well. If they are happy, they may even mate.

 

[Dustin2]

i have some cardinals but they are very shy

 

[Recty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13115867#post13115867 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dustin2
ok thank you also can i add a few at a time and keep adding more and more?

I originally added 4 chromis to my tank and then 2 months later added 3 more.

The nice thing was that while the 4 chromis were skittish and hid a lot when introduced, the 3 later additions simply mixed with in with the existing 4 chromis. They were out and about the tank eating within 10 minutes of introduction, swimming with the already establish shoal.

Great way to do it.

 

[WLachnit]

I have 13 Chromis in my 300gal (started with 15) and so far ,so good. They spend over half the time shoaling. My guess is that the even/odd rule is more levant when the numbars are not as big?