Schooling fish

[wetbehindears]

I want to get a large school of chromis, i have always liked them because they are rather active.

How many would you guys recomend i was thinking 10 at most but 6 at least. I want the largest school that i can safely get away with.

Also keep in mind in my display i have a very little amount of rock , two islands with alot of open space. Their is alot of swiming space

in the past ive been know to over stock and i was trying to not over stock this tank but im going to a 600 gallon 8ft display within the year.


Right now in my current display i have 7 fish with roughly 500+ gallons of water in total system.

1-6 inch naso tang
1-10 inch valmingi tang
2- large black saddel back clowns
1- melanarus wrasse
1- mandarin goby
1- randalls goby


sorry for spelling.

 

[GMaquarium]

Can never go wrong with anthias, darts, cardinals or even school of baby tangs.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I'm sooo hooked on my anthias! I'm forgetting my wrasse desires.

 

[wetbehindears]

Yeah well i like them but arent they hard to keep? And pricey

 

[Pishie]

I was thinking about a school of bangalli cardinals what's a good number I was thinking 5+ I have a 155

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

Idk, I might have gotten lucky getting initiated with Stocky Anthias. I am also able to feed them frozen 2-3 times a day. I picked them up at an lfs for $15 each; it took 5 to get 3, but one should not have died because I had installation flaw in my overflow screen that didnt let the fish roll back down to where it could stay wet and flop back in the tank. The other that died simply never came out of its funk. I got juvi females about 6 weeks ago and already one is morphing into a male. They do spend time apart in the tank, but they also spend time as a tight trio which looks awesome. Anthias certainly have the reputation for needing a larger tank with gin clear water.

 

[akitareefer]

From what I've read and seen you will start off with many chromis and will end up with only one or few. I'm an owner of one chromis lol. If I were to do it again I'd go with anthias or a type of cardinal. There are some really cool looking cardinals out there... flame and longspine.

When i was looking into getting a school I enjoyed researching on RC about schooling and shoaling, very interesting stuff.

Pick anything out yet?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

From what I've read and seen you will start off with many chromis and will end up with only one or few.

True. You will end up with 1, 2 or 3 (if you're lucky).

My suggestion for "schooling fish" in a marine aquarium depends on aquarium size and fish community.

Cardinalfish would be the "advanced" choice here.

I'm not a fan of Naso species in home aquaria.
All Naso species need a large aquarium.

Fish are better in pairs. I would get mates for your 1- mandarin goby
1- randalls goby

 

[Zombiecowmeat]

Yea I started with 3, thinking that would be a safe number and then the leader of the school decided 3 was too many Now they hide in my live rock until feeding time then they are everywhere.

 

[Gravesj1s]

I'm with Gary on pairing fish when ever possible.

-Steve

 

[Henry Colf]

There are other choices for schooling fish. For example chalk bass, 3 stripe damsels and def. anthias. Chromis are def. not a good choice as they will knock off each other till you end up with one or two.

 

[saltyscotsman]

I have 4 chromis for about two months now and seam to get along very well together

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I have 4 chromis for about two months now and seam to get along very well together

60 days = take pictures

 

[Jacwil]

We got ten or 12 Chromis a yr and a half ago and are down to 4 or 5... Is it wrong that i can't remember off the top of my head? Lol

 

[SkiFletch]

Ptereleotris zebra, aka bar goby, aka zebra goby do well in a schooling type setup. Not sure if they ultimately succumb to the chromis effect, but they can/will school and are always "out on display" so to speak

 

[cardiffgiant]

There are other choices for schooling fish. For example chalk bass, 3 stripe damsels and def. anthias. Chromis are def. not a good choice as they will knock off each other till you end up with one or two.

Tagging along here. I didn't have luck with anthias. Chalk bass are interesting. How many would be safe to try in a 90?

 

[Randy15]

Only problem with bar gobies is they always find a way to jump out. Even in my canopy they somehow escape. Actually had them jump at me when I open the door to feed a couple of times haha

 

[magdelan]

I had 13 Green Chromis once..... once.

 

[Henry Colf]

Tagging along here. I didn't have luck with anthias. Chalk bass are interesting. How many would be safe to try in a 90?

If memory serves me right they only get to be 3-4 in in length. I would think 4 or 5 would be a good number. I wanted to school them but could never find them at any of the lfs.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I remember a tank full of chalk bass at a store; I don't know how they behave together in a display tank, but they looked awesome all together.