Schooling Fish

[SurfnFish]

Anyone have any good info on the different types of schooling fish? I have a firefish, and my LFS told me that they are a schooling fish. Well, I've learned not to listen to my LFS anymore, so I'm turning to RC for yet another question. Any info helps. Thanks.

 

[BradsOcean]

green chromis are good for that. just add them all at once and they will shoal.

 

[t5Nitro]

I disagree with the above. I think few people have long term success with chromis together. It may not even be long term before you end up with 1 or 2 left out of a shoal of them. I think a better choice is the anthias or those longspined cardinalfish.

 

[deklin]

Anthias are probably the best for schooling but they require a larger tank than chromis and need to be fed at least twice a day while chromis are much more flexible on feeding schedules.

 

[alkataz]

I agree with the t5nitro. I have tried to school chromis several times and have had them be fine for months and months and then all of a sudden they start getting picked off. I now have a school of mollies

 

[alkataz]

Oh and if that doesn't work for you you could try getting a male and female carpenter flasher wrasse. I have a pair and they do the most wonderful displays.

 

[drummereef]

A 55g probably won't support schooling. Much more water volume is needed imo. A couple of perculas might hang together though.

 

[EyeCandy]

My chromis schooled for about 2ish months, then became comfortable in the tank and just all swim around. I started with 5 and one passed within a week, have had 4 for about 2-3 years now. I have a 60g, you would definitely need a larger tank for them to school for a longer period of time.

 

[SeanySean]

cardinals are good for schooling from what I have seen

 

[SurfnFish]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll probably end up getting a pair of mated clowns, and that will be fine.

 

[drummereef]

That sounds like a much better plan, SurfnFish. The clowns will be cute.

 

[mr.maroonsalty]

I thought I'd throw this in; I like Talbot's damsels and a trio is a nice number. they don't shoal up, but do interact with eachother. the one downer is they don't interact with me like my fairy wrasses do. Two or three Talbot's and a pair of clowns would be a real nice choice.