What do you guys think, best schooling fish?

[badreefer]

I have a 120g slowly becoming reef tank. I unfortunately couldn't decide between corals and fish. So I put a show sized blonde naso tang with blue throated trigger with a powder blue tang and the list goes on and on with corals like purple monster, numerous tyree corals. Then had the whole thing crash(refer to log in name) Now I just want a few small fish that school together. So what do you guys think? Anthais, Bangaii cardinals, Hell I was even think of a group of damsels. of course not all at once, I've got a really hard head......but even I am capable of learning from mistakes.

 

[nonstopfishies]

I have a 120g slowly becoming reef tank. I unfortunately couldn't decide between corals and fish. So I put a show sized blonde naso tang with blue throated trigger with a powder blue tang and the list goes on and on with corals like purple monster, numerous tyree corals. Then had the whole thing crash(refer to log in name) Now I just want a few small fish that school together. So what do you guys think? Anthais, Bangaii cardinals, Hell I was even think of a group of damsels. of course not all at once, I've got a really hard head......but even I am capable of learning from mistakes.

No fish really school in tanks, particularly small ones. It is more a coexist.

A few anthias should work, Cardinals will kill each other off until there are 2 left, and damsels will beat each other up until most are dead too.

In a 120, I would shoot for getting an assortment of fish that live together and create enough movement for your liking. Examples of things you could get below.

2 cardinals
a few anthias
a few wrasses(flashers, fairies)
a tang that stays smallish
a goby, a basslet, or a clown(s)

 

[travis136]

check out anthias they are pretty cool.. i have a few and they are awesome, also is that your z in the pic? ive had my z for allitle over a year now im really into them.. thinking about doing a 2j swap or ls soon :fun2:

 

[Bnortz]

Live Aquaria sells Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) and I always thought they were really cool looking fish. A couple of those would get some color and movement in your tank.

 

[SDguy]

IME carberryi, dispar, and ignitus anthias show the best grouping behavior out of the anthias I've kept.

 

[dzfish17]

Well, going off of what you wrote I think you just want some small hardy fish and keep it simple. Damsels would be perfect. Go with one black and white striped damsel and an azure damsel. There are others that would be fine in your tank... the talbot is a good choice. You could actually have a good looking tank with cheap, tough fish that even you cant kill. :hmm5:

I would also start doing more research on marine tanks so that you are ready when you decide to do something else with your tank. Remember, patience is the key to success in this hobby.

 

[bigevill1]

a show sized naso in a 120 gallon tank?

 

[rssjsb]

a show sized naso in a 120 gallon tank?

Yes, that's eye-catching, but the OP appears to have learned that lesson.

 

[MIKE NY]

I have had or still have all of those fish mentioned and most if not all of those fish shoal not school, by far the best schooling fish I ever had are threadfin blue eyed cardinals...they are together 90% of the time.

 

[username in use]

The threadfin cardinals are great, as are the red spot glass cardinals, they hang really tight together, and you could have a pack of like 15 in that tank.

 

[snorvich]

IME carberryi, dispar, and ignitus anthias show the best grouping behavior out of the anthias I've kept.

I definitely agree with Carberryi. I have not kept the others.

 

[MHG]

well green chromis school in larger tanks (kind of) but these guys (attached photo) definetly school. but they grow big. I forget the name...I have seen them school in all sorts of different size tanks.

 

[tcoral]

we just had a presentation at our reef club of a dive and they showed schools of Kaudern's Cardinals that looked really cool.

 

[nonstopfishies]

we just had a presentation at our reef club of a dive and they showed schools of Kaudern's Cardinals that looked really cool.

They kill each other until 1 pair remains. Not a good choice.

 

[nonstopfishies]

well green chromis school in larger tanks (kind of) but these guys (attached photo) definetly school. but they grow big. I forget the name...I have seen them school in all sorts of different size tanks.

Chromis may work, at least for a while, and are cheap. They do get bigger and ugly and will fight more in time.

The other fish get huge and could not even be in normal sized tanks, let alone schools of them.

 

[MHG]

Yes they do get huge.


You know every one keeps saying the chromis will kill each other and that may be, but I keep seeing them in groups of 3 and 4 in established reef tanks all over my area and most say they have been in there for 3 or more years...

 

[Grassroots]

Chromis will kill each other it just takes time. Those big jacks you posted you already know to avoid. I am going to +1 on the Anthias or a harem of flasher wrasses would look really interesting.

 

[nonstopfishies]

Yes they do get huge.


You know every one keeps saying the chromis will kill each other and that may be, but I keep seeing them in groups of 3 and 4 in established reef tanks all over my area and most say they have been in there for 3 or more years...

I agree, it is possible. I have seen them in tanks for a long time(3 together for 10 years, started with 7 though).

The problem is, just because it's possible doesn't mean it will happen. They very frequently kill each other off, doesn't mean they will 100% of the time, but enough to discourage trying.

The other thing is they don't "school", they will just live in the same tank.

 

[badreefer]

Thanks for all the input fellas I greatly appreciate it. I have a problem with addiction and unfortunately the fish suffered this time. I'm making sure this will not happen again. What do you guys think about bartlett anthias?

 

[tmulrney]

Live Aquaria sells Blue Reef Chromis (Chromis cyaneus) and I always thought they were really cool looking fish. A couple of those would get some color and movement in your tank.

I have 7 chromis in my 210g and they do school. I added them specifically to have a school of fish with the understanding that fish don't really school in a tank. They school in nature to hunt together for food. With a tank, food is kind of a sure thing. Mine do school a lot of the time. But not always.