What's the best schooling fish?

[reef_doug]

For green chromis to shoal and swim in the open water, the key is to provide lots of flow. Alternating flow is ideal (Tunze wavebox). (I have 5).

Firefish aren't a good idea, they usually end up killing each other. You maybe lucky to get a pair to survive. (I have 2).

Bicolor Anthias are great! One of the best anthias to have. Prettier than Barletts and not as aggressive. Even my small one doesn't get picked on, even though he is half the size of the largest. I wouldn't say they shoal, but they do swim together with no problems. (I have 3).

Damsels don't shoal, but the azure damsels sure add lots of color in the rocks. They usually spread out and only playfully squabble amongst themselves. They are the more mild temperament damsels out there. (I have 5).

 

[Grebex11]

get a couple heniouchus butterflys

 

[bronkanus]

what about just some simple bar gobies or scissortails . I know they have a habit for being skittish but a small group with a small flat rock on the sand to hide under shouldnt be an issue. And as far as chrois I started with 20 in my 240 and now have 8 while in my 60 I had 8 and went down to 7 but I had a ton more flow.

 

[daza_RSA]

I used to be into gobys had a 6x2x2 with a huge group of different dart gobys ... Scissors . Bars ,decora , and black spot gobys they were awsone ... Then slowly they picked on each other then I got into anthias I love them as a schooling fish ... As for blue green chromus you can start with 10 or 1000 you will end up with 2 ...

Cardinals are awesome as well .. Threadfins are my pick of the lot gold/orange lines are cool but get to 8cm so don't go to crazy on the size ... As they also get territorial once a breeding pair is established and then they pick on the rest ...


As for the fires with the bimacs I think they would be fine once the fires get used to the bi macs ... Just make sure you put lids or fly screen over your tank for the first few days as they get flighty if scared ,. But once settled they rock ...

You could try a trio of royal grammars after all you guys are lucky they cost as much as our cheapest anthias .. Here in aus royal grammar cost about $100...

But our assessors only cost 25-35 they need huge tanks with large overflows to keep in big groups.. Otherwise they end up doing what chromus do.

 

[daza_RSA]

Overhangs not overflows .. Dam I phone predicting my words

 

[daza_RSA]

Overhangs nit overflows lol

 

[chumm]

i have had the blue green chromis (about 7 of them) in my215 and they did great...always wanted to try the banjai cardinals....

 

[jjsan]

Anthias and chromis

 

[DiscusHeckel]

What about chalk bass (Serranus Tortugarum)?

 

[badwrasse]

Firefish and Grammas and a few others mentioned are not shoaling fish. The Chromis which is a type of damsel along with the Anthias are true shoaling species. The firefish unless in a very large aquarium will end up killing one another off until only one remains unless there is a male/female pair. One of the purposes of shoaling is protection of the species. It is unlikely that the Chromis or Anthias will shoal after they have adjusted in a 90gl tank if there are no food competitors or other fish interested in them as a snack. They seem to lose this natural habit in captivity.

+1 you need a larger tank for shoaling fish to shoal successfully maybe try some smaller fish like apogons

 

[DJREEF]

I used to consider chromis a shoaling fish, but I have to say that I disagree now. At least in my tank they sometimes will hang out together, but they surely don't demonstrate actual shoaling behavior.

You have to have larger fish in the system to kind of force them into the shoaling mentality. Something that'll make a run at them occasionally like a large cranky angel, or a wrasse.

DJ

 

[DJREEF]

Fire fish will kill each other off unless you get known groups (of which I have never seen. I have only seen them sold as pairs.

Royal grammas are sold on DD sometimes as a trio (two females, one male).

I was talking to a reefer about having a group of firefish one day, and he told me that he, at one time, had around 20 in a 200 gallon[ish] aqaurium and within about two years he was down to three I think due to fighting and having to give them away.

Whatever you decide, make sure that it truly is a group, otherwise bad things may come.

Yea, agreed. They don't do well in groups. You'll end up with a dominant pair and they'll beat the crap outta the others if there isn't a common enemy to rally around, or a real big system that will allow them to get out of each other's way.

DJ

 

[DanMgy]

I might be wrong but I thought that fish mainly shoaled for protection and safety reasons and then with heavy current its so it easier for them to swim by reducing drag? So having them in a tank would make it a bit of a challange, kind of a pot-luck, to get them to really school together?

But I am not means an expert and just thought I would put that out there as to maybe why some have success and some don't with certian breeds.

 

[JRoweNole]

I can appreciate your question about better schooling fish to obtain, but I am surprised no one chimed in about the the number of fish you already have (including 2 tangs) in a 90 gallon system when you want to add 4 or 5 more.

In addition, I made the mistake when I first set up my 92 gallon reef 10 years ago of getting a Lantern Bass. Neat personality but SUPER aggressive to most other fish. With 2 Lantern Bass already established in your tank, I would be concerned they would marauder a small group of docile schooling fish, too.

 

[The Helper]

Try doing a group of chalk bass they are good schoolers