What's the largest cardinalfish school anyone has?
- Thread starter Betta132
- Start date
Stevenliu9
New member
I love seeing fish schooling. My hypothesis of not seeing cardinals in large school in the hobby is because salt water fish are naturally more expensive, so most people either can't afford a huge school of them, or those who have enough money would rather have a school of anthias or other "brighter colored" fish. But if anyone has a large school of cardinals I'd certainly love to see pics!
I like cardinals more than most anthias, though, and I can't be the only one. Plus, they're hardier and don't need multiple feedings a day.
Did some quick checking:
Threadfin cardinal average online price: $20
Baggai cardinal average price: Looks like $12-$15
Anthias are more expensive.
Plus, I bet you could add a few cardinals here and a few cardinals there... They don't seem to be the kind of fish who'll kill new additions to the group.
Did some quick checking:
Threadfin cardinal average online price: $20
Baggai cardinal average price: Looks like $12-$15
Anthias are more expensive.
Plus, I bet you could add a few cardinals here and a few cardinals there... They don't seem to be the kind of fish who'll kill new additions to the group.
Well I have found thread fins and long-spines to school better than chromis or anthias especially if you have and urchin for them to live in. The reason you don't often see schools are that yes they are expensive. Like said above the good schoolers, thread fin and long-spine, ( bangai will form a pair and kill any others like clownfish) are 20$- for twenty dollars you could buy an 3 inch colorful lyre-tail anthia instead of a tiny almost translucent thread fin cardinal. For the price of a school of thread fin cardinals ( 9 ) you could get a freshwater tank set up with schooling tetras, which look almost the same as thread fin cardinal fish. On the other hand I have seen schools of up to 12 longspine cardinals that people have in their tanks.
jadette
Member
I had a dozen threadfins in my 140g tank. After 3 years, I still have 9 of them. As the years go by, they seem to school less and less. In the beginning, they would group up tightly. Now they are scattered all over my tank, rarely in groups greater than 3.
And as far as the cardinals vs anthias debate, I say why not both?
And as far as the cardinals vs anthias debate, I say why not both?
Stevenliu9
New member
I had a dozen threadfins in my 140g tank. After 3 years, I still have 9 of them. As the years go by, they seem to school less and less. In the beginning, they would group up tightly. Now they are scattered all over my tank, rarely in groups greater than 3.
And as far as the cardinals vs anthias debate, I say why not both?
wow beautiful set up! I too would stick with cardinals. I find the thread fin ones schools best. but for some reason they aren't always available at my local stores (SW Wisconsin).
jadette
Member
Thanks! I got my threadfins from petsolutions.com. They were on sale and I got them for $8 each. This was 3 years ago though.
Stevenliu9
New member
Thanks! I never even noticed pet solutions carry livestock! Just checked, they are $14.99 there and sadly out of stock right now. But even $14.99 is much better deal, most of the LFS here in WI charges $20 a piece! I have size right now I'd like to double that eventually.
claireputput
New member
I had a dozen threadfins in my 140g tank. After 3 years, I still have 9 of them. As the years go by, they seem to school less and less. In the beginning, they would group up tightly. Now they are scattered all over my tank, rarely in groups greater than 3.
And as far as the cardinals vs anthias debate, I say why not both?
I love your set up! Very beautiful!
Moort82
New member
In the lfs I used to run we had a group of over 100 bangaii cardinals for several months and that really told me they don't really work in groups in the confines of a tank. They basically began to pair off and show aggression to the others. It was only because of the numbers that none were killed off but I don't think it would have actually taken many less for problems to occur.
bluecoyote79
New member
I tried the Red Spot Cardinals in a 65g. I started with 10 from DD and after 6 months I have 1...While they were all around, they were really cool schooling. After my experience, I wouldn't try these fish again unless I knew they could be kept long term.
I haven't lost a fish since the first few months I was in this hobby (5 years ago) and I can't explain why these fish died. They showed no signs of disease, just wasted away 1 by 1. If I was going to try again I'd treat them with Metro while in QT.
I haven't lost a fish since the first few months I was in this hobby (5 years ago) and I can't explain why these fish died. They showed no signs of disease, just wasted away 1 by 1. If I was going to try again I'd treat them with Metro while in QT.
Moort82
New member
In a way 100+ did but they have to be one of the most boring fish you can get ime, yes they are beautiful but they don't move and have no personality what so ever.
MIKE NY
Two Decade club
\I had a dozen threadfins in my 140g tank. After 3 years, I still have 9 of them. As the years go by, they seem to school less and less. In the beginning, they would group up tightly. Now they are scattered all over my tank, rarely in groups greater than 3.
And as far as the cardinals vs anthias debate, I say why not both?
x2...I had about 6-7 with some breeding, but within five years Im down to one male who kills off any new ones I try to add to build up the school again...
I had a dozen pj cardinals in my 150. I had a few other cardinals, too. I still have 2 pjs and 1 ringtail. I lost a lot of fish recently due to a power outage. But the cardinals did great. They're not the most active fish, but they do hang out in the water column. I enjoy them.
