Are Species Important In A Shoal?

[Kelly-Jo]

I used to have a shoal of 5 Bronze corys, but sadly over time 3 of them have died. I haven't had the time to replace them so far and I'm hoping to do so in the next few days as they're looking pretty bored and lonely So is it important that the shoal are all of the same species or will they still form a shoal if for example there are 2 bronze corys, 2 peppered and 2 pygmy corys? Just wondering as everyone seems to have a different opinion on this.

 

[KittyKat]

From my experience, species is very important. Different species may school together, but only reluctantly and if there are too few of their own kind.. those fish tend to have pretty weird behaviour.

 

[fluttermoth]

Different species of cory will shoal together if they have to because there aren't enough of their own, but their own is better if you can.

 

[hanny93]

My bronze and peppered stayed away from each other, and i'd assume that pygmy's would do the same.

Bronze and albino are the only two different cories that would shoal together because albinos are actually bronze cories, I'd advise you to choose on species and have one large shoal

 

[Kelly-Jo]

In that case, I'll probably just get more bronze corys to shoal with my existing ones. Thanks

 

[Harlequins]

Same species is important in my view,say for instance you have 6 corys like you mentioned,they may 'hang out' but its not the same has 6+ corys shoaling of the same species.
I have 7 different species(15 trilineatus,9 pandas,15 pygmys,6 skunks,6 gold strip,6 black,3 albino & 2 bronze(offspring)plus 20 bronze juvis etc) and watching them from my experience,even though they do mingle with each other,the act differently with their own kind,and you see their true nature coming out.

Pygmys being smaller,like to swim around mid tank in a larger school of their own kind.

 

[Tizer]

my bandits hover around down the other end of the tank, rarely mix with the other corys. so unsocialble! might have to get some more :>