Close Shoalin Fish

[lozzles]

im wanting a small shoaling fish that will stay shoaling in a thirty gallon tank not one that will spread to much what do you guys think?

 

[Lateral Line]

Shoaling/schooling is a defensive ploy. Fish school up if they feel threatened. In a small quiet tank, or an overcrowded tank, the need to school is gone, so is not often seen. The environment is what causes shoaling.

Take 20 Neons and put them in a typical small community tank and they'll all go their own way. Put exactly the same fish in a 200 gallon tank with limited hiding opportunities, they'll stick to each other like glue.

You should not aim for frightened fish. Stressed fish rarely show their best colour and often don't live as long.

 

[Barracuda518]

Depending on what other fish you have in the tank, Neons stay together and so do Harlequin Rasbora. The Neons and Harlequins I have stay together when I do water changes, but once every thing has settled down again they wonder off alone.

EDIT: Removed same thing LL said

 

[lozzles]

hmm think ill go for looks then as i like my nice peaceful tank, do you think black phantom tetras would get on with gouramis

 

[piper]

My 6 Rummy Nose Tetra stick together well in my 70Gal I would go for them my self.

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

I agree with piper my 9 rummynose stick with each other at all times in my 400 litre tank

Emma

 

[Sanj]

Hi,

I agree with piper my 9 rummynose stick with each other at all times in my 400 litre tank

Emma

So do i

 

[RobertHenry]

Another option would be the hardy, but perhaps less colorful, penguin tetra (Thayeria boehlkei). I believe that they stay fairly close together in a shoal and they tend to rest in the water at an angle - with their noses in the air. It's quite a sight to see a group of these fish together.

 

[sjogren1]

What size group?

 

[piper]

What size group?

Any thing 5 and above, the bigger the better