Crazy talk?

[Ghost]

My brother tells me that it is best to get fish in odd numbers. He says that this is best for schooling fish and that for some reason the school better if there are odd numbers.

From my experience i'm sure fish can't count. Nor have I seen the team captain taking roll call in the morning and making a swimming order.

So is my brother full of it or do fish really know how to count and need a spare man out?

 

[Dwarfs]

Your brother is full of it if he tells you that. I bought my serpaes tetras (6) all at once and they are very happy. Sounds like your brother is pulling your leg

 

[drobbins27]

Actually he right. 5,7 and 9 are the magic schooling numbers. Also, there is less chance of conflict when the fish pair up.

 

[CFC]

A lot of people say that odd numbers are better for schooling fish however i have never personally noticed any difference in even or odd numbered schools..

 

[Opcn]

the only reason for odd numbers is to reduce the number of fish in the lfs tank. I asure you that fish cannot cout and if they are schooling fish they won't fight if they do pair up in the sense that humans do and if they have harems then even or odd won't matter. There may be an asthetic component to this for some though.

Opcn

 

[tsr770]

I have been told that piranha should be kept in schools of odd numbers so that you get one boss right away, instead of 2 that will fight to the death to try to be the boss... maybe its all hearsay, but every tank of them i have seen has an odd number fo them in it.

 

[Opcn]

well one boss can rule over 7 pirahnas just as well as it can 8 the reason I have heard for pirahnas usualy being in odd groups is that people generaly start with an even number and they lose one week one right off. however you cannot get around this by starting with an odd number.

Opcn

 

[drobbins27]

Plus, if you always have odd numbers, itwill be a good excuse to always buy 2 new ones instead of one

 

[mrV]

 

[ChriX]

I've always thought fish looked better in odd numbers, however I didn't think there was any deeper meaning to it.