Schooling Fish

[Eelzor]

Two fish that concern me, The Bala Shark and the Silver Dollars, are said to both be schooling fish. Do they have to be in schools? Or they die easier not being in groups or doesn't it matter?

 

[juliethegr8t]

I don't have any experience with those 2 types of fish, but I do know a bit about schooling fish in general. Basically, in the wild these fish form (often) large schools for protection. When a schooling fish in an aquarium is without his buddies, he literally feels he has no protection. This leads to stress, which can lead to disease, so I suppose sometimes yes a fish can die earlier if it's not in a school. I really do think it matters - I've seen it first hand. Schooling fish are obviously happier and MUCH more active when kept with the proper amount of their own kind.

 

[Eelzor]

do they have to be with thier own kind? or can they be with other trusted fish? Its just that I saw an a website that silver dollars and silver sharks are a good community tank mix.

 

[Alien Anna]

Schooling fish kept alone or with only one or two others are potentially at risk from stress since they can't school when danger threatens. However, if stress is kept to a minimum they may be fine. I have a single SAE in one tank. He "schools" with my mollies some of the time but most of the time he swims about entirely on his own. I'm trying to get him some friends but in the meantime he is growing and healthy and quite friendly.

I also have a chain loach who may well be on his own (I haven't seen his school mates for over a week and suspect they may have been eaten). In a heavily planted tank he doesn't show any signs of distress and is also growing and healthy.

In another tank I have one elderly pencilfish, the remains of a school, who is still going despite being the pencilfish equivalent of a 100 years old (2 years).

What makes the difference for these schooling fish on their own is that they have a lot of hiding places (plants, rocks and bogwood) and I'm careful not to spook them. I think the important thing is to be aware that they are not in their ideal, natural circumstances and to try as much as possible to keep them calm and stress-free. It's definitely better to have an individual schooling fish than to heavily over-stock a tank.

 

[Eelzor]

thanks aa, it always sound like you have a report ready to present when someone asks info. thanks. I'll see how the balas are dollars go once I buy them in december once my tank is cycled.