Shoaling Fish With Multiple Variants

[leighton_87]

I'm looking for a shoaling/schooling fish which has a number of colour varieties that will all stick together.

The reason I am asking is I am setting up a 40 USG tank and want a school of ten smallish fish (barb/danio size) but I won't have much space for additional fish and don't want a boring tank with what seems like one type. Equally I don't want to keep the fish in small numbers where they won't be happy.

The two ideas I have had so far are Tiger Barbs (Green,Albino,Tiger) and Zebra Danios but was wondering if anyone else has any ideas.

 

[thereverendturtle]

There are several varieties of neon tetras. Regular, diamond, pink and albino. Even with a group of 10 - 15 there is room for more fish, a couple of center piece fish, such as gouramis and a small shoal of bottom feeders, like cories or small loaches and a small algae eater, would make a nice display.
One thing I've noticed with the tiger barbs, is the different varieties don't always school together.

 

[phantomlink]

Tiger barbs are aggressive and nippy, you need a large shoal to let them be happy. I went with Five Banded Barbs instead, they look the same ( one extra stripe ) and swim together and dont attack my fish.

Harlequin Rasbora are excellent fish for swimming around together

 

[leighton_87]

If I went with the Tigers I was planning for around 10

I've heard that the dive band are very timid - do you have experience with this?

 

[SandraNewbie]

I recently got a shoal of 5 banded, and they are timid as all hell, I've had to double the level of plant cover in the tank to get them to swim around at all, dim the lights and they weren't happy till the shoal was up above 7.

Once they feel they ahve enough cover, they're quite pleasant to watch.

 

[leighton_87]

That is what I was worried about - I don't want anything that's going to be too timid.

I would prefer a brighter tank that is not too heavily planted (I have 8 plants in at the moment)

Shame as the five bands look so nice!

 

[phantomlink]

Mine never seemed timid at all they're always usually near the front of the tank and dont get scared if I get near it, I guess its cause I have more plants then you and the lank is a pretty big one. I started off with 6 but down to 4 right now if the store ever has more when I'm there I'm definitely getting some