The Rule Of 6+

[ZoddyZod]

The standard recommendation for most schooling fish is to keep them in numbers of 6 or more, but where does this theory come from?

I'd be interested to know if there is any real evidence to suggest that this is correct (why not 4+ or 8+ etc) or if it's just a historic rule of thumb that has become accepted as standard within fish keeping.

 

[BigTom]

I'd guess it is almost certainly the latter, probably based originally on hobbyist's observations of fish behaviour but now just repeated as perceived wisdom.

 

[ZoddyZod]

I'd guess it is almost certainly the latter, probably based originally on hobbyist's observations of fish behaviour but now just repeated as perceived wisdom.

thats what I'm thinking. It's obviously very general and each species should be treated differently I'd imagine. However, I'd be fascinated to know from people who have been in the hobby for some considerable years if this has always been around or if it popped up one day, based on some documented experience?

 

[Curiosity101]

I agree with what BigTom says. I do believe it's probably just that people have watched shoaling fish and have found 6+ often gives the best behaviour overall... Although like everything else it's a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule.

 

[ian]

there was some research done wasn't there C101, can you remember (was it you or me that started the thread)? It wasn't great research, but it did prove that schooling fish preferred more that 6 in a school.

 

[Curiosity101]

You mean the PFK article that cropped up that covered the research some scientists had done? Something like they tried 1 neon in a 10l tank, 5 neons in a 10l tank and 10 neons in a 10l tank? Or something like that...? I'll have a quick look on PFK and see if I can find it.

 

[ian]

yeah, thats the one! (well remembered), i remember us saying that they hadn't done anything we already knew.

 

[Curiosity101]

Finally! Took me alot of search terms but I found it.

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3011

 

[Mellis67]

Hmmm that article makes me think I should bump my number of lemon tetras from 8 to 10....

 

[PRW1988]

My best guess would be that the more fish in a school the better, 3+ doesnt really look that great, 6+ looks better. Also mabye something to do with the ratio of M to F?

 

[angelfishguy]

Hmmm that article makes me think I should bump my number of lemon tetras from 8 to 10....

i have 25 of them and shoal great

 

[JPK]

My best guess would be that the more fish in a school the better, 3+ doesnt really look that great, 6+ looks better. Also mabye something to do with the ratio of M to F?

It does depend on the size of the tank though, I have a 5 gallon tank, with a few plants and half a plant pot, it's got a 4 phantom red tetra, a pleco, 2 corries and 3 shrimp, and it does look good, not to crowded and the corries stay as a pair on the bottom while the tetra shoal together about the tank.

Tank size must play it's part in this...

 

[Mikaila31]

the more the merrier!

 

[markandhisfish]

the more the merrier!

+1
shoaling fish usualy shoal for security so the bigger the shoal you have the happier the fish will be .

 

[guppi]

I have 4 serpae and 2 phantom tetras they have just started to shoal together a joy to watch strange thing one of my small f/m platy has joined them.