Schooling fish

Reefguard · 04-25-2004, 12:52 PM

I am looking for colorful schooling fish that stays small. Any suggestions? It is going in my 100 wide tank. Right now, I have 1 purple tang, one Tomini Tang and a Tomato Clown.

Noel

zy112 · 04-25-2004, 02:02 PM

i tried firefish but they are to afraid of my tang to venture very far. green chromis usually do

wooddood · 04-25-2004, 02:33 PM

green chromis or anthias would be my choice. i have 6 green chromis in my 120 and they school well. reefer addict also hase a school of green chromis. good luck.

ScottT1980 · 04-25-2004, 03:07 PM

A fairy wrasse harem. They con't exactly "school" per se but man, they are some of the most colorful fish in the sea...

As for exact speices, take a look on liveaquaria and they can provide some options. I know some have had some experience with the fairy wrasse harems here, perhaps they could also jump in...

Take er easy
Scott T.

Montanareefer · 04-25-2004, 04:19 PM

Would be pretty expensive to put together a fairy wrasse harem I bet!

Travis · 04-25-2004, 04:29 PM

I vote for blue reef chromis. A little more expensive than the greens, but oh so pretty!

mps9506 · 04-25-2004, 10:13 PM

long spine or glass cardinal fish.
That's my vote.
Mike

Craig Manoukian · 04-25-2004, 11:57 PM

All good suggestions. Gobies like the Fire Fish or Banded/Barred like to school as well.

A male flasher wrasse with three or four females would not disappoint for sure!

Tosh_Auer · 04-26-2004, 12:40 AM

I say either the Green Chromis or PJ Cardinals.

AustinReef · 04-26-2004, 02:25 AM

i second mps9506 with the longspine cardinals. They are one of my favorite aquarium fish. The blue eyes they have are incredible

Gina · 04-26-2004, 05:40 AM

My vote is for the Chromis.

BoomerD · 04-26-2004, 09:26 AM

Everyone has recommended some very nice fish, and chromis or Talbot's damsel would be my choice.(Talbots by the way, are nice, non-agressive too) and firefish or anthias. Yes, most likely, in a school of anthias, nature would probably take over and make 1 a male, but...
However, from all I've read over the years, schooling is a "threat management" response, and after it's discovered that there is no danger, they tend to become free swimming. Although they might still group up from time to time. Also, even with chromises, I think the pecking order will apply, and the weakest one tends to get killed off...

jupiter · 04-26-2004, 10:36 AM

I'm learning the hard way that you cannot get a decent sized school of anthias in a 100 gallon tank. I would go for chromis.

Reefguard · 04-26-2004, 11:12 AM

Thank you for all the responses and suggestions guys and gals. Me and the wife, decide that we will just get a more fish, not necessary schooling just MORE fish in the tank and I bought 2 Bangai cardinals yesterday. I think I am going for a couple of Anthias, and Firefish in a month or so.

MPS, I haven't seen a long spine or glass cardinal fish yet, You wouldn.t happen to have a picture or a link to a picture would you?

Noel

BoomerD · 04-26-2004, 12:22 PM

Here's a couple of pics of the Long-spine AKA Thread fin Cardinalfish.
From WetWebMedia:
"Apogon leptacanthus Bleeker 1856-57, Threadfin Cardinalfish. Indo-Pacific including the Red Sea. To a little over two inches in length. Found in dense school in the wild. This group in a friends aquarium."

And from MarineDepotLive:
"The Apogon leptacanthus grows up to 3 inches. The Longspine prefers a tank of at least 20 gallons with plenty of places to hide & swim. The Apogon leptacanthus is a carnivore and likes to eat variety of zooplankton, and meat based seafoods. The Longspine is a low maintenance fish and will be peaceful towards their tank mates. "

04-25-2004, 12:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
Reefguard Serpent Star Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fairfield California Posts: 213 View Gallery Karma Komment	Schooling fish I am looking for colorful schooling fish that stays small. Any suggestions? It is going in my 100 wide tank. Right now, I have 1 purple tang, one Tomini Tang and a Tomato Clown. Noel __________________ 100 gallon mix reef. 2x65 watt Actinic PC for dawn and dusk effect. 2x175 10 k XM. DIY Euro Reef Clone skimmer. 36 gallon sump.

04-25-2004, 02:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
zy112 Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: IN Posts: 981 View Gallery Karma Komment	i tried firefish but they are to afraid of my tang to venture very far. green chromis usually do __________________ Zach

04-25-2004, 02:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
wooddood the wood dude Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: CARMEL. INDIANA Posts: 3,450 View Gallery Karma Komment	green chromis or anthias would be my choice. i have 6 green chromis in my 120 and they school well. reefer addict also hase a school of green chromis. good luck. __________________ 120 gal/in wall tank/starboard substraight/2 250 watt 10k xm metal halides/ 4 55watt 03 actinics/150lbs lr/scwd on return/scwd on a closed loop/aquaclear aquatics 200 pro wetdry w/skimmer. ask all the questions you have if we cant answer it we'll make up some thing. remember patience is the key to a kick ass reef. dave.

04-25-2004, 03:07 PM	#4 (permalink)
ScottT1980 Reef Lobster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,484 View Gallery Karma Komment	A fairy wrasse harem. They con't exactly "school" per se but man, they are some of the most colorful fish in the sea... As for exact speices, take a look on liveaquaria and they can provide some options. I know some have had some experience with the fairy wrasse harems here, perhaps they could also jump in... Take er easy Scott T. __________________ My Tank

04-25-2004, 04:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
Travis Smilie Bartender Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 6,330 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	I vote for blue reef chromis. A little more expensive than the greens, but oh so pretty! __________________ Help build the Encyclopedia of ReefKeeping Find over 1400 Reef Aquarium Articles at The Reef Aquarium Index

04-25-2004, 04:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Montanareefer Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2,334 View Gallery Karma Komment	Would be pretty expensive to put together a fairy wrasse harem I bet!

04-25-2004, 10:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Charlotte and Wilmington, NC Posts: 6,862 View Gallery Karma Komment	long spine or glass cardinal fish. That's my vote. Mike

04-25-2004, 11:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
Craig Manoukian Regular Guy Moderator Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Marina Del Ray, CA Posts: 15,724 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	All good suggestions. Gobies like the Fire Fish or Banded/Barred like to school as well. A male flasher wrasse with three or four females would not disappoint for sure! __________________ Currently tankless. 20 Gallon mini reef with mated pair of Maroon Clowns given to Rougiem! 80 gallon reef given to Rougiem/Wooster HS.

04-26-2004, 12:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
Tosh_Auer Scopas Tang Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 469 View Gallery Karma Komment	I say either the Green Chromis or PJ Cardinals. __________________ You Try Explaining to your girlfriend why you cant take her out cause you just spent $300 on lights for a fish tank. lol

04-26-2004, 02:25 AM	#10 (permalink)
AustinReef Midas Blenny Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 120 View Gallery Karma Komment	i second mps9506 with the longspine cardinals. They are one of my favorite aquarium fish. The blue eyes they have are incredible __________________ 40 gallon Oceanic Stretch Hex SPS and Clam tank. 250w 20k XM 40 Breeder Mixed reef. 150w HQI Aqualine 20k 36 Bow 2-65w atinics w/ sm blk edge morey and sm snowflake morey (killer and spike) 20 high (soon to be mangrove habitat) *12 gallon eclipse jawfish setup w/5"DSB

04-26-2004, 05:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
Gina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,292 View Gallery Karma Komment	My vote is for the Chromis. __________________ Gina and Mark's 75 Visit Our Sponsors Gina's Cube Gina

04-26-2004, 09:26 AM	#12 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,224 View Gallery Karma Komment	Everyone has recommended some very nice fish, and chromis or Talbot's damsel would be my choice.(Talbots by the way, are nice, non-agressive too) and firefish or anthias. Yes, most likely, in a school of anthias, nature would probably take over and make 1 a male, but... However, from all I've read over the years, schooling is a "threat management" response, and after it's discovered that there is no danger, they tend to become free swimming. Although they might still group up from time to time. Also, even with chromises, I think the pecking order will apply, and the weakest one tends to get killed off...

04-26-2004, 11:12 AM	#14 (permalink)
Reefguard Serpent Star Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fairfield California Posts: 213 View Gallery Karma Komment	Thank you for all the responses and suggestions guys and gals. Me and the wife, decide that we will just get a more fish, not necessary schooling just MORE fish in the tank and I bought 2 Bangai cardinals yesterday. I think I am going for a couple of Anthias, and Firefish in a month or so. MPS, I haven't seen a long spine or glass cardinal fish yet, You wouldn.t happen to have a picture or a link to a picture would you? Noel __________________ 100 gallon mix reef. 2x65 watt Actinic PC for dawn and dusk effect. 2x175 10 k XM. DIY Euro Reef Clone skimmer. 36 gallon sump.

04-26-2004, 12:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,224 View Gallery Karma Komment	Here's a couple of pics of the Long-spine AKA Thread fin Cardinalfish. From WetWebMedia: "Apogon leptacanthus Bleeker 1856-57, Threadfin Cardinalfish. Indo-Pacific including the Red Sea. To a little over two inches in length. Found in dense school in the wild. This group in a friends aquarium." And from MarineDepotLive: "The Apogon leptacanthus grows up to 3 inches. The Longspine prefers a tank of at least 20 gallons with plenty of places to hide & swim. The Apogon leptacanthus is a carnivore and likes to eat variety of zooplankton, and meat based seafoods. The Longspine is a low maintenance fish and will be peaceful towards their tank mates. "

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