Looking for schooling fishes. . .

[squid102]

Quite a wide middle band. Except when I switch the filter off and they all come streaming to the top at the front waiting for food!

 

[squid102]

I posted that and looked at the tank to see most of them in the greenery up near the surface...

 

[JoãoLopes]

That is what i'm looking for, a top shoal.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Why not pencil fish?

Pencil fish all make good dithers, the only reason for not suggesting N. beckfordii is that it is a much more efficient fry hunter than the others. The Hockey-stick Pencil (N. eques) is absolutely ideal as it has a little mouth.

The vast majority of so-called shoaling fish soon settle into their new home, and consequently stop shoaling. The shoaling is a defence mechanism from predators. Once the fish learn that there is no predators, then they usually swim about 'randomly'. Rummynose are often the exception here and seem to shoal tightly almost all of the time - especiallly in larger aquariums.

This is true in my experience, I've never kept Rummynoses, but all the other shoaling fish I've had have tended to disperse through the tank, and only group up if disturbed.

I really like Ember tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae). They stay small and in appropriate water colour up beautifully.

I like Ember Tetras as well, and the little Rasbora spp. look great and would all work, but I think they might all end up in the lower greenery, rather than visible near the top of the tank.

cheers Darrel

 

[JoãoLopes]

Hello, i just arrived from the lfs. I bought 15 ember tetras! Awesome!