# best shoaling



## jay (26 Jul 2008)

What do you think is the best shoaling fish?

I've got cardinals and rummynose in my tank.
The rummynose shoal brilliantly once the room is dark and only the tank lights are on around 10 o'clock.
left and right across the glass all night.
The cardinals spend most of the time hiding, although a few join the rummynose.
Thinking of trading them in for a load of pencil fish or maybe, if money permits.... galaxy rasboras! 

Although I'm not too sure about galaxy rasboras shoaling much.


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## planter (26 Jul 2008)

The Galaxy rasbora dont shoal well IME. Rummy nose are good as are Ember tetra.


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## jay (26 Jul 2008)

I do like embers. I have a 80cm long tank with an island. just worried that I might lose the embers in the back and never see them.

I love my rummynose but since adding extra lighting, they've lost the vibrancy to their heads.


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## Ed Seeley (26 Jul 2008)

Adding a fish to cajoal the tetras works well.  I have pairs of dwarf cichlids in my tanks and they do a great job.


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## Dave Spencer (26 Jul 2008)

I second Embers for shoaling. TMG are just growing some on now, which look far better quality than the ones I bought from elsewhere.

Dave.


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## jay (26 Jul 2008)

Ed Seeley said:
			
		

> Adding a fish to cajoal the tetras works well.  I have pairs of dwarf cichlids in my tanks and they do a great job.



Did have a pair of rams, and come to think of it, my tetras did shoal well when they were in.
Put them in another tank when they started uprooting my HC Cuba.

Maybe a pair of apistos will be better behaved.

Borrelli's with a big shoal of embers....


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## Ed Seeley (26 Jul 2008)

Look at West Africans too!  My best shoaling Cardinals are in my tank with three Blockheads in!  Not colourful but bundles of character!  They've only dug around their cave too.  I'm re-scaping their tank at school Monday and will try and take some pics to show.


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## jay (26 Jul 2008)

I couldn't. I have an aversion to putting fish from different continents together.. its a curse.

If South American, I even try and whittle it down to river, lake or even tributary.
I like to think, if i happen to have a wild caught fish (unlikely) then when he's in my tank, it's looking at another fish thats it's familiar with.


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## Ed Seeley (26 Jul 2008)

jay said:
			
		

> I couldn't. I have an aversion to putting fish from different continents together.. its a curse.
> 
> If South American, I even try and whittle it down to river, lake or even tributary.
> I like to think, if i happen to have a wild caught fish (unlikely) then when he's in my tank, it's looking at another fish thats it's familiar with.



I know what you mean as I used to be exactly the same (and still am at times!) so please accept that the following is said with tongue firmly in cheek and is really not meant to offend at all.

First of all your fish (except Otos and a few others) were mostly all probably bred in South East Asia!  Second of all where are your plants from? All 'local' types?!!!  Thirdly do you have a Biotope style tank (which for a lot of SA rivers means sand base with overhanging branches and precious little plantlife)!  Unless your going for the Pantanal areas which have their own distinct fauna!  

Having taken the mickey, I do understand your desire and hope you find a good SA option!  (Can I recommend a pair of A.nijsenni as a pair-forming Apistogramma with bags of character?  Thye're also fouund in the blackwater streams where cardinals are caught from.  (Not many plants in those stream though......))


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## jay (26 Jul 2008)

I know I know  

Dont think you could ever get an honest to God true biotope. Unless you were rich. (imported sand) lol.

Just a little thing I have, feel like theres a reason why evolution or a series of environmental events have put certain fish together in nature... I like the idea of keeping to that.
I know that the idea of 'Nature' aquariums is to "surpass" nature eventually, but this is something I like to keep as nature intended... she is a clever old beast after all.


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## altaaffe (27 Jul 2008)

I think my best shoal is a mix of Cardinals with green neons & a pair of Apisto Cactouides to keep them on their toes. 

As for CPDs (AKA Galaxy) they don't shoal & are highly territorial (males), however, I have a tank set up for them and they are almost as entertaining as dwarf cichlids.  They do also leave shrimp alone.





They do come and watch you if you sit in front of the tank though !


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## jay (27 Jul 2008)

What about pencils?


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## JamesM (27 Jul 2008)

My priscilla tetras shoal quite nice, but they aren't the most colourful fish.. The only other fish I've had shoal is a yo-yo loach and a panda cory  They love each others company and often get in to mischief with the large plec, stealing his food and digging up his 'bed'


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## Themuleous (27 Jul 2008)

Penguin tetras always seem to shoal nicely in the shop, although I guess that's not guarantee they'll do the same at home.

Sam


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## Kevstir (25 Sep 2008)

Harlequins shoal really well


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## aaronnorth (26 Sep 2008)

Themuleous said:
			
		

> Penguin tetras always seem to shoal nicely in the shop, although I guess that's not guarantee they'll do the same at home.
> 
> Sam



when i had them they were always together.


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## Egmel (29 Sep 2008)

aaronnorth said:
			
		

> Themuleous said:
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Mine only shoaled when scared, otherwise they were quite territorial.


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## aaronnorth (29 Sep 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> aaronnorth said:
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 other stock inluded:

6" plec
3 silver mollys
2 x silvertips
3 x ray tetras
a few endlers
2 x hiney gouramis
1 x cory cat

(this was my 1st tank hence the bad stocking lol)


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## jay (29 Sep 2008)

Maybe try some floating plants for a while, just until they recognize theres no real danger and shadows across the tank mean food  
Also, fill in the patch behind the stem with more plants... just eliminate their hiding areas.


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