How many is a "school" of fish.

J

JamisonBWolsh

I am what I am. Defender of truth!
Nov 1, 2002
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There are many fish out there that likes to be in a school to make them feel more "protected". If not kept in a school, their personalities will change.

I believe that this is really up to the type of fish. To have 5 or more fish would be ideal, but many dont have the room to provide that kind of space with the bigger type fish. Many fish would be just as happy with a total of 3 fish in the school, but no less. So my opinion is if your getting a schooling fish, try to get a minimum of 3.
 
I'd so go for the maximum number is a school that your tank can sustain with it's other inhabitants. Most tetras and danios thrive with a min of 6 or 7. Even Corydoras can be a bit skittish in numbers less than 7. Neon tetras school in the wild in the hundreds and thousands, I don't think 3 neons would feel too comfortable.
 
is this a question or are you just sharing your wisdom?

FYI, there are several fish that develop packs similar to wolves. alpha males and females etc... bala sharks are one that I can think of off hand.

I agree with you that schooling fish should be kept in appropriate numbers though. but sometimes it is just not possible, like you mentioned with larger fish. I cannot keep the appropriate number of Bala sharks to develop a shoal.


on the same topic. there is a difference between "schooling fish" and "shoaling fish". here is a snipit from an article bySteve Cuthbertson

School. A group of fish that swim in a synchronised manner, i.e. with similar speeds and direction. They also display a consistent Nearest Neighbour Distance (NND), which means they maintain the same distance between all immediately adjacent fish.
Shoal. Fish which are randomly orientated within a group and exhibit a variable NND. Shoals of fish on the move nearly always form schools.
 
Hmm!!! Interesting.

Would you say that Shad, that we see at the bait store, school or Shoal.

I go to a bait store that has these guys in a 12' long trough. About a third of the trough is so thick with shad that you cant see the bottom. The other end will have no fish at all.

It is amazing that these fish even survive in this type of environment.
 
Well, it's semantics, but I wouldn't call 3 fish a school, and I don't think schooling fish consider 3 fish a school either.

For me to look into a stream/lake/ocean, see fish, and think "Wow, of school of (whatevers)" I would need to be looking at 6 minimum, probably more like 8 or 10.

I think most schooling fish would be looking anxiously for the rest of the school, if they were in a group of less than a dozen or two.

Could be a state of mind;)
 
Minimum six for schooling,fishes like tiger barbs shoal,no danger or food mean the will be in groups of 6 or less,fishes like neons school,the more the merrier, but minimum 6,barbs will be content in threes,but since they don't see more of their kind,they will nip on others(instinct).
 
LFS staff wll tell you three is a school, but I'm with the nay-sayers on that one. In reality it depends on the particular fish. In nature schools are multiple dozen to hundreds or thousands of individuals. We try to emulate that at much reduced scale, but tank setup and scale in relation to the fish is significant. I personally wouldn't call anything less that 8-12 individuals a posible school.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/tbarb.shtml

http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/school.shtml

HTH
 
In terms of aggression, should you get an odd or even number if you are limited to three or four? Can there be all males? For example, Threadfin Rainbows or Endler's Livebearers. The males are more attractive than the females.
 
80gJoe - disagree with the stocking that ref gives - since a "55" holds somewhere in the low to mid-40s for gallons, unless the fish are 1/2" adult size (know of any?) I'd consider that overstocked.

Asahi Toro - Endler's are unlikely to schol. No personal experience w/Threadfins, so can't say there. Small numbers may group, but it is difficult to have a school of that few individuals.
 
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