30 Gallon Tank

[Inchworm]

Hi phoenixfire

A nice school of cory cats will add interest and activity to the bottom of your tank.

These fish will spread out to feed, but will also actually interact with each other a fair amount of the time. They are playful and active but are often overlooked when people think of schooling fish.

 

[phoenixfire]

my goal is to have at least one or two species now lol...of schooling fish...from about the same origin...and have it well planted with these fish interacting with each other...i have three harlequins and just those three are extremely well grouped...so i was seeing if someone would suggest them which did happen...maybe rummynose and harlequins will mix good?...the tank is set up and is being circulated as we speak...and im looking to get fish in about a week or two...so 10 would be the minumum of these guys to get the schooling effect?...lol what i reallly want the effect to be is for instance which i wouldnt do...when u tap on the glass all the fish scatter...buuuuut i want them to scatter in a group to like a corner...sorta like tuna when a shark is attacking...lol something like that analogy...but without a predator...thanks!!

 

[ramaseseniblikxviii]

why not try clown loach, the three i have chase each other round whenever they are out(which they all share) and they never leave each other.......aaaahhhhhh bless

 

[phoenixfire]

clown loaches are really expensive and they get huge! lol the ones ive seen at my lfs are huge..lol and plus i havent had a very good history with loaches

 

[freddyk]

why not try clown loach

I agree that would be nice... if the tank were 130 gallons and not 30.

 

[Jer-]

I would agree on Harlequins. They are beautiful fish when kept in a well planted tank. From experience with them i think they occupy the mid level of the tank.
I would keep Cardinals or Rummynoses (or fireheads) as the mid bottom shoal.
and for the top dwellers i would get a group of Hatchets... the marbeld variety.

as for cories, i would only keep 4 or 5... just a small shoal. But to be honest, i would rather some kuhli loaches scavenge around the bottom than cories as cories and rummynoses (or cardinals) will crowd the bottom too much IMO.

 

[Briarmoor]

I agree with several, when the fish get relaxed, they don't stay together as much. At least this is the case with the few types I've kept, neons, black phantoms, and to an extent black neons. Of these, the black neons stay together more than the rest. The only time the entire tank clumps together is when I start moving decorations and they get worried. Then I see a weird "shoal" of several types of tetras with a few gourami heads poking out from behind a plant.