Recommend me some schooling fish

[Jacob the tank keeper]

I have a 48x18x18" tank with 6 Angels, 18 Congos, and a 18 piece sorority of bettas. I was wondering if it'd still be possible to add some schooling fish? I'm looking for VERY TIGHT schooling fish, something that would swim in groups, the amount I'm getting should not be an issue as we wholesale. My dad told me if I wanted he would buy me a hundred neons so that's on the table If I could also increase the amount of angels and congos if I wanted. The bettas are too colorful and active for me so I'm thinking of removing them. It's not so heavily planted now but I'm slowly filling in the gaps.

 

[sharkweek178]

Rummynose tetras school pretty tightly.

 

[Byron]

I would not add anything here, you are very heavily stocked now.

 

[Ram419]

Agree with Byron. If you had only the Congo Tetras in there it would be a well stocked tank. I assume Congos mentioned and Congo Tetra?

 

[GaryE]

I seem to recall your tank being new, and from that I assume your Congos aren't adult? Consider how large they will grow - 18 in a 48 inch tank will be a pretty full set up. More than pretty full. They are one of the best shoaling tetras (there are no schooling freshwater aquarium fish) you can get, but they are large (and beautiful) when adult. It'll take a couple of years, but that isn't long in their lifespans.

They also need moving water, which Bettas don't. It's a good thing you're moving that huge sorority out. A big group of congos would be very expensive here, but I bet it'll look fantastic.

 

[10 Tanks]

I have a 48x18x18" tank with 6 Angels, 18 Congos, and a 18 piece sorority of bettas. I was wondering if it'd still be possible to add some schooling fish? I'm looking for VERY TIGHT schooling fish, something that would swim in groups, the amount I'm getting should not be an issue as we wholesale. My dad told me if I wanted he would buy me a hundred neons so that's on the table If I could also increase the amount of angels and congos if I wanted. The bettas are too colorful and active for me so I'm thinking of removing them. It's not so heavily planted now but I'm slowly filling in the gaps.

Hello. Schooling fish, like most species of Tetras are the best schooling fish. However, once they become settled and comfortable in their surroundings, they stop schooling. I keep around 40 Buenos Aires Tetras in several tanks and they're swimming on their own in every one of the tanks. Schooling is nothing more than a defense mechanism. When the fish school they appear as a much larger fish to a larger, potentially predatory fish. Once they calm down in their new tank and feel at ease, they're no longer afraid of being eaten by some bigger fish and stop all the defensive actions.

10

 

[GaryE]

Schooling and shoaling are a bit like walking and running - different things but they both get where they're going. A shoal is a loose collection of fish together to deter a predator, and breaking into smaller groups when safe. A school is a tight body of fish that operate as a permanent unit, almost as one mind or body. They may get broken up by an attack, but reform. The closest I've seen is the rare African moon tetra, and as noted by @sharkweek178 , rummy noses are generally very dedicated shoalers, in larger tanks with the right set up. Congos are as much shoalers as they are though.

But you'd need a second tank to add. Be careful, you'll end up like me, with a lot of aquariums...

 

[Byron]

No one has yet mentioned the six angelfish. Assuming there are male/female here, a pair might well form, and that could (but not necessarily) mean the other fish will be decimated one by one. That was another main reason I said the tank was overstocked. You might have to remove four angelfish, or alternatively the pair if one forms.

 

[Jacob the tank keeper]

No one has yet mentioned the six angelfish. Assuming there are male/female here, a pair might well form, and that could (but not necessarily) mean the other fish will be decimated one by one. That was another main reason I said the tank was overstocked. You might have to remove four angelfish, or alternatively the pair if one forms.

Oh, well fine with me. Most of the angels are currently Juveniles, only 2 adult males. Funny thing is, one of the male (stripes) is always with the other male (Marbs) stripes always fights with the other angels but not marbs, during feeding stripes would always be agressive to everyone but marbs, and stripes is always following marbs around. I think they must be very close friends

I think the juvies are males, maybe a single female. If I have to, I will probably remove some of the female angels or just have the 2 older angels. I want to add more small tetras, and remove the sorority. The congos right now are pretty juvie, they've started to bring out those long fins and colors but not all of them, see when we first got them I took some for my own keeping, those that I took are more developed compared to the others I left in the store, I also took the remaining stock from the store so now they're pretty diverse in terms of development. If I could, Could I maybe remove some females? Maybe 4-6? My current school has about 8 males. If I could I might just remove all the females too, I think we have some more males.

I've been planning on rummy noses as I've heard they are excellent schoolers. I think if possible my stock would end up like this
2-4 Angels
12-18 Congo Tetras
12-24 (?) Rummynoses

My tank is heavily planted so if that makes me able to add more fish then I'd be happy to add more

 

[Jacob the tank keeper]

Oh, well fine with me. Most of the angels are currently Juveniles, only 2 adult males. Funny thing is, one of the male (stripes) is always with the other male (Marbs) stripes always fights with the other angels but not marbs, during feeding stripes would always be agressive to everyone but marbs, and stripes is always following marbs around. I think they must be very close friends

I think the juvies are males, maybe a single female. If I have to, I will probably remove some of the female angels or just have the 2 older angels. I want to add more small tetras, and remove the sorority. The congos right now are pretty juvie, they've started to bring out those long fins and colors but not all of them, see when we first got them I took some for my own keeping, those that I took are more developed compared to the others I left in the store, I also took the remaining stock from the store so now they're pretty diverse in terms of development. If I could, Could I maybe remove some females? Maybe 4-6? My current school has about 8 males. If I could I might just remove all the females too, I think we have some more males.

I've been planning on rummy noses as I've heard they are excellent schoolers. I think if possible my stock would end up like this
2-4 Angels
12-18 Congo Tetras
12-24 (?) Rummynoses

My tank is heavily planted so if that makes me able to add more fish then I'd be happy to add more

Oh and my friend is going to give me 6 albino bristlenoses as he's moving away (I would probably keep 4) If that matters. I will add it in the same tank. I'm also planning on some corydoras

 

[Jacob the tank keeper]

More or less something like this, if it's too much I can remove some cories or less tetras... I don't really have to worry about the amount of fish I'd need for something like the corries that need to be in groups as I could just take any from the petshop

 

[Lcc86]

View attachment 329675
More or less something like this, if it's too much I can remove some cories or less tetras... I don't really have to worry about the amount of fish I'd need for something like the corries that need to be in groups as I could just take any from the petshop

I know these calculators aren't completely accurate but 142% (even with a margin of error) is asking for problems even if heavily planted...

 

[Jacob the tank keeper]

I know these calculators aren't completely accurate but 142% (even with a margin of error) is asking for problems even if heavily planted...

From what I've heard this calculator exaggerates it as it doesn't really take into account the plants and filters, I didn't input any filters.

 

[Jacob the tank keeper]

I might just get rid of the congos. I love them but I'm getting sick of people saying they're ugly, they always say they're ugly and glo tetras would be better. I hate glo tetras. I'm thinking of getting cardinals or other colorful tetras instead. I like congos, I really do, but people are annoying and I'm making the tank not just for me to see but also for others as well, so I'll have to remove the congos anyways

 

[BigJfish12]

I would say keep the Congo's because it is YOUR tank and YOUR hobby as far as I'm concerned if someone tells me they dont like a fish I keep and I do like it, well it's too bad for them. Maybe also once you remove the bettas try adding just the cories or just the bristlenose and see how your tank copes with that. I know i was just saying you should do what you like but you should also do what'd right for the fish and what will keep the happy and healthy.