Shoaling Fish Advice Please

[steve5064]

Can anyone recommend slow moving shoaling fish which shoal very tightly together and will fit in with my platys, angels and corys.

The tank is fully planted and has been running very well for about five months - 35 gallons.

Thanks for advice in advance

 

[lilfishie]

how many of each fish do you have? shoaling is a defenssive purpose so after the fish get used to the tank they will break off from each other and no longer shoal

 

[steve5064]

how many of each fish do you have? shoaling is a defenssive purpose so after the fish get used to the tank they will break off from each other and no longer shoal

how many of each fish do you have? shoaling is a defenssive purpose so after the fish get used to the tank they will break off from each other and no longer shoal

I have 3 angels, about 10 platies and 5 cories.

 

[lilfishie]

then i wouldn't add any more fish as your fully if not over stocked

 

[mark.w.jones]

Agreed I'm afraid. 10 platies is a bit of an overkill IMO. Maybe give 5 away and buy a school of 5 of something else. Needs to be something not 2 small or it will end up as an angel snack though. I orften recommend harlequin rasboras as an easy to keep, schooling fish.

 

[fry_lover]

It doesnt say where he/she lives in profile, it could be either UK or US Gallons i suppose, if its UK Gallons that means 160 litres, I am aware Angel Fish require bigger set-ups really, but 10x platies is nothing for a 160 litre tank, i mean even if its US Gallons and his/her tank is 130 litres, x10 platies is not an issue.

Did you mean "over kill" in terms of just too many platies and your personal preference be to mix it up a bit more?

"shoaling is a defenssive purpose so after the fish get used to the tank they will break off from each other and no longer shoal"

I dont completely disagree with this, but how do you account for fish such as Rummy Nosed Tetra who in my experience and other's experience (but i am sure not everyone's) will carry on shoaling a lot, in my set-ups, some fish (such as neons and harlequins) will break out of their shoal quite a bit once they settle in, but even months down the line in a very stable set-up certain fish will still shoal / stay together (maybe not every second of the day).

Its just your answer makes it sounds so "black and white" and that it applies to every fish?

 

[rdd1952]

I agree that you really dont need to add anything else but the concept you are looking for really won't happen anyway unless the shoaliing fish feel a definite threat in the tank. One of the reasons that fish shoal is for protection. In an aquarium, once they become accustomed to their surroundings and realize that there isn't a predator that is a threat to them in the tank, they will pretty much go their seperate ways and not shoal or school anymore (there is a difference between shoaling and schooling and here is a link to a good thread about it).

 

[steve5064]

I agree that you really dont need to add anything else but the concept you are looking for really won't happen anyway unless the shoaliing fish feel a definite threat in the tank. One of the reasons that fish shoal is for protection. In an aquarium, once they become accustomed to their surroundings and realize that there isn't a predator that is a threat to them in the tank, they will pretty much go their seperate ways and not shoal or school anymore (there is a difference between shoaling and schooling and here is a link to a good thread about it).

Thanks everybody for interesting thread.
My tank is 35 UK gallons - 160 litres, and I know that the fish I have in there currently are definitely not overcrowded, and do feel that the tank will take a few more (small) fish.

 

[fry_lover]

I agree that you really dont need to add anything else but the concept you are looking for really won't happen anyway unless the shoaliing fish feel a definite threat in the tank. One of the reasons that fish shoal is for protection. In an aquarium, once they become accustomed to their surroundings and realize that there isn't a predator that is a threat to them in the tank, they will pretty much go their seperate ways and not shoal or school anymore (there is a difference between shoaling and schooling and here is a link to a good thread about it).

Thanks everybody for interesting thread.
My tank is 35 UK gallons - 160 litres, and I know that the fish I have in there currently are definitely not overcrowded, and do feel that the tank will take a few more (small) fish.

i think you should deffo research about the angel fish and work out how long you will be able to keep them in that tank for (ask on this forum and read on internet), as an upgrade would be required at some point if you wish to keep them for their full life and in optimal condition, but to tell you tank is "over stocked" or "fully stocked" at 160 litres, based on the information you have disclosed is in-correct in my opinion.

I would say from my experience on this forum and others, really you want to eventually look at a tank at least 20" in height and about 240-300 litres for Angel Fish in the longer term, especially if you keep more than a pair of them

But to simply say you tank is over-stocked now, is actually a little ignorant in my view, and needs further clarification, all be it if you come back and tell me your Angel Fish are almost fully grown, it would be over-stocked LOL

No ones even asked how big your angel fish are, and yes i do think it matters how big his angel fish are at the moment before you start with "over stocking" posts.

Now if people want to air their personal opinion about how you should only keep fish if you straight away have a tank that can accommodate them for life, then fair enough, there is a logic to this, but its still personal opinion.

 

[steve5064]

I agree that you really dont need to add anything else but the concept you are looking for really won't happen anyway unless the shoaliing fish feel a definite threat in the tank. One of the reasons that fish shoal is for protection. In an aquarium, once they become accustomed to their surroundings and realize that there isn't a predator that is a threat to them in the tank, they will pretty much go their seperate ways and not shoal or school anymore (there is a difference between shoaling and schooling and here is a link to a good thread about it).

Thanks everybody for interesting thread.
My tank is 35 UK gallons - 160 litres, and I know that the fish I have in there currently are definitely not overcrowded, and do feel that the tank will take a few more (small) fish.

i think you should deffo research about the angel fish and work out how long you will be able to keep them in that tank for (ask on this forum and read on internet), as an upgrade would be required at some point if you wish to keep them for their full life and in optimal condition, but to tell you tank is "over stocked" or "fully stocked" at 160 litres, based on the information you have disclosed is in-correct in my opinion.

I would say from my experience on this forum and others, really you want to eventually look at a tank at least 20" in height and about 240-300 litres for Angel Fish in the longer term, especially if you keep more than a pair of them

But to simply say you tank is over-stocked now, is actually a little ignorant in my view, and needs further clarification, all be it if you come back and tell me your Angel Fish are almost fully grown, it would be over-stocked LOL

No ones even asked how big your angel fish are, and yes i do think it matters how big his angel fish are at the moment before you start with "over stocking" posts.

Now if people want to air their personal opinion about how you should only keep fish if you straight away have a tank that can accommodate them for life, then fair enough, there is a logic to this, but its still personal opinion.

The two biggest angels are currently 2 inches nose to tail, the smaller one is inch and a quarter.

 

[-SPB-]

Marble Hatchet fish. Top dwellers, grow roughly to about 2 inches. Need to be kept in groups, like plants at top of tank.