Is there any schooling fish that would do good in a 40breeder

[Adam Hurley]

Any suggestions will help [emoji16][emoji106]

 

[ReefInskeep]

Firefish gobies were the first to come to mind

 

[cycled123]

zebra barred dartfish. Cover is a must!!!

 

[nereefpat]

Firefish only work as singles or a male and female pair.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Zebra or scissortail dartfish, barnacle blennies, trimma and eviota gobies, Ailiops mesostigma, parvulus cardinals.

 

[PDR]

Zebra or scissortail dartfish, barnacle blennies, trimma and eviota gobies, Ailiops mesostigma, parvulus cardinals.

I have never seen the Ailiops mesostigma, I think a group of them would be awesome! How do the Ostorhinchus compressus do in a group?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have never seen the Ailiops mesostigma, I think a group of them would be awesome! How do the Ostorhinchus compressus do in a group?

Compressus cardinals pr off, but get too big fo a 40g.

 

[mta_morrow]

I have had great success with groups of zebra dartfish and red lined cardinals

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Trimma rubromacultus

 

[ReefInskeep]

Firefish only work as singles or a male and female pair.

I’ve seen several successful tanks with multiple firefish gobies living together for years, two with a few and one with 6, but those may be the exception to the rule. Just the first one that came to mind.

As was said, dartfish, trimma or eviota gobies (super tiny), barnacle blennies (being my favorite! Their behavior is so entertaining.) And some species of cardinal fish, though most get fairly large.

I’d say have a net/lid no matter what fish you get. I’ve had species of fish jump that weren’t supposed to be “jumpers”. Most I saved in time, some I didn’t. But it’s not worth the risk anymore, for me.

 

[ReefInskeep]

Elacatinus puncticulatus, or pipefish if you’re dedicated to their needs & care. ​

 

[shrimped]

Tryssogobius Colini
Raos Dartfish
Mini dartfish
Eviota goby
Red Dot Cardinals

 

[James M]

Chromis ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

CANT BEAT FIREFISH GOBIES ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOW PRICE, HARDINESS AND PEACEFUL REEF SAFE SPECIES.

 

[eatbreakfast]

CANT BEAT FIREFISH GOBIES ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOW PRICE, HARDINESS AND PEACEFUL REEF SAFE SPECIES.

But not really a schooling fish...

 

[vetteguy53081]

But not really a schooling fish...

I have 6 in my 360g and they always stick together, that is when all of them are out which is generally at feeding time. Speaking of schooling, My anthias although they squabble always stick together

 

[ReefInskeep]

Chromis are widely available & relatively cheap, but I don’t know many people who have had long term success with groups of them unless they’re in a much larger tank.

Unless you’re careful, aquascape in a way that lets submissive ones run away easily from the dominants, and keep them well fed, from what I’ve seen they seem to really take the pecking order thing to extremes. Example, a friend with a 75gal mixed reef added 8 chromis and a year later he had 3 left.

Anthias are great reef-safe schoaling/schooling fish, but I can’t think of a species that would do well in a group in a 40 breeder.

I’d say stick with small trimma or eviota gobies, barnacle blennies (provide holes like barnacles so you can see their quirky behavior & make sure they feel safe), or cardinals (but, depending on species, may get too large over time).

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have 6 in my 360g and they always stick together, that is when all of them are out which is generally at feeding time. Speaking of schooling, My anthias although they squabble always stick together

In a 40g 2 will pr off and kill the others. There may be rare exceptions or maybe larger tanks, but in most tanks they are not tolerant of conspecifics.

 

[Bullnose]

ORA recently started breeding yellow cardinalfish. Order 3 or 5 and let us know how it goes
https://www.orafarm.com/product/yellow-cardinal/