Shoaling and Schooling Fish

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Hello my fellow reefers! I want everyone to post on this thread a picture of any fish that shoal or school in your tank, for inspiration for me and other people as well. I am well aware that 'schooling' is an uncommon behavior in most of our marine tanks, even in large tanks. Shoaling is sort of more common as fish like Clown Harems, Cardinal Fish, some Gobies and more follow this behavior.

SCHOOLING: I think you all know what this means, fish in a close pack, swimming together in the same pattern. Fish often do this to escape predators but other fish such as a tangs, chromis and more school.

SHOALING: This is like when fish hang out together, in the same area and even sometimes demonstrate schooling behaviors but don't count on it.

(Please note I am not a expert on these things. This is just what I have read and researched.)

 

[ScottR]

Chromis that made a pact to shoal together.

 

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Chromis that made a pact to shoal together.

Cool!! They look stunning!

 

[SkinnyMcGinny]

I've tried to get blue/green chromes, and, Bengai cardinals to shoal. In short amount of time they start picking each other off. My tank is 300 gallons.

 

[ScottR]

I've tried to get blue/green chromes, and, Bengai cardinals to shoal. In short amount of time they start picking each other off. My tank is 300 gallons.

I have no idea why I’ve had success with chromis. 4 of them have been kept for almost 2 years. Raised from little babies. Added some others when I upgraded around a month and half ago. I attribute it to keeping other aggressive fish which keep them together. But really have no idea why.

 

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I have no idea why I’ve had success with chromis. 4 of them have been kept for almost 2 years. Raised from little babies. Added some others when I upgraded around a month and half ago. I attribute it to keeping other aggressive fish which keep them together. But really have no idea why.

What other fish do you have?

 

[ScottR]

What other fish do you have?

Tangs, foxface, blenny, hawk, coris wrasse. Most of them swim in the open so lots of movement. Kind of keeps everyone on their toes. I try to not overstock as well as fish all need a place to rest peacefully every now and then and also sleep. I feel rockwork is 100% crucial to their survival. Some chromis also sleep in SPS haha.

 

[Doctorgori]

My tangs do this thing where they zip around the tank in a line; follow the leader, usually 2-3 but sometimes all 4 ... not sure why or what thats about ... I’ll try to get a vid

 

[vetteguy53081]

Chromis and anthias- hard to beat

 

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Amazing!

 

[Tired]

Chromis seem to turn on each other often enough that I don't really recommend people try to keep groups. It's too likely that they'll kill each other. Banggai cardinals pair off, they don't shoal in aquaria. PJ cardinals don't really shoal either, but they definitely tolerate each other, so are a good option for a group. Threadfin cardinals do shoal, great option.

 

[gray808]

I've tried to get blue/green chromes, and, Bengai cardinals to shoal. In short amount of time they start picking each other off. My tank is 300 gallons.

My tank is much smaller, and has only been populated a month or two, so take this with a grain of salt.

I have 3 Blue/Green Black Axil Chromis. They have grouped up and been friendly together ever since the got out of the bag and into the QT tank. In the DT, they hang out, rarely is there ever 2 on one side and 1 on another. At night, the find little holes in the rock (some so small I am amazed they can get in), and go to sleep.

During feeding time they will occasionally feint at one of the clowns, but I've never seen any aggressive behavior from either set.

I've read two things:
1) for some reason Chromis supposedly like odd-numbered groups, with anecdotal stories saying if they are even-numbered, they will fight until they get to the group's stable odd number, usually 1
2) The true Black-Axil chromis are much more sedate, and that some times other similar looking chromis are passed off as Black Axils.

--Gray

 

[CindyKz]

I had 6 blue/green chromis that used to swim in the open. Then they split up and started hiding all the time. Now I only have 4 and I only see all 4 at once at feeding time. Tank is 180 gal.

I have some Ignitus Anthias on hold at the LFS until payday, maybe my luck will be better.

 

[Nilo]

I have a few groups of fish in a 210gal 7x2x2 tank. They were previously in a 120gal but quickly outgrew it:
5 Carberryi anthias and 1 Ignitus that got mixed in when I got them. They typically shoal together and even sleep in the same rock at night. The Ignitus hangs out with the others for some reason. Started with 7 Carberryi but 2 did not make it through QT

2 Heniochus diphreutus that swim all over together. Started with 3 but 1 suddenly died after 3 months. I don’t think they’re a pair but I guess it’s just their natural behaviour to stay together.

I also have 2 threadfin cardinals that stay together. Again i don’t they’re a pair, just naturally hang out together. Started with 5 but they’re not good shippers and only 2 made it through QT. I was thinking of getting more but just too busy to QT more fish right now. Also don’t want to risk more fish as they are fragile when newly acquired

I also have a pair of Perculas that regularly spawns

My tangs (convict, hippo, yellow, orange shoulder, and white tail bristle) also zip all over the tank intermittently in groups

 

[Nilo]

Short video

 

[Haydn]

It is quite easy to take a photo of a group of fish together and say they are shoaling or schooling, it is much more difficult to decide if its a video.
This is a one minute video of my tank, I have over 60 anthias of 5 species and 9 Fusilier damsels, all supposedly 'shoaling' species. After looking at the video perhaps you can tell if my fish are, I can't see it with the anthias but there may be an argument for the Fusiliers.

 

[sdreef]

Threadfin cardinals Zoramia leptacantha. I previously had banggai's in a different system and they would constantly fight and form pairs. The threadfin cardinals stick together at all times of the day. I have 15, but they demonstrated this behavior equally when I had five.

 

[tricky_tran]

 

[Tired]

Green chromis are really hit-or-miss, and a miss means they slaughter each other. IMO, people just shouldn't try to keep green chromis in schools, given the high chance that they'll kill each other off as they mature.

 

[kvosstra]

I also had threadfins - they were great, but still a little dull.