Shoals ...

[DeniseAndy]

I had an azure for ever in my frag tank. He moved all over from frag to sump, etc. Really neat fish and stayed small. Good luck!!!!

 

[ca1ore]

Just added 24 more YT ...... which brings me to 36-ish (hard to count that many when they refuse to stay still). Looks most excellent.

 

[DylanE]

Whoa, that’s a ton of those little dudes. Let’s get an updated picture!

 

[User1]

@ca1ore I will say that has an active scuba diver my experience is similar to a couple posts here. While diving some reefs a lot of fish use the larger colonies for security, others home, and I'm sure for other things as well. Even when I dive here in Northern California kelp forests in Monterey there are schools or whatever they are called properly of fish throughout. Pretty cool lookin up from 110 ft depth at the bull kelp raising to the surface with fish.

I don't have any SPS frags or colonies of anything in the new tank but I am hoping to get some sort of sps frag that will grow tall to try and replicate that. Also a stone coral type for the sand that branches. I've tried to create walls and simulate depth with an open water column so they can dart in and out of. My Lyretail anthias, which I still have four, mimic what I've seen in the wild but I just don't have a mature enough tank. Once it is I will try what you are but may go with a mixed bath of damsels. Azures or Talbots - not sure yet but something similar to what you are doing from the Chrysiptera line which seems to be the more less aggressive family.

I bet your tank looks nice with that many. I doubt I can get that many in my 210 :)

 

[raccioppi83]

Fish generally don't school or even shoal unless they're threatened by an immediate danger. Otherwise they will freely swim within a "community" so be it. The only way you'll really experience shoaling is if you have a large group of fish that have the potential to do so and you add one predator fish that will prey on them.

 

[ca1ore]

Schooling never happens in tanks; schoaling does sometimes. I've had resplendents hang together in schoals in the presence of a larger fish, but as I noted in at the start of this thread that gets expensive.

 

[Jeff Heinle]

I have heard this can be done with Royal Gramma’s. I was thinking of adding 10 to my 220.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

I bet that looks awesome ca1ore!

 

[ca1ore]

Well they're mostly hiding so far ...... but it WILL be awesome LOL!

 

[ca1ore]

A quick update .....

The yellow tails have done really well. Of the 36 odd that I added, I was able to count 32 the other day. Since small fish are really hard to count, I think most of them are still there. I did also add 6 azure’s, but that does not appear to have gone quite so well. They are quite a bit less aggressive than the YT, and I only see 2 of the 6. It’s only been a week though, so some may yet appear. I am thinking about adding a few Rolland and tuxedo damsels as well. Had ordered 5 of the former but they got delayed a day in Louisville and were all shot by the time they arrived.

 

[User1]

Wonder if the Tuxedo will change their behavior at all? It will add a different color splash which I think would be nice. I actually mixed this fish up with the domino / Dascyllus fella's which are pretty mean.

 

[ca1ore]

Oh yeah, I was done with domino, three stripe, etc., a long time ago. Just plain mean!

 

[saltyhog]

This is so cool. I thought of this after our last dive trip. While looking at some of the puctures I could literally count as many as 20 Royal Grammas in one frame. If my tank was larger I would give Azures a try!

 

[Alex Costa]

Good to read this.
I am trying the same with green chromis....
Already got 15 a week ago....2 died overnight and now I have 13 in my frag tank.
If they thrive I'll add some more...

I'll keep following your experience...

 

[ca1ore]

Just be mindful of uronema with green chromis.

 

[ca1ore]

I have heard this can be done with Royal Gramma’s. I was thinking of adding 10 to my 220.

I've kept multiples before. The key, in my view, is to get them small. Bigger ones tend to be cranky.

 

[ca1ore]

Four of the six azures have now shown up. One is a goner I imagine - it was cowering in the upper tank corner (not a good sign). Have a few other misc. Chrysiptera species in QT.

 

[GoldeneyeRet]

What size groups of misc. Chrysiptera are you planning?

 

[Bob Escher]

I had 7 in my tank one day for that reason, the next I lost three over night due to a bully clown overnight
Ugh

 

[ca1ore]

What size groups of misc. Chrysiptera are you planning?

Not large groups. Have a few Rolland and talbots in various tanks; have some tuxedo coming but they're spending an extra night in Louisville.