Ryan.O.

can u have 2 different schools of fish in the same tank. will they have enough room to school??

jack11

How big is your tank?

Jack

Isabella

If the tank is large enough to hold these 2 schools, and if they are compatible fish species, then why not

So how large is your tank, what fish species are the 2 schools that you want, and how large do you want these 2 schools to be?

COBettaCouple

the amount of hiding places could come into play as well.

Ryan.O.

The tank is 215 litres and i want to have one school of bosemani rainbowfish and another school of harlequin rasboras.

capekate

Hi Ryan
Sounds like a great fish choice! Let us know how it goes..

~ kate

lyndatu

Oh yes; it will definitely hold two schools! Bring on three!

0morrokh

Definately big enough (about 55 gal)...sounds like a good plan! Both very pretty fish.

swords3711

if you have two schools of tets youll be fine

Ryan.O.

what about a school of cories as well?

jsalemi

Definitely -- being bottom feeders and part of the cleanup crew (and occasional air breathers), corys generally have a bit less impact on the bio-load than mid-top level swimmers. The food they eat off the bottom keeps it from going rotten and fouling up the water.

Plus there's nothing like a shoal of 4-6 corys swimming around the bottom eating, or doing their cory ballet as they swim up and down the tank. I was watching my pandas eat last night, and all I could see were 6 wagging tails as they burrowed into the gravel. Made me giggle a bit.

Drea

I agree with the corys..I have a 30g/tall and they love to go vertical, they are just cool in every way and I feed them peas cuz them like 'em alot.

0morrokh

I agree cories would be great--get at least 3 (but sounds like you already know that since you said "school of cories"). Have you set up the tank yet?

Ryan.O.

yes the tank is set up with the harlequins and rainbows in. just want the java moss to spread down the bottom as a carpet plant. would it be ok for the cories if they had a bit less room at the bottom.

Drea

l'd be careful about that java moss(i've not had that in tanks,doesn't it grow wild and crazy?)the corys spend alot of time wiggling around the bottom, and they like rocks on the bottom to sit/rest on or other stuff to play in/on.

pistorta

My fish never seem to "school". How many are needed to accomplish this? At best, they stay stationary in one section of the tank.

COBettaCouple

what type of fish do you have? typically 3-6 or more makes a school.

pistorta

A variety...~12 serpae tetra, ~6 bleeding heart tetra, ~ 4 lemon tetra, ~18 danios......

Neither group swims together.

COBettaCouple

it may be because the tank is very overstocked.

pistorta

They share 120 gallons with plenty of room to spare...

capekate

Hi Pistorta
It wouldnt seem that those fish would really "school" together. The neon tetras, the cardinal tetras really school together and follow each other around. I had serpae's and they never schooled, but hung around each other at times. But the true schooling fish are amazing to watch. Im sure there are other fish that school as well as the neons and cardinals.

~ kate

pistorta

Hi Kate, my serpaes behave exactly as you mentioned. I would love to have neons/cardinals, but I fear that my angelicus (polkadot) cats will grow large enough to eat them. I thought most fish in the tetra and barb family schooled, I guess I was wrong.


You have beautiful angels. I used to have three that looked similar to the one you have posted as IMG_1264. I had them for years and then I decided to buy more fish. This was a mistake as the fish I bought carried a disease that killed them (this was probably 5 years ago). They were priceless to me and to this day, have not been able to find ones in the LFS that looked like them.

- Tim

COBettaCouple

ah, yea, i got mixed up with the 215L tank.

angelfish220

Thats the opposite of my tank. I have 10 Silver tipped tetras that refuse to create their own school They school with my danios

guppiemaster892

I have to agree with swords3711. You can have 2 schools of tetras you can be fine. It is good to have 2 schools.