Schooling fish for a saltwater tank

What schooling fish are saltwater and small enough for a 30 gallon tank. I was originally thinking bangaai cardinal fish, but they don't actually seem to school that much and do better in male/female pairs.

 

Damsels or chromis, there isn’t a lot of good schoolers what’s your plan for stocking?

 

I vote chromis. They're so beautiful in groups, and suitable for 30 gallons. Banggai cardinals are cool, but they're one of the few fish that are being collected to extinction. If you do go with them, be sure they're captive bred.

 

Clownfish? I’m no saltwater expert but you could try clownfish maybe reef catfish.

 

Neither of those school and there’s no such thing as. Reef catfish I think. Oh there is on LiveAquaria. They get a foot long clownfish need to be in pairs becsuee they will gang up and kill every other clown unless it’s a huge group

 

Clownfish? I’m no saltwater expert but you could try clownfish maybe reef catfish.

Reef Catfish are awesome, and definitely schoolers, but they get up to a foot long. A school of those in a 30g is probably unsustainable.

Clowns are great! Though they're not really tight schoolers. They're pretty disorganized in groups. And the social dynamic in a larger group can be very complex and difficult to manage afaik.

 

Reef Catfish are awesome, and definitely schoolers, but they get up to a foot long. A school of those in a 30g is probably unsustainable.

Clowns are great! Though they're not really tight schoolers. They're pretty disorganized in groups. And the social dynamic in a larger group can be very complex and difficult to manage afaik.

I never knew reef catfish get that big, learning something new everyday am i right? I think pajama fish school well.

 

They need like 125 gallons to be in a group with TONS of anemones, not something for a beginner reefer even for a experienced reefer it’s hard. I’d stick to 5 fish max of 5-6 inches. 2 clowns, a lawnmower blenny, a pair of cardinals. And a Pygmy angel could be a solid stock

 

I never knew reef catfish get that big, learning something new everyday am i right? I think pajama fish school well.

Yeah! I've been learning about ten new things everyday since starting into saltwater lol. I think you're right about the pajama cardinals, but I don't really know much about them, other than they're apparently nocturnal? imo they're prettier than banggai cardinals, too.

 

Chromis tend to be too aggressive to school - most people get a large group when they're juveniles, and they dwindle down due to aggression as they age. Most damsels will be the same way.

Yellow-tail damsels or Blue sapphire damsels might be a good choice, if you got a decent group of them. That said, 30 gallons is on the small side for a school of these guys, so I don't know that I'd recommend it.

Reef cats would be a definite no-go. Too big.

A pair of cardinals would be cool - PJ Cardinals are cool fish, and so are Bangaiis. I love the little Flame Cardinals, myself, but they can be somewhat difficult to find. A trio of those would be nice to have in a 30.

To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not sure that there's going to be a true schooling fish that'll do well in a 30 gallon. Most of them need large tanks, so they don't make a good fit for a nano. There is a species of rainbowfish - Pseudomugil Cyanodorsalis - that I'm keeping that can live in full marine and it's a true schooling fish. That said, I wouldn't mix them with most marine fish, and I probably wouldn't put them into a reef tank, either.

If it helps, in my 36 I'll be going with two Wyoming White Clowns, a trio of Flame Cardinals, and probably a Starry Blenny.

 

Chromis tend to be too aggressive to school - most people get a large group when they're juveniles, and they dwindle down due to aggression as they age. Most damsels will be the same way.

Yellow-tail damsels or Blue sapphire damsels might be a good choice, if you got a decent group of them. That said, 30 gallons is on the small side for a school of these guys, so I don't know that I'd recommend it.

Reef cats would be a definite no-go. Too big.

A pair of cardinals would be cool - PJ Cardinals are cool fish, and so are Bangaiis. I love the little Flame Cardinals, myself, but they can be somewhat difficult to find. A trio of those would be nice to have in a 30.

To be perfectly honest with you, I'm not sure that there's going to be a true schooling fish that'll do well in a 30 gallon. Most of them need large tanks, so they don't make a good fit for a nano.

If it helps, in my 36 I'll be going with two Wyoming White Clowns, a trio of Flame Cardinals, and probably a Starry Blenny.

Would tangs work well with those for his/hers tank?

 

Would tangs work well with those for his/hers tank?

There's not a species of tang that stays small enough for a 30 long-term - even a juvenile would probably be pretty stressed out in such a short tank, IMO. They like their swimming space.

As mentioned above, a Pygmy Angel might be an alright option, although they can be a bit aggressive and can pick on coral at times. They somewhat resemble a tang in the way they move.

 

In terms of other fish I am thinking of a blenny, most likely in the genus ecsenius, a skunk cleaner shrimp, and a pair of clownfish. Will pajama cardinals school in groups of 4-6, or are they like bangaai cardinals where one pair may kill all the others?

 

There’s a mimic scopes tang angelfish

 

I'd say that PJ Cardinals tend to do well in schools - but I think that 4-6 of them may be a bit much for a 30. Even peaceful fish may get aggressive when in tight quarters, and a 30 doesn't offer much room for them to spread out in. I'd be cautious - maybe a pair would be a better fit for that tank, although I admit I've never tried a large school of them in a smaller tank.

That said, I am putting 5-6 fish into my 36, but they won't all be conspecifics - I'm not sure how 6 of the same fish would react, especially since they don't school in the same way a lot of tetras will.

 

You could do guppies but they aren’t that good for reefs. I knew someone who had a 10 gallon macro algae with small cardinal fish and softies

I think flame cardinals

 

How many flame cardinals could I do? The reason why I'm looking for schooling fish is so I can have a school of several fish that add constant movement to my tank. If I can only have a pair or less than I probably won't get it.

 

This is sort of a really unconventional suggestion, but I've been reading about how Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis can live even in salinity above that of the average reef tank. I have no idea how difficult they would be to keep, but it could be something really cool to experiment with. They're very unique looking, and a large school in a reef would really be something else.

 

I'd say a trio of flame cardinals would be good. I know for a fact that they tend to do well in trios, compared to the Bangaiis who tend to kill the third once two of them pair.

Have you ever seen cardinals in person? Most of them aren't especially active fish - they just kinda float around in the water column. They don't really school per se as much as they tend to occupy the same relative space in the tank. They're cool fish, but I personally wouldn't describe them as schooling or active.

If you're looking for activity, I might actually recommend looking into some of the less aggressive damsels. It can be a gamble, at times, but the Yellowtail damsels and Blue Sapphire tend to be much less aggressive than others - more on par with clownfish, as far as aggression goes. I don't know that I'd do a school of them, but maybe do your blenny, the two clowns, a yellowtail and a blue sapphire damsel. The damsels will have dens in the rock, but mine are always out and about until something scares them. Very active, incredibly colorful, and hardy as can be.

 

This is sort of a really unconventional suggestion, but I've been reading about how Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis can live even in salinity above that of the average reef tank. I have no idea how difficult they would be to keep, but it could be something really cool to experiment with. They're very unique looking, and a large school in a reef would really be something else.

I've got a school! They're fun. Sadly, they don't seem to do well in moderate-high flow and most corals will eat them, as they lack the instinct to stay away from them. They'd probably do best in a macroalgae display.

 

I've got a school! They're fun. Sadly, they don't seem to do well in moderate-high flow and most corals will eat them, as they lack the instinct to stay away from them. They'd probably do best in a macroalgae display.

Interesting! So reef safe, but not at all safe from reefs lol. That's giving me ideas...

 

This is sort of a really unconventional suggestion, but I've been reading about how Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis can live even in salinity above that of the average reef tank. I have no idea how difficult they would be to keep, but it could be something really cool to experiment with. They're very unique looking, and a large school in a reef would really be something else.

To be honest I don't think keeping a mostly freshwater fish in saltwater is fit for someone like me who had little experience in saltwater. Freshwater fish and saltwater fish also tend to generally have different looks, and many freshwater fish would look out of place in a reef.

I'd say a trio of flame cardinals would be good. I know for a fact that they tend to do well in trios, compared to the Bangaiis who tend to kill the third once two of them pair.

Can I do more than 3?

 

To be honest I don't think keeping a mostly freshwater fish in saltwater is fit for someone like me who had little experience in saltwater. Freshwater fish and saltwater fish also tend to generally have different looks, and many freshwater fish would look out of place in a reef.


Can I do more than 3?

I get what you're saying, but P. Cyanodorsalis definitely isn't a freshwater fish - it probably wouldn't last too terribly long in FW tank. Gotta have at least some salt in the water. I get it, though.

You can try more than 3, just know that the harder you push the limits of what the tank can handle (both in terms of biological filtration and in terms of physical space) the more you open yourself up to problems down the road. I'm bad for this myself, but I currently have 9 tanks running (plus a few empty ones in storage), so if I have an issue, I can pretty much transfer whatever I have to into a different tank. If this is going to be your only saltwater tank, I might tread with a bit more caution, especially if you wouldn't be able to quickly rehome something if it doesn't work out.

 

To be honest I don't think keeping a mostly freshwater fish in saltwater is fit for someone like me who had little experience in saltwater. Freshwater fish and saltwater fish also tend to generally have different looks, and many freshwater fish would look out of place in a reef.

I would super agree with you there, though these aren't actually freshwater fish. They can survive temporarily in pure freshwater, but not long term (says the literature, at least). They live in coastal areas with fluctuating salinity that gets up to 40ppm. As far as looks go, I'd invite you to look them up and decide for yourself That said, HarrisonAquatics ' practical experience with them seems to rule them out as a viable candidate.

 

Clowns have constant movement, most fish do actually in sw cardinals aren’t active swimmers. Just do 2 clowns and a lawnmower blenny and a trio of flame cardinals and like a cherub angel. Lawnmower blenny are the undisputed kings of personality and do lots of funny things. My friend has one who will play with their pleco wafers for like an hour before eating them.

 

Would a group green chromis work, or are they too big? If not than maybe flame anthias?

 

Chromis really aren't a schooler - in almost every case I've seen, the biggest one kills the others. It's just how they are.

30 gallons is pretty far on the small side for anthias. You might be able to shove one in there, but I definitely wouldn't do multiples. They don't get huge but swim a lot compared to most other fish.

 

So how does this sound.

-2 clown fish (pair)
-1 lawnmower blenny
-1 skunk cleaner shrimp
-2 bangaai cardinal fish (pair)

Are there any small urchin species I could add to this tank?

 

I think that stocking sounds really nice. Should always be something going on. Just make sure the blenny gets his veggies.

A Tuxedo Urchin would be alright, as long as he gets enough food. Might have to supplement him with some Nori every now and then, just like the blenny.

 

So there won't be any problems with the shrimp right?

How many tuxedo urchins can I get? Not sure if they really add to the bioload, since they are an echinoderm.

 

Shouldn't be any issues - none of the fish you listed are known to actively hunt larger shrimp, as far as I know.

I'd probably stick with one - the main issue is that in order to keep them fed, you'd have to adding quite a bit of food to the tank. Even as babies, you'd be shocked at how much they eat, so I'm not sure I'd do more than one. I had one in a 20 long, and he was all the CUC I really needed. You could probably juggle 2, but it'd be more work than I'm willing to do, personally.

 

Do I have to have an anemone for my clownfish? If so, are bubble tips good for beginners?

 

Nope, they don't need a host. Anemones in general can be a little tougher than fish and coral, so you'll probably want to let the tank establish itself for a few months before adding one. BTA's are probably a good place to start, although I'd caution that anemones can cause more issues than you'd think.

 

Pseudomugil cyanodorsalis is another great fish for a small SW tank.

 

I vote chromis. They're so beautiful in groups, and suitable for 30 gallons. Banggai cardinals are cool, but they're one of the few fish that are being collected to extinction. If you do go with them, be sure they're captive bred.

Chromis aren't really captive bred last I checked and they generally pick each other off in smaller tanks. Most folks who get them to work have really large schools (ie 15 or more) in really big tanks.

@ The OP, for a 30 gallon tank the best options are a Trio of Zebra Barred or Scissortailed Dartfish. Just make sure you have a tight fitting lid and they should do well.

I agree with Harrison that Anthias are completely out for that tank. They have to be in odd numbers (minimum of 3) to do well long term and even the smallest varieties need way more room and are very active. I tried a lone lyretail in my 90 gallon and it passed on within a year. Bottom line THEY NEED TO BE IN A GROUP.

Clownfish are perfectly fine WITHOUT nems. Most are captive bred these days anyways and some have no clue what to do with one. As for the Tuxedo Urchin ONE ONLY. I have one in my 90 gallon that goes all over the tank and is very active (doesn't rest night or day). Be aware they like to grab things and are known to run off with Zoanthid Corals and Can knock over corals that aren't well glued down. Definitely wait to add one until the tank is well established if you do as they need algae to graze on and in a tank that size you may still have to supplement what it eats.

 

Wouldn't the blenny show aggression towards the dartfish because of their similar size, shape, and behavior?

 

Wouldn't the blenny show aggression towards the dartfish because of their similar size, shape, and behavior?

Possibly. Personally I feel that a Lawnmower Blenny gets too big for a 30 gallon tank. I saw one at my LFS that was HUGE (ie 5-6 inches long and about an inch in girth), so you would really have to work at supplementing it's diet in a tank that size and with an Urchin it would probably be impossible to keep it alive. I would go with a Tailspot Blenny in a tank of that size.

 

Chromis aren't really captive bred last I checked and they generally pick each other off in smaller tanks.

The group dynamic was news to me, but I recommended tank bred banggai cardinals because over collection has had a negative impact. I feel like captive bred is overall more desirable, but less important for a fish like chromis that aren't threatened by it atm.

 

The group dynamic was news to me, but I recommended tank bred banggai cardinals because over collection has had a negative impact. I feel like captive bred is overall more desirable, but less important for a fish like chromis that aren't threatened by it atm.

I agree on tank bred when possible. For a wide variety of reasons. I have an ORA Bred PJ Cardinal in my tank that has been a great fish.

 

Saltwater fish don't really "school" in the same way they do in freshwater. A lot like to stick together, or kind of shoal, like anthias, chromis, or cardinalfish. Anthias need a pretty big tank. I think your best bet is blue-green chromis.

Neither of those school and there’s no such thing as. Reef catfish I think. Oh there is on LiveAquaria. They get a foot long clownfish need to be in pairs becsuee they will gang up and kill every other clown unless it’s a huge group

There are such things called "coral catfish" but they need a large tank