Schooling fish

[Liam]

Aha24's thread reminded me of my own fish stocking thoughts,i did'nt want to hijack the thread so here's another
Does anyone have any ideas for a school of fish for my 150?I am looking for a very small fish that schools,maybe 10 or more.
They must be very small,i don't want fish cr%* everywhere .My tank will be mainly sps so water quality is priority.
What are everyones thoughts,i would like some other small fish to add variety also but they would be singles.Is this even possible?

 

[penguinsix]

Green Chromis?

 

[Moe_K]

anthias
flasher wrasses
fairy wrasses

 

[Harley387]

I second the chromis....model citizens in a reef.

 

[One Eye]

Like Moe said, plus Assessors...the yellows and blues can be kept together in larger (100 gal+) tanks

 

[Moe_K]

Assessors are great.
I dunno why they don't get more press.

 

[Kevin McG]

Heniochus diphreutes

 

[Liam]

OK,i dug my Scott Michaels book out i am thinking smaller than all the species mentioned,i like anthias but in a group of 10 or more would be a heavy bioload (would,nt it ).
I am thinking more along the lines of the salwater version of the neon tetra,is there such a thing?

 

[Ray]

Cleaner gobies are like the tetras! How about Bar gobies that were in our tank at the show? rainford gobies, catalina gobies. I read they all do well in groups and are small. I have 3 or 4 rainfords in my tank and a couple of catalinas and want to add some bar gobies as soon as I get a couple of the bigger fish out.

 

[wrassefan]

only problem with a group of neon gobies...they don't really school. They just kinda hang around....I have 3 green chromis....10 ...would look cool tho!!

 

[Liam]

only problem with a group of neon gobies...they don't really school. They just kinda hang around....I have 3 green chromis....10 ...would look cool tho!!

Would be a lot of crap though Andy

 

[Liam]

Cleaner gobies are like the tetras! How about Bar gobies that were in our tank at the show? rainford gobies, catalina gobies. I read they all do well in groups and are small. I have 3 or 4 rainfords in my tank and a couple of catalinas and want to add some bar gobies as soon as I get a couple of the bigger fish out.

Those bar gobies were nice,no wonder that guy from Atlantis was keen to get them.I wan't fish that will actively school,not just hang out looking at each other

 

[NateHanson]

catalina's are very cool looking, but I've heard they often don't survive long term at our reef tank temperatures. They're more of a temperate species from southern california, I think.

 

[Ray]

Yes you are right Nate I read that just after I made that post, I have 2 and my tank temps stay high 70s and reach 80-81 once and a while so I hope they make it

 

[~Flighty~]

I had bar gobies. they definately school, but in an odd head high position so that together they look like sea grass or something. Pretty neet, but they do build dens under the rocks and will stir the sand diving in when they are scarred. They are pretty and have irridecent highlights that are very nice in the right light. It also helps that they are such a cheep fish.

 

[NateHanson]

They get pretty big though, don't they? Like 4-5 inches or something?

I've had this same question for a while Liam. I think I've made a couple threads about it in the last half year. Chromis are about the best small advice I've seen, but even those can end up pretty large. I'm interested in the assesors, but haven't ever seen them in person. Michaels book says they only grow to a little over 2 inches.

 

[tucc185]

A group of small cardinals would be nice. I don't think they school as much as, say chromises, but they do tend to hang out together in close groups.

 

[~Flighty~]

The bar gobies get to be around 4 inches, but long and skinny, like the size and shape of my finger, but a bit longer.

I know exactly what you mean about the neon tetras. It just seems like there aren't any free swiming, schooling saltwater fish that stay in the inch long range. It really seams like there should be some little silver shiny fish that would fit the description.

 

[tucc185]

Also, firefish and scissortail gobies make interesting, but shy, schooling fish. They're also relatively small and not so much of a bioload.

 

[tucc185]

Oh yeah, speaking of neon tetras and "little silver shiny fish", I just remembered--freshwater mollies do great in salt tanks, school (kind of) and come in all kinds of colors. I had one in my tank for a while until my tang decided to kill it.