A proper school!

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2012, 01:09 PM

Just thought I'd post this to tell you all about my tetras!!

I keep red eyed tetras and first had a 'school' of 6 . . . That's not a school, the tetras were a bit nippy and I rehomed my angels to a friend as they were getting badly beat up, I bumped the number upto 9 and I already noticed a difference. After my bigger 48g had cycled I fired the 9 into it and added 4 more for them to play with. Now with 13 tetras I better appreciate what a school of fish is ment to look like. I'm thinking of even getting a few more. I know a lot of us post saying that since they are schooling they need at least 6, after noticing the huge behavioural change and just by how fun to watch they are now I reckon a 'school' of fish should be no less than ten. In the wild these guys must live in groups numbering the thousands so 6 isn't always fair for some species.

Just a post of my success with red eyed tetras :D ! ! !

**MLBfan** · 03-03-2012, 01:15 PM

I agree, the school size all depends on the species. My Harlequin rasbora have a school of 5 and do just fine., while my black widow tetras only have 4 and I think I need to get a couple more, they are kind of nippy. I think it just depends on the fish.

**sheamurai** · 03-03-2012, 01:31 PM

Glad you are happier with your fish!

Yes, schooling species in the wild definitely have bigger schools than what we usually allow them. A lot of fish "are fine" in the piddling schools we manage for them, but I believe any schooling fish benefits, and displays more natural behavior, the bigger the school you can manage.

Plus, big schools just look way cool! My next redo of tanks will just be large schools of fish...no "centrepeice" or single species fish unless for fry control.

**KingFisher** · 03-03-2012, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by sheamurai

Glad you are happier with your fish!

Yes, schooling species in the wild definitely have bigger schools than what we usually allow them. A lot of fish "are fine" in the piddling schools we manage for them, but I believe any schooling fish benefits, and displays more natural behavior, the bigger the school you can manage.

Plus, big schools just look way cool! My next redo of tanks will just be large schools of fish...no "centrepeice" or single species fish unless for fry control.

+1 the bigger the better when it comes to schools.

**Lady Hobbs** · 03-03-2012, 02:16 PM

I have said the same thing here in 100 posts. In the wild, fish swim in schools of hundreds and hundreds. We toss them in the tank and think they are happy with 6. They don't even act like their species in tiny schools but in large groups they do. They are more calm, less stressed and form their family.

You see all the time that someone has a tank and has 15 species in the tank instead of just two or three large schools of fish. Or 10 species of 6 each.
I don't know how 6 has even been considered as a school.

**Lady Hobbs** · 03-03-2012, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by MLBfan

I agree, the school size all depends on the species. My Harlequin rasbora have a school of 5 and do just fine., while my black widow tetras only have 4 and I think I need to get a couple more, they are kind of nippy. I think it just depends on the fish.

All schooling fish are the same. They should all be in bigger schools than 4 or 5. If you only have room for one large school, then only stock the one species but make the school large enough.

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2012, 04:39 PM

Glad you all agree, it is funny how somewhere along the line somebody decided 6 was a good number.

Reason for posting was that the red eyes were getting a bad name I thought, not just here but on other info websites aswell. They are very hardy fish and their scales ar a lot larger than average so it looks like armour, really nice fish when in tip top condition. Just felt that I could help them out a bit sharing my experience.

It is a shame that people give fish a bad rep when really its our fault! Our aquariums are trying to mimick the fishes natural environment and therefore keeping them in unsuitable conditions is bound to have an effect. Larger schools equal happier tanks :)

**ScottishFish** · 03-03-2012, 04:53 PM

Forgot to add: MLB I'm sure your harleguins will be very healthy and look good, but I would bet on it that if you doubled the number of them you would find that they are definatley happier and acting more naturally :)

**nikelodeon79** · 03-03-2012, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

In the wild, fish swim in schools of hundreds and hundreds. We toss them in the tank and think they are happy with 6. They don't even act like their species in tiny schools but in large groups they do. They are more calm, less stressed and form their family.

Agreed. The sad thing is, most LFS considers THREE fish a "school."