Schooling Fish

Schooling fish are some of the most interesting fish to keep. One of the most enjoyable scenes in an aquarium is a group of beautiful and colorful fish swimming in unison, changing directions in an instant, yet never colliding with each other. These fish tend to be very active, energetic, and a lot of fun to watch. Most schooling fish are also very hardy fish that can be kept well in just a 10 to 20 gallon aquarium and will take all sorts of food. And sometimes, a school of fish can even be used to distract aggressive fish from fighting.

The three hardiest and most common schooling fish for the aquarium are barbs, danios, and tetras. Barbs and danios belong to the large Cyprinid family of freshwater tropical fish which also includes all koi, carp, goldfish, and minnows. Tetras belong to the smaller Characin family. Now, let us take a closer look at these fascinating schooling fish.

Tetras

Tetras come in a huge variety of colors and patterns, and two of the most popular ones are the Neon Tetra and the Cardinal Tetra. These two are quite attractive red and blue fish. The red line on the Cardinal runs from the head on back, while in the Neon it starts only in the belly region. These two tetras do need slightly more soft and acidic water, with a pH between 6 and 6.5.

There are also plenty of hardier tetras out there for beginners without special water, and they are often just as beautiful and exciting. These include the distinctive Black or Black Skirt Tetra, the brightly colored Glow Light Tetra, the radiant orange Jewel Tetra, the Flame Tetra, and the red-tailed Pristella Tetra. All of the tetras mentioned stay at a manageable maximum size of about two inches long or less. All tetras are best kept in groups of six or more of the same species.

Barbs

There are many kinds of barbs to choose from as well, with the most popular ones being Cherry Barbs and Tiger Barbs. Small and manageable (stays under two inches long), with a beautiful orange-red to cherry-red coloration, Cherry Barbs are terrific beginner fish that are peaceful, long-lived and school well. They are best kept in small schools of either three or four.

The Tiger Barb is a very beautiful and colorful barb that usually has four blue-black bands running across the body, with bright red-orange fins. The rest of the body is a brown-orange color and the back is almost like an olive green. The scales when viewed under the right light have an iridescent gold or brass look to them. The males are usually slimmer and more colorful than the females. Tiger Barbs are also extremely playful and curious fish. The only drawback is that Tiger Barbs are known to nip the fins of long-finned fish such as Angelfish or fancy Bettas. This problem can be alleviated by keeping them in schools of at least six of the same species.

Danios

Like the other schooling fish mentioned above, danios are also very energetic and fast fish that are a lot of fun to watch. In the meantime, they are very peaceful and non-aggressive fish that have almost zero reputation for bothering any other fish in a community tank. Most danios are also quite hardy and easy to keep, great for beginners. They will do great in groups of five or six.

Some of the most popular danios are the Giant Danio and Zebra Danio. The Giant Danio can grow up to four inches long and is a very hardy fish. The bottom of its body is a bluish gray, while their fins are transparent with just a hint of yellow. The most striking color comes from the yellow and blue stripes and markings that cover the Giant Danio's sides.

The Zebra Danio has been called one of the "bread and butter" fish because of its ease of keeping, continued popularity, and its favorable price and availability. The males have gold stripes and blue-black stripes and females tend to have silver stripes in place of the gold ones. Zebra Danios grow up to about two or three inches long. They are slightly less hardy than most other tropical fish in terms of temperatures, doing best at a lower temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

As for food, barbs, danios, and tetras are largely omnivorous (eating both animal and vegetable foods) and will eat just about anything. They will eat dried, commercial flake food or freeze dried foods, but should also occasionally be treated to live foods such as blood worms, brine shrimp, and mosquito larvae. The best temperature for most tropical fish, including most schooling fish (unless otherwise stated) in this article, is around 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the pH range should be between 6 and 8.

Most barbs, danios, and tetras do not pose a problem when mixed together, including males. They may sometimes break out of schools and chase each other, but usually they do not cause any trouble or injury as they are simply enjoying life and having fun. And although a few schooling fish such as the Tiger Barb may nip the fins of some long-finned fish, as long as they are kept in a school of five or six of their own species, they will cause no trouble.

One thing to avoid with schooling fish is adding a new member to the school. Any school of fish will establish a pecking order in the aquarium. When you add a new member of this species, then entire school order is disrupted. The established members of the school are healthy, familiar with each other, and adapted to life in your aquarium. The newly introduced member of the school has not had the opportunity to settle into your aquarium and is stressed from the move. The easy solution to this problem is to simply add all of the members of a school to the aquarium on the same day.

All in all, schooling fish can add spectacular color, beauty, energy, and fun to a community aquarium. If you have not tried schooling fish yet, there is no reason not to. Beautiful, easy-to-keep, and relatively inexpensive, most are ideal for the beginning hobbyist yet exciting enough for the seasoned fish owner. If you have any questions regarding schooling fish and their care, just ask us and we will help you any way we can.

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