Favorite schooling fish for a community tank?

[satisfiedghost]

I have a 55g community tank I've been stocking over the past month. The upper water levels are mostly empty and in need of a flash of color. I was thinking between the two I'd take a larger school of smaller individuals, than vice versa.

I'm currently eyeing up Lambchop rasboras and considering a school of about 10. Rummy nose tetras also seemed interesting but I've read they prefer soft/acidic water and my water is closer to neutral and medium hardness.

I'm all about trying out oddball fish though as long as they're beginner/intermediate friendly so if anyone has suggestions I'd love to hear them.

[Colu]

X ray tetra look great in a larger group in a planted tank or Columbian blue tetra for that splash of colour

Edited May 11, 2021 by Colu

[RyanU]

Hatchet fish also are pretty cool looking

[Patrick_G]

I’m currently fascinated by Red Phantom Tetras. 
 

pic by Aquarium Coop.

 

[tonyjuliano]

White Cloud Mountain Minnows, lots of them.

Inexpensive, hardy and boisterous.  Will adapt to almost any water condition and get along with anything else in a community tank (including shrimp).

Great schooling fish.

[Wingman12r]

I second the white clouds. Also most Danios will occupy the top of the water column.

[tonyjuliano]

9 minutes ago, Wingman12r said:

Also most Danios will occupy the top of the water column.

Another of my favorites.  Looking for a dozen or so celestial pearl danios right now, for a new tank.

Have you seen the celestial pearls?  Gorgeous fish...

 

[Jeff]

Rummynose Tetras

[Reppy6583]

I actually have a question I want to run by you guys so I’m planning on getting a large school 12ish or more of cpds and I was curious on what you your opinions are on if I could also throw a singular platt in there?

[satisfiedghost]

Thanks for the suggestions all! I'm going to head up to the store this Friday and check out all the suggestions in person if possible.

[DShelton]

If your other tank inhabitants will allow, Ember tetras are flashy in color, school well, and live in the middle to top of the water column.

[tonyjuliano]

1 hour ago, Reppy6583 said:

I’m planning on getting a large school 12ish or more of cpds and I was curious on what you your opinions are on if I could also throw a singular platt in there?

Loaded question...

Tank size and setup?

Planted? Heavily planted? Not at all?

A Platy, while not really a “schooling” fish, would prefer a few more of its own kind.  They are live bearers, and definitely not nano-fish, so tank size is an important factor.

I think that any of the tetras, or guppies would go well.

I tend to favor colonizing with other fish from similar geographic origins.  If space allows I like this kind of setup:

A dozen or so schooling types

5 or 6 intermediate types

A single (or pair) show types

For example, one of my tanks is “Southern Asia” themed, with a dozen White Cloud Mountain Minnows, 6 Gold Barbs and a single Blue Paradise Fish (along with a dozen shrimp and 3 or 4 snails). Cold water, Walstadt setup (no filter or heater, soil substrate with a medium gravel cap, heavily planted).

Edited May 12, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Mahi27]

I am obsessed with glowlight danios (cool vertical orange stripes along a greenish body), green fire tetras (dominant male specimens are stunning in coloration), and green neon danios for schooling fish. I tend to like really flashy colors so lamp chop rasboras haven't appealed to me. Black and orange? Only on Halloween please. 

[Reppy6583]

8 hours ago, tonyjuliano said:

Loaded question...

Tank size and setup?

Planted? Heavily planted? Not at all?

A Platy, while not really a “schooling” fish, would prefer a few more of its own kind.  They are live bearers, and definitely not nano-fish, so tank size is an important factor.

I think that any of the tetras, or guppies would go well.

I tend to favor colonizing with other fish from similar geographic origins.  If space allows I like this kind of setup:

A dozen or so schooling types

5 or 6 intermediate types

A single (or pair) show types

For example, one of my tanks is “Southern Asia” themed, with a dozen White Cloud Mountain Minnows, 6 Gold Barbs and a single Blue Paradise Fish (along with a dozen shrimp and 3 or 4 snails). Cold water, Walstadt setup (no filter or heater, soil substrate with a medium gravel cap, heavily planted).

Sorry totally forgot to include setup it’s going to be a planted 20g long filtered by two 10 gallon aquarium coop sponge filters. 

[tonyjuliano]

If it’s fully cycled; and you are committed to maintenance, than I don’t see a problem adding more fish.

But do it slowly; over time.

And I still do not think a Platy is a great choice.