Theplatymaster Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 Ive got a 20gallon high, and recently got rid of a bunch of platies, and want to replace it with a schooling fish. any recommendations? (preferably something that will predate on my platy fry) Current fish in the tank: Betta (Shy) 5 corydoras nerite snail tiny snail i dont know the name of 3platies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBlueBeetle Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 If you want tight schooling, I recommend rummynose tetras, cant comment on the fry predation, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 (edited) I forget the name.... the star tail looking ones. Let me dig it up. Silvertip Tetra! They are at the first few minutes of the video here if you would like to see the schooling behavior. It should start at that point 🙂 I also am a big fan of green neons for a smaller fish that is very calm. Edited November 7, 2022 by nabokovfan87 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOtrees Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 The classic debate: schooling vs shoaling. What we (I being representative 🙂) think of as schooling is that tight-knit group that stays together and stays in formation from one side of the tank to the other and back again. Among the community smaller fish, rummy nose tetra are maybe best known for this. I had a group in a 24" tank, and moved them up to a 36" and the difference was pretty remarkable. "Schooling" was much less evident in the 24" tank, because they just couldn't get a rhythm going. Sure they bunched up when stressed, but when they calmed down there just wasn't enough space/length for them to from ranks and cruise. Even in the 36" tank, I found that any obstacle in their side to side path disrupted the schooling quite a lot. It was a fairly heavily planted tank (in the "jungle" style 🙂), and I saw much better schooling right after big trims of the plants that opened up the travel lanes. All it took was a big crypt leaf or a few stems of limno in the wrong place and the whole vibe changed. Shoaling is a lot more common, where fish of the same species kind of cruise around together and are part of a single cohesive group but at any given time some might be going this way and some that way, and they only really school (all going the same way together) when frightened. If you want what I think of as schooling, get 12 or more rummy noses and upsize the tank to 36". In the 24" tank you won't really see the schooling at its best, so choose your stock for other things like color, other behaviors, compatibility, whimsy etc. FWIW the best schooling I've seen (personally) was denison barb/roseline shark in a 48"? discus tank that was bare except for pleco caves and slates on the bottom, and a big slender-branching driftwood in the middle that wasn't obtrusive enough to actually block their path of travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted November 7, 2022 Author Share Posted November 7, 2022 On 11/7/2022 at 2:47 PM, nabokovfan87 said: I forget the name.... the star tail looking ones. Let me dig it up. Silvertip Tetra! They are at the first few minutes of the video here if you would like to see the schooling behavior. It should start at that point 🙂 I also am a big fan of green neons for a smaller fish that is very calm. i like silver tip tetras but im worried about them outcompeting my betta for food. On 11/7/2022 at 3:21 PM, TOtrees said: The classic debate: schooling vs shoaling. What we (I being representative 🙂) think of as schooling is that tight-knit group that stays together and stays in formation from one side of the tank to the other and back again. Among the community smaller fish, rummy nose tetra are maybe best known for this. I had a group in a 24" tank, and moved them up to a 36" and the difference was pretty remarkable. "Schooling" was much less evident in the 24" tank, because they just couldn't get a rhythm going. Sure they bunched up when stressed, but when they calmed down there just wasn't enough space/length for them to from ranks and cruise. Even in the 36" tank, I found that any obstacle in their side to side path disrupted the schooling quite a lot. It was a fairly heavily planted tank (in the "jungle" style 🙂), and I saw much better schooling right after big trims of the plants that opened up the travel lanes. All it took was a big crypt leaf or a few stems of limno in the wrong place and the whole vibe changed. Shoaling is a lot more common, where fish of the same species kind of cruise around together and are part of a single cohesive group but at any given time some might be going this way and some that way, and they only really school (all going the same way together) when frightened. If you want what I think of as schooling, get 12 or more rummy noses and upsize the tank to 36". In the 24" tank you won't really see the schooling at its best, so choose your stock for other things like color, other behaviors, compatibility, whimsy etc. FWIW the best schooling I've seen (personally) was denison barb/roseline shark in a 48"? discus tank that was bare except for pleco caves and slates on the bottom, and a big slender-branching driftwood in the middle that wasn't obtrusive enough to actually block their path of travel. shoaling is fine too, i didnt check my grammer the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anewbie Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 For a small schooling fish - and a very active one at that - i really like kubotai rasbora. For non-moving fish there are tons - green neon, cardinals (will prey on fry), ember, and an endless list of other options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grin Ghost Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 Cherry barbs? 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anitstuk Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 I always say Harlequin Rasboras, Chili Rasboras or Green Neon Tetras. They're always peaceful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 On 11/7/2022 at 5:09 PM, anitstuk said: I always say Harlequin Rasboras, Chili Rasboras or Green Neon Tetras. They're always peaceful i like the idea of green neons or chili rasboras, but i want something that will predate on baby platies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynn Naysmith Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Normal grey short finned White cloud mountain minnows are the best!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 I always say cherry barbs or zebra danios in this case, but seeing as it's with a betta I'd go with ember tetras or chili rasboras. Here's @Dean’s Fishroom picking out his faves at the Co-Op: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The endler guy Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 never can go wrong with neon tetras! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 Red eye tetras, not too big, not too small. Silver tips not sure a betta could tolerate their rambunctiousness. Danios Zebra or Leopard, your betta wouldn’t be happy with them. More corys - they never pass on easy protein like sleeping platt fry. A non-algae eating goby - Peacock or Emperor gudgeons could be great and might breed for you as well as prey on your platt fry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted November 10, 2022 Author Share Posted November 10, 2022 On 11/9/2022 at 6:45 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: Red eye tetras, not too big, not too small. Silver tips not sure a betta could tolerate their rambunctiousness. Danios Zebra or Leopard, your betta wouldn’t be happy with them. More corys - they never pass on easy protein like sleeping platt fry. A non-algae eating goby - Peacock or Emperor gudgeons could be great and might breed for you as well as prey on your platt fry. In my research it apears red eye tetras nip fins, which is not good for my crowntail betta More cories: Nothing against cories, but i want something i haven't tried before, and more midwater Goby: Breeding gobies can be territorial... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theplatymaster Posted November 14, 2022 Author Share Posted November 14, 2022 im currently thinking about harlquinn rasboras Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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