Shoaling & Schooling For 125g ?

[davocean]

So I purposely took an eh pic, it's just a random cell snap, I did not walk up to tank and make them think they are being fed, just spun around in my chair and snapped this off to show how my anthia and chromis usually group together, this is what I see most of the time. (My tank is still fairly new at about 5mo old now, established LR from previous setup, no real cycle, I've had the chromis about 4 mo now, same 5 i started with, and 5 lyretails about a month now)

 

[nvert]

Threadfin cardinals is a good choice for a schooling fish. I have six and they hang together all the time. Be warned though, they are very delicate shippers. I have six doing well right now but I ordered 14. Some were DOA and a few others died shortly after being introduced to the tank which is 4 years old now.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have found that lyretails don't stay together as a group as well as dispar or randalls anthias, so if you're looking for that shoaling effect they may be a better choice than lyretails.

OP, firefish school nicely, but they will typically stay low near their burrow.

Once firefish mature, which doesn't take long, they are intolerant of conspecifics, unless they are a bonded pr.

 

[Griff]

I have 4 carberryi that school together. I feed them two to three times a day and all are doing well. I wouldn't put 12 in a 125 though. I'd do 6 or less. Only one male per school.

 

[427HISS]

I think some type of cardinal is your best choice.
Personally I like the mix of redspot and blue streak cardinals. I've seen many tank that mix the 2 and have a very eye pleasing school.
Here's a picture of the 2.

Red spot - 1.5" Max Size

Blue streak - 2 to 2.5"

Mix of both... you could get a relatively large school of each because they don't get huge.

Are you sure those arn't fresh water fish ? lol.....
Very pretty and small. That entire tank is great !

Get a hawkfish and the smaller fish will school real tightly to one another, lol. Especially an angry Archeye Hawk. It did a really good job of keeping my green chromis and firefish schooling together.

Years ago, we had a Hawk and he was wonderful. We'll alsohave a Clown Trigger, so I'm sure he'll keep the smaller fish in "protection mode". lol.....

OP, firefish school nicely, but they will typically stay low near their burrow. Chromis are better for the open water. I have no experience with Anthias, but have read that many times that they eventually start killing one another. Maybe because of lack of food? Not sure.

I realize that the Anthias will have some picking order, and maybe even killing one. I won't like that, but what can be done with mother nature. In the wild, death I'm sure may never happen, but in a aquarium not much can be done. I'll be a papa and spank and make him swim in a corner !

Depends on type of anthia, bartletts are known to peck each other off, but many keep lyretails w/out issues, carberryi's, dispars, ignitus also play well together, but of those lyretails are easiest to get eating properly, eat pellets, and less shy, and actually help more shy species come out.
I have had lyretails, carbs, and dispars together long term succesfully.
I don't think you need an aggressive fish to keep them grouped, just a larger fish may help, like a tang, but even w/out a larger fish both my anthia and chromis have stayed tightly grouped

Which do you like best for schooling, looks and cost ?

 

[427HISS]

I have 4 carberryi that school together. I feed them two to three times a day and all are doing well. I wouldn't put 12 in a 125 though. I'd do 6 or less. Only one male per school.

That is a beautiful species. Why 6 or less ?

 

[erk]

Once firefish mature, which doesn't take long, they are intolerant of conspecifics, unless they are a bonded pr.

I had 3 that always stayed together and shared the same burrow for over a year. I would notice ripped fins every once in awhile, but they would heal quickly. I was probably just lucky in that they all had a temperament that allowed them to stay together or maybe they were still very young. Since you say this isn't typical behavior, I'll avoid schools of firefish from now on. Just single or pairs.

 

[Preme]

Are you sure those arn't fresh water fish ? lol.....
Very pretty and small. That entire tank is great !



I realize that the Anthias will have some picking order, and maybe even killing one. I won't like that, but what can be done with mother nature. In the wild, death I'm sure may never happen, but in a aquarium not much can be done. I'll be a papa and spank and make him swim in a corner !



Which do you like best for schooling, looks and cost ?

lol yea I know they look similar to tetras but no, they are for sure saltwater. Not the most colorful but one of my personal favorite schooling fish.

 

[davocean]

Which do you like best for schooling, looks and cost ?

For me it's hard to go wrong w/ lyretails, they eat easy, not expensive, and they can encourage other more shy anthia to come out and eat.
Past tanks I've had a combo of lyre's, carberryi, dispars, which I plan to have again, but right now just lyretails, tanks still kinda new