15 Black skirt tetras are sholing, right now!

[pausto]

It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced them
to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3 cories.
And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
kinds.

Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?

The Storck

[Toni]

"pausto" > wrote in message
...
> It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced them
> to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3 cories.
> And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> kinds.
>
> Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?


Maybe they get lazy about it if there isn't any threat nearby.
Aren't they fascinating to watch though?

--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

[pausto]

Toni wrote:
>
> "pausto" > wrote in message
> ...
> > It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced them
> > to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> > Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> > loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3 cories.
> > And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> > kinds.
> >
> > Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?
>
> Maybe they get lazy about it if there isn't any threat nearby.
> Aren't they fascinating to watch though?
>
> --
> Toni
> http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

I thought the loaches and rainbows would be enough to keep the
skirts on their toes. I guess I need to shop for a bigger scarier
fish.

Yer planted tank looks great.

[NetMax]

"pausto" > wrote in message
...
> It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced them
> to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3 cories.
> And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> kinds.
>
> Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?
>
> The Storck

I think that fish school/schoal for protection, to feel secure and from
instinct. Without a predator or perceived threat, they relax and scatter
(less work, less having to share food). Some fish keep a loose grouping
while others scatter to the winds. IME, Black skirts are one of the
worst for scattering, seeming to put an equal distance between each
individual, as soon as they know the tank. Large tanks with dark corners
and a few large herbivores might keep them in a pattern more often, but
this schooling behaviour requires more energy from them, so they will
resort to scattering again if possible.

NetMax

[pausto]

NetMax wrote:
>
> "pausto" > wrote in message
> ...
> > It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced them
> > to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> > Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> > loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3 cories.
> > And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> > kinds.
> >
> > Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?
> >
> > The Storck
>
> I think that fish school/schoal for protection, to feel secure and from
> instinct. Without a predator or perceived threat, they relax and scatter
> (less work, less having to share food). Some fish keep a loose grouping
> while others scatter to the winds. IME, Black skirts are one of the
> worst for scattering, seeming to put an equal distance between each
> individual, as soon as they know the tank. Large tanks with dark corners
> and a few large herbivores might keep them in a pattern more often, but
> this schooling behaviour requires more energy from them, so they will
> resort to scattering again if possible.
>
> NetMax

Thanks NetMax. My tank is happy and healthy, so I suppose these fish
will be with me for quite a while. That should give me the time to
gather info as my fish's tank slowly evolves. Better schooling fish? A
big Plec, perhaps? We'll see.

Paul

[NetMax]

"pausto" > wrote in message
...
> NetMax wrote:
> >
> > "pausto" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced
them
> > > to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> > > Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> > > loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3
cories.
> > > And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> > > kinds.
> > >
> > > Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?
> > >
> > > The Storck
> >
> > I think that fish school/schoal for protection, to feel secure and
from
> > instinct. Without a predator or perceived threat, they relax and
scatter
> > (less work, less having to share food). Some fish keep a loose
grouping
> > while others scatter to the winds. IME, Black skirts are one of the
> > worst for scattering, seeming to put an equal distance between each
> > individual, as soon as they know the tank. Large tanks with dark
corners
> > and a few large herbivores might keep them in a pattern more often,
but
> > this schooling behaviour requires more energy from them, so they will
> > resort to scattering again if possible.
> >
> > NetMax
>
> Thanks NetMax. My tank is happy and healthy, so I suppose these fish
> will be with me for quite a while. That should give me the time to
> gather info as my fish's tank slowly evolves. Better schooling fish? A
> big Plec, perhaps? We'll see.
>
> Paul

I've been told that Rummy Nose tetras retain their schooling habit more,
but I've yet to test that to see for myself. I have seen Harlequin
Rasboras hold a loose pattern long after acclimating to a tank which only
had Discus & Cardinals for company. I don't know if the Discus were the
perceived threat vector. A 5" Discus would have trouble taking out a
full grown H.rasbora, but the Harlequin's perception is their reality
;~).

NetMax

[pausto]

NetMax wrote:
>
> "pausto" > wrote in message
> ...
> > NetMax wrote:
> > >
> > > "pausto" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > It's the first time I have seen them school since I introduced
> them
> > > > to the 75galUS tank 10 weeks ago. 18 of them. Awesome.
> > > > Their mates are, 3 large clown loaches 3inches, 3 small clown
> > > > loaches 2.5 inches, 5 SAE's 2.5", 3 platies 1.5", 2 oto's, 3
> cories.
> > > > And the newest additions 8 small?/med? rainbow fish, two different
> > > > kinds.
> > > >
> > > > Question is, Why don't my skirts school more often?
> > > >
> > > > The Storck
> > >
> > > I think that fish school/schoal for protection, to feel secure and
> from
> > > instinct. Without a predator or perceived threat, they relax and
> scatter
> > > (less work, less having to share food). Some fish keep a loose
> grouping
> > > while others scatter to the winds. IME, Black skirts are one of the
> > > worst for scattering, seeming to put an equal distance between each
> > > individual, as soon as they know the tank. Large tanks with dark
> corners
> > > and a few large herbivores might keep them in a pattern more often,
> but
> > > this schooling behaviour requires more energy from them, so they will
> > > resort to scattering again if possible.
> > >
> > > NetMax
> >
> > Thanks NetMax. My tank is happy and healthy, so I suppose these fish
> > will be with me for quite a while. That should give me the time to
> > gather info as my fish's tank slowly evolves. Better schooling fish? A
> > big Plec, perhaps? We'll see.
> >
> > Paul
>
> I've been told that Rummy Nose tetras retain their schooling habit more,
> but I've yet to test that to see for myself. I have seen Harlequin
> Rasboras hold a loose pattern long after acclimating to a tank which only
> had Discus & Cardinals for company. I don't know if the Discus were the
> perceived threat vector. A 5" Discus would have trouble taking out a
> full grown H.rasbora, but the Harlequin's perception is their reality
> ;~).
>
> NetMax

I have seen the Rummy Nose Tetras and the Harlequin Rasboras at the
shops. I like them and have considered them for my tank, now I have a
better reason to get them. But because my tank is fully stocked, well,
I now also have a reason for starting a new tank :)

Thanks
Paul