Recommendations for small schooling fish

[asginpg]

I have been keeping goldfish and am planning on trying some tropical
fish. The goldfish are wonderful pets, interesting, forgiving (first
fish have to be) though dirty. I have another small tank with a betta
and 2 ADF. What I am planning is a 20 gallon tank. I love the little
catfish so I have already planned on buying 3 cory's. I am stuck on
where to go from there. Neons? Platies? I can find information on
their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
their personalities. Since with a 20 gallon tank I will likely be
limited to one other species if I want a school, the choice is rather
important. I am trying to find is a fish that would fit the following
requirments:

1. Schooling
2. Small (can school in 20 gallons)
3. Beginner level (I am no expert)
4. Relatively common (I am no millionaire)
5. Nice to Corys
6. Interesting, active, playful

The last requirment is where I am stuck. I will, of course, provide
hidding spots for the little fellows who are tired of having their
fins kicked around the tank by the alphas, but I would like to see the
majority of the inhabitants.

Any ideas?

[coelacanth]

Well, I always suggest Platys as an excellent and rewarding
beginner fish BUT I've never seen them school. I think you
may be limited to tetras and barbs. Neons are nice IF you
can get healthy ones and if they like your water--most people
have trouble with one or the other.

How about Tiger Barbs? They are active and lively, will school
and should leave your cories alone if they are in a large enough
group. Just make sure you get at least 6-8, or the littlest
ones will be picked on to death. Just don't put anything else
in with them--they can be like a festive pack of wolves.

Other possibilities for easy fish a zebra/leopard danios--very
lively schoolers but not too colorful. There are long finned
varieties of these that are quite attractive.

White cloud mountain fish--kind of a poor man's neon. Lively,
easy, prefer cooler temperatures and dirt cheap (3/$1 at my LFS).
There is also a long-finned variety of these which is tough
to find but quite pretty.

Glowlight tetras--easy, cheap and fast growers. There is also
and albino form (not to my taste, but my son love's albino fish,
so we have some).

"Black Neons"--not related to neons, but nice in a black&white
kind of way. They get bigger than neons and are really tough.

-coelacanth

"asginpg" > wrote in message
m...
> I have been keeping goldfish and am planning on trying some tropical
> fish. The goldfish are wonderful pets, interesting, forgiving (first
> fish have to be) though dirty. I have another small tank with a betta
> and 2 ADF. What I am planning is a 20 gallon tank. I love the little
> catfish so I have already planned on buying 3 cory's. I am stuck on
> where to go from there. Neons? Platies? I can find information on
> their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
> their personalities. Since with a 20 gallon tank I will likely be
> limited to one other species if I want a school, the choice is rather
> important. I am trying to find is a fish that would fit the following
> requirments:
>
> 1. Schooling
> 2. Small (can school in 20 gallons)
> 3. Beginner level (I am no expert)
> 4. Relatively common (I am no millionaire)
> 5. Nice to Corys
> 6. Interesting, active, playful
>
> The last requirment is where I am stuck. I will, of course, provide
> hidding spots for the little fellows who are tired of having their
> fins kicked around the tank by the alphas, but I would like to see the
> majority of the inhabitants.
>
> Any ideas?

[T]

If you live close to me I will give you my tetras that are in a 20g.. I have
four black skirts and three head lamp tetras.. Intresting fish and they
school together..

Timmer..


"coelacanth" > wrote in message
. com...
> Well, I always suggest Platys as an excellent and rewarding
> beginner fish BUT I've never seen them school. I think you
> may be limited to tetras and barbs. Neons are nice IF you
> can get healthy ones and if they like your water--most people
> have trouble with one or the other.
>
> How about Tiger Barbs? They are active and lively, will school
> and should leave your cories alone if they are in a large enough
> group. Just make sure you get at least 6-8, or the littlest
> ones will be picked on to death. Just don't put anything else
> in with them--they can be like a festive pack of wolves.
>
> Other possibilities for easy fish a zebra/leopard danios--very
> lively schoolers but not too colorful. There are long finned
> varieties of these that are quite attractive.
>
> White cloud mountain fish--kind of a poor man's neon. Lively,
> easy, prefer cooler temperatures and dirt cheap (3/$1 at my LFS).
> There is also a long-finned variety of these which is tough
> to find but quite pretty.
>
> Glowlight tetras--easy, cheap and fast growers. There is also
> and albino form (not to my taste, but my son love's albino fish,
> so we have some).
>
> "Black Neons"--not related to neons, but nice in a black&white
> kind of way. They get bigger than neons and are really tough.
>
> -coelacanth
>
> "asginpg" > wrote in message
> m...
> > I have been keeping goldfish and am planning on trying some tropical
> > fish. The goldfish are wonderful pets, interesting, forgiving (first
> > fish have to be) though dirty. I have another small tank with a betta
> > and 2 ADF. What I am planning is a 20 gallon tank. I love the little
> > catfish so I have already planned on buying 3 cory's. I am stuck on
> > where to go from there. Neons? Platies? I can find information on
> > their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
> > their personalities. Since with a 20 gallon tank I will likely be
> > limited to one other species if I want a school, the choice is rather
> > important. I am trying to find is a fish that would fit the following
> > requirments:
> >
> > 1. Schooling
> > 2. Small (can school in 20 gallons)
> > 3. Beginner level (I am no expert)
> > 4. Relatively common (I am no millionaire)
> > 5. Nice to Corys
> > 6. Interesting, active, playful
> >
> > The last requirment is where I am stuck. I will, of course, provide
> > hidding spots for the little fellows who are tired of having their
> > fins kicked around the tank by the alphas, but I would like to see the
> > majority of the inhabitants.
> >
> > Any ideas?
>
>

[asginpg]

"T" > wrote in message . net>...
> If you live close to me I will give you my tetras that are in a 20g.. I have
> four black skirts and three head lamp tetras.. Intresting fish and they
> school together..
>
> Timmer..

Your past posts suggest you are from California. I live in the
"frozen North", I'm afraid. Thanks for the offer though. Hope you
find your fishies good homes.

[EGMono]

In article >,
(asginpg) writes:

>Neons? Platies? I can find information on
>their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
>their personalities.

I have 5 tetras and 2 platies, and a couple other things, in a 20usgal, and
they coexist peacefully. The platies are beautiful fish and seem to hang in the
center of the tank between the middle and top of the water. The tetras,
although moving back and forth, tend to use the middle to bottom.
--
E.G.Mono

[0rion]

"EGMono" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (asginpg) writes:
>
> >Neons? Platies? I can find information on
> >their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
> >their personalities.
>
> I have 5 tetras and 2 platies, and a couple other things, in a 20usgal,
and
> they coexist peacefully. The platies are beautiful fish and seem to hang
in the
> center of the tank between the middle and top of the water. The tetras,
> although moving back and forth, tend to use the middle to bottom.
> --
> E.G.Mono
>



two words:


Harlequin Rasboras


that is all.

[Andy Hill]

(asginpg) wrote:
>I have been keeping goldfish and am planning on trying some tropical
>fish. The goldfish are wonderful pets, interesting, forgiving (first
>fish have to be) though dirty. I have another small tank with a betta
>and 2 ADF. What I am planning is a 20 gallon tank. I love the little
>catfish so I have already planned on buying 3 cory's. I am stuck on
>where to go from there. Neons? Platies? I can find information on
>their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
>their personalities. Since with a 20 gallon tank I will likely be
>limited to one other species if I want a school, the choice is rather
>important. I am trying to find is a fish that would fit the following
>requirments:
>
>1. Schooling
>2. Small (can school in 20 gallons)
>3. Beginner level (I am no expert)
>4. Relatively common (I am no millionaire)
>5. Nice to Corys
>6. Interesting, active, playful
>
>The last requirment is where I am stuck. I will, of course, provide
>hidding spots for the little fellows who are tired of having their
>fins kicked around the tank by the alphas, but I would like to see the
>majority of the inhabitants.
>
>Any ideas?
>
How 'bout some Serpae Tetras? Nice color, active, social, and tough as nails.
They have a bit of an attitude amongst themselves, but I've never caught them
messing with my other fish.

[nuchumYussel]

(asginpg) wrote in message >...
> I have been keeping goldfish and am planning on trying some tropical
> fish. The goldfish are wonderful pets, interesting, forgiving (first
> fish have to be) though dirty. I have another small tank with a betta
> and 2 ADF. What I am planning is a 20 gallon tank. I love the little
> catfish so I have already planned on buying 3 cory's. I am stuck on
> where to go from there. Neons? Platies? I can find information on
> their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
> their personalities. Since with a 20 gallon tank I will likely be
> limited to one other species if I want a school, the choice is rather
> important. I am trying to find is a fish that would fit the following
> requirments:
>
> 1. Schooling
> 2. Small (can school in 20 gallons)
> 3. Beginner level (I am no expert)
> 4. Relatively common (I am no millionaire)
> 5. Nice to Corys
> 6. Interesting, active, playful
>
> The last requirment is where I am stuck. I will, of course, provide
> hidding spots for the little fellows who are tired of having their
> fins kicked around the tank by the alphas, but I would like to see the
> majority of the inhabitants.
>
> Any ideas?

The first fish that comes to mind is Neon Tetra. By me they are very cheap

[MartinOsirus]

Consider barbs - I really like them & they come in a variety of colors. Neons
frequently don't live long, get neon tetra disease and are mass exported with a
host of problems. For good first fish go to the Krib.com

[coelacanth]

I've said this before, but Neons are as dumb as rocks.
They have no idea where the food comes from or
any other survival skills. The three tanks I've seen with
lots of neons (20-100) are pretty, but the don't seem
to school so much as "scrum", hover near each other
but move in different directions. Hey--that might be a
survival skill!

-coelacanth

"EGMono" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> (asginpg) writes:
>
> >Neons? Platies? I can find information on
> >their size and temperature and food needs but nothing specific about
> >their personalities.
>
> I have 5 tetras and 2 platies, and a couple other things, in a 20usgal,
and
> they coexist peacefully. The platies are beautiful fish and seem to hang
in the
> center of the tank between the middle and top of the water. The tetras,
> although moving back and forth, tend to use the middle to bottom.
> --
> E.G.Mono
>

[Alan Silver]

In article >, 0rion
> writes
>Harlequin Rasboras

Hear hear. Beautiful fish, peaceful, school nicely. We have had a school
of eight of them for years now. Wouldn't swap 'em ;-)

--
Alan Silver

[asginpg]

Thanks to everyone for their ideas! I just bought a 48 gallon used
tank and since I still would like schooling fish I will print out your
ideas and do some research. I want to plan out the tank before I set
it up. Thanks again.