1 or 2 types of schooling fish for new tank

[ilaizm]

I am setting up a 90G planted tank. I am a big fan of rummynoses. Would you just put rummynoses in the tank or would you also add another schooling fish to have two different kinds? Also, how many would you include in the tank?

[poconogal]

I've got 22 Rummies and I also bought 15 Harlequin Rasboras (which are in QT) so I'll have 2 different types of schools. After watching the Rasboras I've decided that they are gorgeous little fish, they glow almost like a Glowlight Tetra now and their color is a shiny orangey-peach. I'm kind of sorry that I got the Rummies and wish I had just gotten all Rasboras! I'm sure you could easily put in at least 50 Rummies, depending on how many Discus you will have also, which would certainly make an awesome display. If it were me, I'd do maybe 30-40 Rummies and 20-25 Harlequins. Lemon Tetras would look nice too.

[captain morgan]

21 rummynose and 12 cardinals in my 100 gallon tank, got the rummys for their tight schooling behavior and the cardinals for their awesome color, love them both.

[KDodds]

I'd do two schools, just for the variation. Bleeding hearts, cardinals, emperors, lemons, glowlights, etc. all make good choices.

[Eyecandy]

Hi.. From your post I can't tell if there are going to be discus as well in the tank or only rummynoses...
I had a school of 30 rummys in my 120 gallon discus planted discus tank and loved them. They are without a doubt the best schooling fish and look awesome in a large group.. If you are having nothing else in the tank but the small schooling fish, then I think I would want two different groups just for the variety of color. Harleys are nice as are green fire tetras.. I've had lemons and they look nice with plants but don't seem to school as much as the rummys.. If you want something larger congo tetras or columbians are also very nice.. The bigger the schools the better..
If this is also going to be a discus tank then I would just stick with a big school of rummys.. HTH Sue

[calihawker]

I like the harlequins as well. Mine are spawning

Steve

[waters10]

Why not 3? I'm thinking about doing rummynose, cardinals and harlequin rasbora. This is on a 85g tank. I haven't decided yet, but if I were doing it today, that's what I'd do.

[cmich]

I keep rummies, cardinals, and harlequen rasboras in my tank. Like all three of them.

Blake

[ilaizm]

To Eyecandy: Yes this will be a discus tank.

Any idea which of the types you mentioned school best?

[calihawker]

I only have harlequin rasboras and cardinals. The cardinals school better than the the rasboras but I have a big long tank. There is usually two seperate schools of rasboras, about 50 fish total. The cardinal school numbers around 30 and they stay pretty tight together.


Steve

[JRunyon21]

I think all the listed fish are great but which ones take best to the high temperatures. I recently tried out 15 black neon tetras and they dropped like flies. Every 6-10 hours I would lose a different one. I NEVER lost more than one at once. Like clock work one went missing every 6-10 hours. My water quality was perfect(for the Discus) so the only thing I could blame it on was the temperature or it was a bad batch of fish. Temp was steady at 82Def F. I am really upset about the loss of fish and do not want to go through this again.

[Eyecandy]

Hi.. I silently ( yes my fins were crossed) hoped you were going to be adding the discus ..
In a planted discus tank I just love the rummys.. They are the best tightest schooling fish bar none...The bigger the school the better.. Not only do the red noses help with water quality maintenance but the checkerboard tails look so cool.. I would get at least 30.. it all depends on your source and of course the cost.. I could easily have added another 20 to my tank for a total of 50 without affecting the bioload much. But please qt them before adding them to the discus tank or start with them and first.. Not as much a disease issue (I always qt anything I add to a discus tank regardless) but because sometimes the buggers are not as healthy as we think and dead rummys are a real pita to get out of a planted tank.... My adult discus never ate them nor did the adult angel.. They use every part of the tank and don't spook the discus at all.. Good luck with whatever you choose.. Sue

[poconogal]

I think all the listed fish are great but which ones take best to the high temperatures...

Cardinals, Rummies, Harlequin Rasboras, Lemon Tetras, etc. The fish listed in this thread.

[Tito]

I think all the listed fish are great but which ones take best to the high temperatures. I recently tried out 15 black neon tetras and they dropped like flies. Every 6-10 hours I would lose a different one. I NEVER lost more than one at once. Like clock work one went missing every 6-10 hours. My water quality was perfect(for the Discus) so the only thing I could blame it on was the temperature or it was a bad batch of fish. Temp was steady at 82Def F. I am really upset about the loss of fish and do not want to go through this again.

Bad batch of fish or you shocked them when you placed them in the tank.

My Black Neons are in 85 degree water - 3 months.