looking for suggestions on schooling fish

[leigh]

hey all...
i'm starting to plan for my post-seacucumber tank and am thinking i would really like to have my 50 just have 1 school of something or other. with that i have a few questions:
1) What is some schooling fish that would be happy in a 50. Ideally I'm looking for something less prone to jumping than firefish, more unique than chromis, and more active than bangai. Does anything remain?
2) How many fish should I be thinking for a school--5? (Again, these will be the only vertibrate inhabitants. I have 100 gallons in my system between my reef and invert tank with probably about 70-80 lbs live rock and both tanks have dsbs so I am concerned most of all about keeping the species happy with physical swimming room.)
3) Someone told me I am in a catch 22. He said if I want a school I need to add all fish at once, but if I add 5 fish to my tank it'll have an ammonia spike. Is this true, and if so how do I get around this?
Thanks for the help!
-leigh

 

[buzz]

I think you just ruled out all of my suggestions....sheesh...picky, picky! hehe

 

[ryebread]

Maybe four or five Royal Grammas. These fish are beautiful and can be kept in a small school but, you will have to do some work to find some that are nice and compatible with each other. Research Royal Gramma Schools.

 

[ryebread]

I would have suggested a small group of Anthias but, I don't think that a 50g is sufficient for thier picky needs.

 

[hairtrigger]

Various types of Antheas add great color to the tank, and usually school together in the water column.

 

[leigh]

hmm...interesting suggestions, thanks any insight on the ammonia spike question?
-leigh

 

[leigh]

does anyone have any input on which would be more active--a school of firefish or a school of chromis?
-leigh

 

[nasotang00]

The chromis would be much more active than the firefish. A school of green reef chromis makes a great addition.

 

[timsedwards]

hmmm i wasnt sure you could mix Royal Grammas, being cave dwellers they are very territorial (check out their jaws when they threaten you!)?
Maybe Im wrong
Tim.

 

[ryebread]

Originally posted by timsedwards
Maybe Im wrong

Yep. Been researching it quite a bit.

 

[leigh]

Yeah, Rye is right. At least from what my research has been turning up it is definitely doable, but it's preferable if you can get them as a pre-existing school...otherwise they might duke it out. I'm not sure I have the guts for that this close after the sea cucumber incident. I'm now tossing around the super economical school of green chromis idea vs the mandarin idea (see my other post)...thanks folks!
-leigh

 

[overanalyzer]

Green or blue green chromis ... very flashy and very pretty .... with your 100 gallons I'd say you could get like 6 or 7 .... of course that would be a pretty heavy bioload .... but would make a sweet school.
Personally I'd get some bangaii (tank raised of course) and get some cool urchins .... and maybe you will end up with baby bangaii's hanging in the urchins (bang guy has an awesome picture of this!!)..... just a thoguht ....

 

[timsedwards]

LOL i know i shouldnt have doubted you!
So how many to school then? Should you add them all at once or? Cos that is a pretty sweet looking school if you ask me!!
Tim.

 

[leigh]

overanalyzer--funny you should mention that as i was JUST web-researching the same thing. one page said though that banggai only school well as juveniles and as they get older will get aggressive towards each other leaving only the mated pair. is this true?

 

[elan]

Originally posted by leigh
does anyone have any input on which would be more active--a school of firefish or a school of chromis?
-leigh
i have both firefish and chromis... the chromis are much more active, but also get a bit crasy during feeding time.... my firefish like to hang out in the middle of the thank and wait for food to come along...
when i have guests, their eyes focus on the firefish, and not the chromis....
both make a good showing, but i vafor firefish cause i like their dorsal fin... (although something ate one of my firefish's fin )

 

[jarvis]

The royal gamma idea sound so cool. I do like my blue green chromis school. It is cool when the atinic turn on and they wake up one by one and start schooling waking up the rest of the tank.

 

[leigh]

Made the final decision today...I hope I'm not jumping the gun...it's been a week since the cucumber incident, all corals and inverts (except the one snail I lost) have bounced back fully, I've done 3 water changes and been running the skimmer and carbon and nitrate/trite/ammonia are all still 0. I hope *pray* all cuke toxin is out of the system. So...based upon some good advice from this board, some bad advice from one lfs, some good advice from another lfs, and lots of web research I have my new fish: 3 bar gobies. I just finished acclimating them, they chowed down on dinner that I offered them and seem very content (and they're schooling!) I am very happy, I think I got a good deal, they all three look pretty much full size 3-4" and I spent $45 for the trio. Any name suggestions???
-leigh

 

[jarvis]

Larry, Moe, and Curly ........nook..nook...nook.................................
wuuuuppppuuppooooooaaaaaaaoooooo