schooling bannerfish

[robdog696]

I'm buying at least two Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes). I need to know if I can keep 3 or more together safely. The site says they can be kept in pairs. I want at least three. They are the reef safe version of h. accumentas. Please help! Thanks! Oh yeah... in a 150 gallon peaceful reef.

 

[mr. limpid]

I to wanted to have these fish in a school, but after researching it. This is what I found out. In the begging when they are new to your tank and young they will school (also best to keep in odd numbers). In the wild they school for protection (and in large numbers more than our tanks can handle) but after awhile in your tank they are less threaten and tend to swim alone. There are other smaller fish that are better for schooling in tanks. Chromis, Fire fish and there few others. Personal I never tryied it didn't want to spen the 40+ each to find out. But if you do I heard its best to put them in all at the same time better chance of schooling can add them one at a time though. Let me know what happen if you try. Good Luck.

 

[saltn00b]

heniochus are not guaranteed reef-safe. these fish survive on worms as their primary source of food, so you may find any mini feather dusters, nice big hawaiian feather dusters, coco worms, and other worms eaten. they may or may not pick on your corals. there is probably about a 50% chance they will be reef safe, depending also on what type of corals you have. they are sensitive so make sure you quarantine as well.