# Are these schooling fish....



## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

Do each of the following species swim in schools?

Tiger Oscar
Blood Red Parrot
Jack Dempsey
Angel
Clown Loach
Red Belly Pacu

and I assume catfish don't swim in schools...also, is it ok to mix catfish (say African Feather Fin Catfish and Pictus Catfish)?


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## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

Also Bala Shark schooling? and I'm pretty sure Rainbow Sharks are not good when there are more than one of them in a tank.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Juveniles will shoal but they'll become aggressive when matured. With all those fish, you'll need a 75 gallons tank alone if you keep one of those fish.

*Tiger Oscars:*
One needs 55 gallons tank alone. A pair will need more than a hundred gallons.
*Blood Parrots:*
Same as the oscars. I hated this fish as they are man-made breeds.
*Jack Dempsey:*
A pair will need about 55 gallons.
*Angelfish:*
6 angelfish is enough for a 55 gallons tank. Height of tank at 18 inches is very important. This applies only to scalares. Altums will need 24 inches height or more.
*Clown Loaches:*
A pair can be housed in a 55 gallons but a trio is more preferred. Fortunately, they are slow growers but easily stunted because it is easy to assume that they won't grow big when kept in a small tank. 6 inches or more in size is rarely achieved by this fish.
Max size is 12 inches. They can be predatory when matured and will eat fish that fit in their mouths.
*Red Belly Pacu:*
They can grow to 30 cm. A shoal is best kept in more than a hundred gallons tank. 500 liters is more suitable. They are best kept in a species tank only.

Balas are shoalers and quite skittish. They can be jumpy. Size is 30 cm max. Best to keep a shoal of 6 in a 200 gallons tank as they need large swimming space.

Keep only one rainbow shark in a tank. However, 2 is possible if you provide more hiding places for them as they will constantly rival each other for territories.


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## Cichlid lover (Jul 20, 2006)

do not put angels in with those fish, they will be killed, and if you wanted to keep all the rest in one tank you would need around 100 gallons for one of each


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I forgot to add that every fish listed should be kept only in a large tank on their own. Exceptions are angelfish and clown loaches which can be put in a community.
Cichlid lover has already clarified it though.








Pictus catfish can be added in a community but do ensure that you don't mix them with fish that are too small as they will easily be eaten.
For shoalers, cories will do but they don't shoal too often. Nice fish though.:Nice Fish:


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## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

Ok so I have removed from my original list (which my gf and I made last night, looking thru the fish at PetSmart):

Red Oscar, Blood Red Parrot, Midas, Needlefish, Black Ghost/African Brown Knifefish, Dinosaur Bichir, Red Belly Pacu

I definitely want some Clown Loaches. I will throw a couple Pictus in too.

Also, can I add a school of Silver Dollars?
And what about Tiger Barbs?
So am I to understand that I can not put Bala Sharks in with Clown Loaches (and the other two mentioned above)?

By the way, this is a 90 gal tank.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

Here's the list:
Clown loach, pictus catfish, barbs, rasboras, tetras.
Silver dollars will definitely eat your plants if you're planning to create a planted tank. Tiger barbs won't be in your list if you plan to keep long-finned fishes like angelfish.

I'd stick with this list.
Angelfish, deep-bodied tetras(like the diamond tetras), pictus catfish, clown loach, ancistrus and cories.
Pure Amazon biotope. Except the clown loach.







I can plan with discus which you can get when your tank is running for around 6 months. However, it would mean throwing out your clowns as clowns are quite boisterous for the likes of the discus.


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## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

> Here's the list:
> Clown loach, pictus catfish, barbs, rasboras, tetras.


Won't clown loaches or pictus/feather-fin eat the smaller tetras and rasboras once they grow?


Here is what i'm thinking so far:

3x Cloan Loach == 36gal
2x Feather-Fin Catfish == 12gal
4x Diamond Tetra == 8gal
4x Rasbora == 8gal
2x Bala Shark == 12gal

Gal. Total: 84
Gal. Remaining: 6


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

I forgot that pictus do eat but there are exceptions. Deep-bodied tetras like the diamonds won't easily be eaten.
Clowns are slow growers and it's quite rare for them to achieve more than 5 inches size so they rarely can eat fish unless it's the fry.
However, just avoid the Boraras species. They're from the family Rasbora but they are far too small in size. Example is the famous Boraras brigittae.
You can keep rasbora heteromorpha and hengeli.

Pls avoid the bala sharks. As far as I know, they grow to 30 cm and may eat your other fish once they reach that potential size. Believe me, I had balas and they started eating my tetras and guppies. A fatal mistake was commited.
Balas are best kept with large fish and in a tank of more than 150 gallons.

Calculations are not always accurate.
For a 90 gallons tank, you can keep 3 clowns, 2 pictus, 12 diamonds and 8 rasbora(heteromorpha or hengeli?). Stay away from the balas.
Suggestions:
*Bottom level*
Ancistrus, otos, cories
*Surface*
Hatchetfish, Glass Bloodfin
*Mid level*
Bolivian Ram, Scalare Angelfish, Emperor Tetra, Congo Tetra
Scalare angelfish will eat fish that fit in their mouths. What I suggested are totally safe from the scalare angelfish. But if you want altums, then obviously avoid the rasboras and small tetras(except Congos).

P.S. You can't go wrong with the Torpedo Barbs(Puntius denisonii). Beautiful fish but very expensive as they are new to the hobby.


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## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

Excellent information, thank you! and yes, I was refering to the Harlequin Rasbora!


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2006)

I have had different experience with Bala sharks. I have had two for some time now over a year they were kept in a tropical community 55gallon with many other tropicals such as.. Angels, clown loach, neontetras, gouramis and rainbow fish I never had a problem with them eating my other fish nor chasing them. I no longer have my community tank *wanted larger fish* the balas are the only ones I kept and they are now homed with a Ornate Bichir and get along fine. They are slow growers as well my largest is only 5inches and have had him a little over a year.. I do have a friend who has two huge balas around 12inches or more and they are living peacefuly with a large angel. She has had them for years together.

Personaly I don't see the problem with having a pair of balas get them small and see how they get along with your other species in the tank.
I have never had a problem with them getting along with any of my fish.


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## jsm11482 (Aug 8, 2006)

ok thanks for the bala info.

do clown loaches take the place of catfish? what I mean is, if i get a few locahes will they clean up the algae ant bottom of the tank? or do i also need some catfish/plecs?


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## Nick (Aug 2, 2006)

Clown loaches do not cleen the bottom like algea. I would recommend getting a pleco for that bussiness. But be careful because some do get very big. Recommding the 'bristlenose'/Ancitrus ( dont think thats the right spelling )

Nick

Oh and on the bala sharks, I have 1 with angels , clown loaches, neon tetra's, guppys, swordtail etc.. and it has been doing well. Looking forward to getting him a mate though.


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