# best schooling fish



## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

i just set up a 60g npt. i would like to know what is the best schooling fish to stock my tank with. but there is a catch my ph is steady around 7.5 and the temp is around 74-76. kh is 8. what fish would tolerate these conditions. most of the schooling fish like the rasboras and tetras like their ph to be around 6.5-7.2. so are there any suggestions? oh and i like them to remain relatively small 1-2"


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

There is a huge sticky in this forum on the best schooling fish for planted tanks. I would not worry about the pH being slightly over a species recommended range unless you are trying to breed them. Just make sure to acclimate them properly when introducing them to your tank.


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## Capt. Colton (Aug 22, 2008)

Rummy nose tetra's or cardinals.


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## The old man (Apr 12, 2008)

Penquin tetras also.


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

what about galaxy rasboras? the lfs got a new shipment in today. he calls them galaxy danios, but says they are the same? is this true. he also claims they are great schooling fish. but i don't know if its true or is he trying to make a sale. anyone out there own some galaxy rasaboras..i would love to hear your opinions on them. but i must admit, they look gorgeous with the red tipfins and the white spots and all


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## jasa73 (Jun 18, 2007)

I love Harlquin Rasboras


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

i like harelquin rasaboras too..but i read their profile on fishprofiles.com and it says that they thrive in waters with a ph of 7.2 and my tank is at 7.5.


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## jasa73 (Jun 18, 2007)

I wouldnt worry so much about pH. These days aquarium raised fish have adapted to a wide scope of pHs. And frankly 7.2 to 7.5 is not a huge difference. That pH recommendation is a general number. Think of rasboras in wild. Do your really think that the water they are swimming in is exactly 7.2? All sorts of things in the water can drop or raise the pH. As long as your tank is stable and does not ungergo pH swings they will likely be fine. My water is very acidic and my rasboras are fine. My water is about 6.3.

Oh and i also have galaxy rasboras. I dont like them too much because they tend to hide. Though that could be i only have 5 of them. Galaxy rasobras and galaxy danios are the same. I believe they were misclassified as a danio and reclassified as a rasbora. They are beautiful. Next time i would keep them in a nano so i can see them better. Right now they are kind of lost in my 55g.


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

You do not mention if you have an open top. If you do forget the rasboras, penguin tetras and anything else that tends to be top dwellers or jumpers (i.e. most danios). You will eventually lose most if not all. 

I've had as many as 35 cards in my 72 gal and they are indeed colorful but are not always the tightest schoolers. In my experience rummy-nosed tetras are some of the tighest schoolers and a nice sight at that....


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

jasa you have a very good point. my mind is at peace, thank you. i'm thinking of adding rummy nose tetras. do you know if the galaxys and rummynose are compatable?


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## jasa73 (Jun 18, 2007)

I"m getting rummynose for my new custom tank. I've never kept rummynose, but they are a peacful community fish and should be fine with the galaxys.


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

jasa, i want to add some rummy nose tetras to my 60g. how many do you think i can add. 
rite now the residents of this tank are:
3 albino cories
4 julii cories
4 sterbai cories
6 panda cories
3 peppered cories
2 dwarf loaches
3 sae
13 galaxy rasboras
3 yellow mystery snails
2 angels
3 ghost shrimps
9 red cherry shrimps
all of these guys are small. most are under 1 inch. do you think i can add more tetras or is this over doing it.


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## Tobias (Apr 8, 2007)

I have celestial pearl danios (aka galazxy rasboras) and they school nicely but they are a bit more skittish than my ember tetras which school very well. The celestial pearls will scoot for cover when I approach the tank but come right back out in a few seconds. I have some more green neon tetras now waiting to be added to my main tank and they school very well in the little 10 gallon quarantine tank.


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## Avi (Apr 7, 2004)

Two suggestions...get rid of the Siamese Algae Eaters...they don't eat algae and they get awfully nasty as they get bigger...and, for schooling...Bloodfin Tetras


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## Travis.808 (Apr 2, 2009)

I think there is a sticky under Fish for the Planted Aquarium which is pretty in depth I looked there when I first joined may want to check it out.


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## jasa73 (Jun 18, 2007)

hmmm...i dont know if i would add anymore fish. You have a lot of bottom dwellers. Also, if you want good schooling behavior you kind of need a critical mass of fish. I personally wouldnt add anymore, you seem to have a lot going on already.


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

avi, thanks for the advice. someone else said the exact same thing about the sae. i'm thinking of removing them bf they get too big. now the problem is "how do i remove them w/o uprooting all the plants?" i mean they are pretty fast!
Jasa, a lot of the fish are bottom dwellers so technically i could add more fish if they were surface or near surface swimmers right? i mean the only fish i have that occupy the middle to the top of the tank are the 13 rasboras and 2 angels. shrimps are so tiny i don't even think they count. what do you think. just as long as i don't get anymore bottome dwellers


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## Avi (Apr 7, 2004)

Catching them can be quite a challenge, unfortunately. I once had a terrible time catching one in a 75-gallon heavily planted tank and it was, I'm sorry to say, very tough to catch. You could try one of these:

http://www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-aquarium-tools/32.asp

...because I think you'll be discouraged after trying to catch it with a net.

But, I do suggest you try to get them out of the tank as soon as possible. And, eventually, you'll be able to trap them. Use some shrimp pellets as bait.


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## gr8nguyen1 (May 18, 2009)

thanks for the tip avi...i will give it a try. i have been trying to net them for the last hour or so.. but no luck. they just hide behind the plants


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## clearleaf (Oct 4, 2008)

With the quick guys I had best luck having one large net that I sort of 'hide' behind some plants/rocks, and then a smaller net that I use to flush the little buggers out and towards the big net.

I try to tell myself I'm an evolved and civilized human and can certainly outsmart a little fish. Unfortunately I have found that this is not the case.

Then I go to the fishstore and those guys catch one in half a second.


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