thanks for all the good info, im realizing that in general the fish i like the most are in fact not schooling fish, so i guess my desire to have a school is less important.
it also seems that i will have little control over breeding since i do want multiples of the same species
i would not have a problem sticking with a single species if that would make the tank more peaceful in the event of breeding
also, ive read that feeder fish are not a good staple diet, and that they increase the risk of spreading disease, etc it would just be an occasional thing
i found this list and am most interested in the medium aggressive category
http://www.bestfish.com/tips/111998.html