aninalos
I have been reading this with interest as it concerns what you say is 'schooling' of fishes. I have always used the term 'shoaling' and so I looked up the two phrases when applied to fishes and found the difference. Essentially, it would appear that in Britain we use the term 'shoaling' whereas, in the US, the term 'schooling' is used. What I learned though, is that we are both wrong to use either of these terms without knowing the subtle difference. For, 'shoaling' just means when fishes like to swim closely together, but 'schooling' means when they enjoy all swimming together in the same unified direction. The article, I found, explains it all and tells us many interesting facts.
Naturally, I assume that the original writer is seeking fishes that all swim together in the same manner and so the term 'schooling' would be correct, although I was under the impression that the two terms were to mean the same and I was wrong.
It does seem though that few fishes actually swim in the way we might like to see in our aquarium as they merely often just 'shoal' together. Yes! this is better than nothing, but to see herrings (for example) swimming in true 'schooling' fashion is a really splendid sight, but I do not recall seeing tetras doing this in that way. Certainly, the Zebra danio does a fairly good job of sticking together and guppies and platies like to be close - I find.
So! study the behavior of the aquarium stores stock to see which ones come up to your expectations.
The article is here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaling_and_schooling
I have been reading this with interest as it concerns what you say is 'schooling' of fishes. I have always used the term 'shoaling' and so I looked up the two phrases when applied to fishes and found the difference. Essentially, it would appear that in Britain we use the term 'shoaling' whereas, in the US, the term 'schooling' is used. What I learned though, is that we are both wrong to use either of these terms without knowing the subtle difference. For, 'shoaling' just means when fishes like to swim closely together, but 'schooling' means when they enjoy all swimming together in the same unified direction. The article, I found, explains it all and tells us many interesting facts.
Naturally, I assume that the original writer is seeking fishes that all swim together in the same manner and so the term 'schooling' would be correct, although I was under the impression that the two terms were to mean the same and I was wrong.
It does seem though that few fishes actually swim in the way we might like to see in our aquarium as they merely often just 'shoal' together. Yes! this is better than nothing, but to see herrings (for example) swimming in true 'schooling' fashion is a really splendid sight, but I do not recall seeing tetras doing this in that way. Certainly, the Zebra danio does a fairly good job of sticking together and guppies and platies like to be close - I find.
So! study the behavior of the aquarium stores stock to see which ones come up to your expectations.
The article is here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoaling_and_schooling
