single school tank

nursie

nursie

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Jan 15, 2005
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Peoria, IL
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michelle
I have a question about this...
I've seen some posts recently from a couple of people who's opinions I respect putting forth the idea that yhou should have only one kind of fish in a tank.
I'd like some more info from these folks on this: why it's a good idea...is this how the fish are in their natural setting? What do you do about clean up crew? This is a new concept to me.
I can see going for a biotope...putting fish together that would be in the same area naturally, but when you add a pleco from south america to a SE Asia tank or a Aussie tank that kinda blows that.
When I go fishing...there seems to be a variety of fish in one area. Sure fish school, but surely the schools pass each other..interact some. If I swim in a lake, or look down in the water...I may see a school of minnows...maybe a bass or a bluegill or 2.

Now...I really would not like to see people posting "I have xyz fish all together and they do fine". That's not the purpose of this question.
I also don't wanna see any people flaming each other, or I'll ask to have the thread closed. We are all capable of respecting each other yet having a different opinion. I'm just wanting more info so I can make an informed decision here.
 
i believe the idea is that b/c the aquarium is such a small environment in comparison to nature you have a better shot at happiness and natural behavior if you maximise the number of the fish (schooling/ shoaling species- as for solitary i think th principle is more along the lines of everything else will be eaten or harassed to death)

other species would be taking up the space that more members of the school could be occupying.

the other thing is that the idea of a clean up crew is a bit of a fantasy b/c there is going to be lost food and sedement build up no matter what species you include-- even with the "clean up crew" you have to do the same amount of gravel vacuming, water changes, and filter maintence.

there's no risk of species incompatability too.

plus it's an impressive display
 
I know that I have often mentioned to people that they should stick to 1 kind of schooling fish in a tank. Often people want to get 1 of each kind of tetra/ barb/ etc... (or a couple of each kind etc...) but I find this leads to a scattered display as the fish will only loosely interact. Larger single groups work much better and are more excting to watch and seem less stressed (ie don't hide so much). But I don't think adding fish from different levels presents much of a problem unless the tank can't hold it. Obviously the smaller the tank the less fish you can have so more of the same schooler is generally the best idea.
 
If I were going to pick tetras (or any schooling fish) for anything smaller than a 55g, I would choose only one species. Why? Well, for one, I just think it looks better. I've seen plenty of tanks with one of these, and three of these and two of these. Gak! Looks like Walt Disney threw up in thier tank.

I also think it allows you to see more natural behavior. I mean lets face it, tetras are not exactly the most behaviorally diverse fish in the world. The only way you can see them do anything other than swim around bumping into walls is to have a TON of them. Now you've got males competing for female attention. You've got at least one or two gravid females at all times. You get to actually see schooling behavior and how a school reacts to different stimuli. Who's in charge? Why does everyone face that direction and not some other direction? You don't see any of this unless you've got at least 10 fish of the same species.
 
I think a single species rule is a bit constrictive.

But I do think that planning your schools is a great idea.

My 37 gallon community tank has a school of neons in the middle and lower levels and a school or silver hatchetfish on top. If I had only one of these schools, the tank would be missing something.

I could imagine a 3 school tank like mine with corys filling in the bottom looking very good.

But I do agree that having too few individuals of too many different kinds of fish does not look quite right.
 
thanks for the comments so far..I guess I need to elaborate a little more as to what I'm trying to get info for..
I agree that too may schools looks bad, but my question is about tanks with no other fish in but the school, like just boesemani rainbows for example.
 
I've been curious about these single species tanks. I have an empty 55g and have toyed with the idea of 1 large school. Tiger barbs, rainbows, 75 neons maybe :rolleyes:

The problem I have is boredom. I think a large tank (55 and up) with one kind of fish, no matter how colorful or how large the school, would be boring. I cannot imagine my 180 with clown loaches alone. No fun.
 
Well the fewer types of fish you have the larger that single group can be and I find that very exciting. I personally have cories and white clouds in my 29 gallon, and platies only in my 10 gallon. I find the fish interact better in these larger groups. So a huge tank with just rainbows would be rather cool in my mind.

Also I think that alot of people that suggest these styles of tanks don't count fish like ottos or SAE as they see these are utility fish.
 
In that case:

Some reasons I can think of for single species tanks might be for spawning purposes. I usually only do a single species of dwarf cichlid to curtail fry predation in my smaller tanks. Another reason might be because the species will not tolerate any other species in the tank (like in the case of my multis). Even in these instances however I may use a few pencil fish or hatchet fish as dithers.

A "species" tank does not have to contain ONLY a single species. It just means that it is set up, with the idea of catering to a single species. Aquascaping, water chemistry, food, tankmates all specifically choosen to highlight or acentuate a specific species.
 
My single species tanks have clean up crews, but in most cases they are from the same area the fish comes from.

My Boesemani have the Goo obos, but they will be moved to the Pawgi tank since they are both from Goo obo Falls.

My clown loaches are in with the parvas and duboulayi and will be moved back in with the Boesemani in a month or so. Clowns are from Indonesia. Actually, many botia are from that area.

Frank at Frank's Aquarium is getting in a whole wack full of different types of FW shrimps from Irian Jaya (not longarms). I'm probably going to be buying all his stock :)

I agree with compatibility issues -- they don't exist. I don't have any in those tanks at all and that's really nice. I don't have to worry why one type of fish gets sick and the others don't. I don't have to worry about any family specific diseases except those that pertain to rainbows. Disease outbreak? If it ever happens I don't need to worry about using meds that may hurt certain types of fish. Just the very few species I have in that tank.

The schooling of my Boes is awesome and I much prefer this species only tank. I have parva and duboulayi and pagwi in another tank (temporarily) and it just doesn't look "right" to me anymore.

I still like my community tank, but it's going to be made into a species only tank as well.

Roan
 
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