We’ve got a LFS here that has an email list you can get on. When they go to put in an order with wholesalers for livestock they send out a mass email to people on the list to see what else customers want. They add a bit on top of the wholesale price but a few bucks on top for a few fish beats $50 on top for that same purchase in shipping costs if you order it yourself. They’ll only hold on to those add on orders for a max of two days though. Might be worth asking around your LFSs to see if any of them are willing to do the same. Heck, even the petco by me will do it if you ask. The one here orders a lot through ORA and they’ll let you tag stuff on and let you know when the shipment comes in.
CHEAP Schooling fish
- Thread starter Jeremy K.A.
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I have 2 blue green chromis and they are inseparable. 
I have tried threadfin, bangaii, pajama, and black cardinals. I always bought 5. They all end up with only a breeding pair. The only schooling/schoaling fish I have had any luck with are blue/green chromis. I purchased 15 tiny ones two years ago and still have 12. I feed the heck out of the tank, I think that helps.
I'm also from the northwest suburbs (Vernon Hills). What stores are you looking at? Most LFS's will give you big discounts for buying large quantities. On most wholesale lists, Bangaii's are $3 each so I think you could reasonably get them for $15 each is you buy a school.
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No fish will actually school in your tank .... few will even schoal. Occasionally swim by each other out of sheer luck. Cheapest group fish is probably the yellow tail damsel. Green chromis are just too much trouble.
my angel fish came from liveAquaria and I’ve been fighting head in the hole with him from the week i got him and he’s still very small, after 8 months. I will say all the crabs and gobys I’ve gotten where very good but angels or oddball fish no thank you
Not the best pic. Almost lights out. But they always swim in a line like this. There’s a fourth one that’s camera shy. They will chase each other around here and there but never too aggressive. Had them a year now.
You can look at blue eyed (also called threadfin) cardinals. I think I paid around $15 ea at my LFS's. I've got 9 right now. They don't take each other out like Benghaii's will. They all stay pretty much in a group most of the time. I've had half of mine for over two years and they're now 1 1/2" - 2" long. Once they're settled in and comfortable in the tank the eyes really glow blue.
Bangaii cardinals will kill each other off one by one until only a pair remains. Definitely don’t spend money on a bunch of them hoping to see them live together in a group.
Threadfin cardinals are better but still pick off each other sometimes.
my friend, here in Canada still sell them most of the stores for 35$ i cant afford one, lol let alone school of them
I agree with @ca1ore on the chromis. They will just hunt each other down and take each other out until threre is only one left. Check out my thread.
Do you even Chromis Bro?
Ok folks, before I order 15 Chromis, I want to know who has had multiple Chromis in their tank for a year or more. I have been doing research and before I even start QT I am worried about uronema that these guys have. So if you have Chromis let me know how long you have had them. I think they...
www.reef2reef.com
I went with 11 Talbot damsels, and I am getting some kupang damsels.
How are the damsels doing? I'd seen another post about doing a large group of them. I've had them in the past but only one at a time.
The Talbots are doing just fine. I got 11 from saltwaterfish.com I feed them pellets, mysis, and flake food. They eat very well
They are very small and I look forward to them growing more. I think I got babies. But there is really no aggression. I have only seen one chase one around a short distance.
I have had 2 kupang damsels in my 150 that i am putting into my new build and they are model residents. I want to add 8 more kupangs. I like small fish. I will stock my new 210 with damsels and anthias. I do have 4 tangs which is all i will put for that species.
Thanks. I'm going to be downsizing and think the blue eye's may be a bit too large and was looking for a smaller alternative.
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Mono Fish are very cool to watch. They shimmer under different light, grow fast and all school 24 hrs a day together. Can get pretty cheap. Got our original 2” ones about a year ago from LFS for $12 each, they are now about 5” each.
Some people have luck with chromis while others don’t. In all of my years of fish keeping, these have given me the least trouble of any fish I can think of.I agree with @ca1ore on the chromis. They will just hunt each other down and take each other out until threre is only one left. Check out my thread.
We have been talking about Chromis. And the results are in. Just like the Highlander there can only be one.Do you even Chromis Bro?
Ok folks, before I order 15 Chromis, I want to know who has had multiple Chromis in their tank for a year or more. I have been doing research and before I even start QT I am worried about uronema that these guys have. So if you have Chromis let me know how long you have had them. I think they...
I went with 11 Talbot damsels, and I am getting some kupang damsels.
I wish I had such luck. My experience is they get together for drinks and decide they are going to make one in the group disappear. Then the next day I am counting and I see that I am short one. (True Story) So I thought he was watching tv
in another tank (seems far fetched considering I only had 1 tank.) I never found the body and it is still a mystery till this day. To be honest I never find the body of any of them. Maybe they pay the garbage men of the tank (cleaner shrimp and Snails) to take the garbage out. I always end up with one and he disappears too. I always check around the tank on the floor for jumpers.
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