# Schooling Fish - Would Different Schooling Species Work In Small Tank?



## AlbaFishes (Mar 11, 2013)

At the moment we have got six danios in our 35 litre (9.25 gallon) tank. My boyfriend would like to get some neon tetras. Since these are both schooling fish would they school together even though they are different species? Or do they only school in their own species.

I guess I'm just wondering if we have to stick to the same species of fish because we have a small beginner tank or whether we could get two different schooling species.


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## WheeledGoat (Jan 29, 2013)

Give some thought to where the fish like to hang in the tank, to give them room (top / middle / low). I've got 6 black skirt tetras that like the middle of the tank, 10 neon tetras that generally hang out toward the bottom, and some fancy guppies that like it up toward the surface (also a pleco & snail, and a cory cat for cleaning up the bottom). Everybody gets along famously in the 29 gallons... they generally school with their own kind (with the exception of the blue fancy guppie, who thinks he's a neon tetra).

With your danios in 10 gallons (I think they generally like the top of the tank, and swimming in the current, right?), I'd say the mid/bottom-liking neon tetras are a good choice! Get plenty of 'em (I vote 10) and be sure there's plenty of plants/rocks/hiding places so everybody feels cozy.

edit: the size of your tank just hit me... with 10 gallons, you're pushing the 1" of fish to 1 gallon rule, depending on the size of those danios. Hopefully your filter is overrated for your tank? The neons are going to have a pretty low bioload, so just be sure you've got a good filter and are doing your water changes and you'll be great!


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

Ya I agree. I can't lecture about over stocking a tank, because most of mine are. However I do have filters that are rated for a tank over three times its size, they are low bioload fish, and I have plenty of biofilters. So I think that neon tetras would be a nice addition, and ya I would do probaly around 10 also. But make sure your filter is over rated, you do plenty of water changes, and if you can add in something that is real e.i. rocks, live plants, driftwood, this will help keep water conditions as well.


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## jshiloh13 (Dec 12, 2010)

In my opinion putting that many fish in a 10 gallon is flirting with disaster. Doesn't give you that much room for mistakes, something happens to your filter (say a power outage that last awhile) you could have trouble fast. Just my two cents worth.


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