Best schooling fishes for planted tanks

Fish and other animals add movement to a tank, and algae eaters can help keep the tank clean. For planted tanks, it is better to avoid herbivorous fish or aggressive diggers, and it is important to be careful when adjusting the CO2 injection, as excessive levels will suffocate fish. Otherwise, the choice of fish is a matter of personal preference. From an aquascaping perspective, schooling fish are a good addition to landscapes.

Good Shoaling Fish

• Rummy nose tetras
• Harlequin rasboras
• Cardinal/neon tetras
• Bloodfin tetras
• Lemon tetras
• Glolight tetras
• Glass catfish
• Ember tetras
• Pygmy cories

Herbivores/ Diggers to avoid

• Silver dollars
• Goldfish
• Buenos Aires Tetra
• Large Cichlids
• Large plecos
• Loaches that burrow
• Pacus

Tough plants for rough tanks

If you want to keep plants that are not fish-friendly; try it with these tougher, unappetizing plants:

• Java fern (Microsorum pteropus)
• Anubias species

Growing larger plants emersed so that their leaves are standing out of water also works.

• Echinodorus species (sword plants)

Choosing Fish

Fish add movement and life to aquascapes. While fish selection is largely a matter of personal preference, avoiding herbivorous fish and fish that dig deep into the substrate makes management easier.

Some fish are more shy and may prefer a more shaded tank design, while other species swim confidently in open water. Certain fish may also occupy the upper levels of the aquarium while others hug the substrate zone. Having a mix of fish that occupy their natural zones completes the effect of a natural environment.

Choosing fish that match the scale of the aquascaping design intentions of the tank is important to the overall aesthetics of the tank. This is especially true for aquascapes that attempt to incorporate perspective and a sense of scale. Smaller fish in large groups can make tanks appear larger than they are.

Schooling fish make a big impact on the presentation of the tank. Harlequin rasboras, rummy-nose tetras, cardinal tetras, ember tetras, and glass catfish are all good examples of fish that swim together in groups.

In this aquascape by Josh Sim, the aquascape expresses the feeling of being in a deep tropical forest, where Harlequin rasbora can be found naturally in the wild. Both the fish and many of the plants come from the same region - Southeast Asia. Here the fish colors are subtle and complement the aquascape. Choosing cardinal tetras with blue tones would be a bolder choice, providing a strong contrast to the greens and browns of the landscape. It is up to the aquascaper to choose the tone they want their aquascape to express.