Schooling Fish reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 384 Reddit reviews across 12 subreddits and 100 posts to rank the best Schooling Fish brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/Aquariums, r/PlantedTank, r/Cichlid, r/bettafish, r/aquarium. Top-rated brands include Tetra (4.5/5), Harlequin Rasbora (4.7/5), Rummynose Tetra (4.8/5).
Stats
Reviews384
Subreddits12
Posts100
Brands89
Products14
384 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Tetra
4.5
(37)
"Beautiful copper color, really good shoaling, hardy, and 100% peaceful."
"Rummynose tetras form the tightest schools of any fish I’ve ever seen. They are all synced and move as a group."
"Tetras are the best schoolers, especially in large groups. Rummy nose tetras are very active and thrive in similar conditions as neons."
"Rummy nosed tetras? Black emperor tetras? Cherry barbs? Zebra danios?"
"Harlequin Rasboras love to school in my 10G, really cool fish and low maintenance."
"I really love having neon tetras in my tank!"
"Tetras. Bettas can’t catch ‘em."
"I have tetras with mine."
"Rummynose are probably one of the best options you have, they do stay together more and are also more active swimmers than most tetras and rasboras."
"I like some tetras."
#2
Harlequin Rasbora
4.7
(26)
"Harlequins are particularly incredibly hardy and particularly forgiving for the beginner"
"They’re hardy, school relatively well, and get vibrant neon peachy pink colors if you feed them a varied diet."
"Harlequin raspora"
"Harlequin Rasboras, Ember Tetras, Corydoras Catfish."
"Harlequin rasboras are hardy, fun, schooling fish."
"They form tight groups and are calm movers - much like tetras. They often don't look like much at the shop, but once they settle in they look amazing."
"They are a true schooling fish. In a 90 you could have a beautiful size school!"
"Harlequin Rasboras are quite nice, add a lot of movement to a tank."
"Love me some harlequin rasboras"
"Harlequin Rasboras are a lovely choice."
#3
Rummynose Tetra
4.8
(22)
"Rummynose are my personal favorite. Great colors, the platinum variety stands out from a distance, and a tight schooling behavior that looks great in larger tanks."
"Rummy-nose tetra are my favorite. Cool color, not too big, school well."
"Rummynose tetras are the best tetra for schooling . Get at least 6 they school around the tank all day."
"Rummy red nose tetra 100%."
"Two schools: Rummynose tetras and neon tetras."
"I love rummy nose tetras."
"Big vote here for Rummy Nose Tetras."
"Another vote for rummynose from me! They almost never stray from one another."
"Rummynose are the tightest schooling fish I’ve ever worked with."
"Some rummy nose tetras."
#4
Ember Tetra
4.7
(22)
"I think from a 15g, ember tetras would be your best bet, could probably have a school around 15 to 20."
"They’re all doing fine together."
"Ember tetras"
"Ember Tetra or rainbow tetra for swimmers."
"Ember tetras."
"Embers! I've been struggling with schooling fish for a long time and these tiny little guys are an absolute godsend."
"Ember tetras"
"I'm biased for ember tetras cause i love their color."
"I've kept rainbows, ember tetras, guppies, hillstream loaches."
"Embers tetras , Kubotai rasboras, or cardinals?"
#5
Cardinal Tetra
4.1
(24)
"A close second would be cardinal tetras for intense color."
"I've had such better luck with Cardinal Tetras. Brighter colors, school the same, and are ten times more healthy than neons."
"They school regularly and are fun to watch."
"Rummy nose or cardinal tetras."
"Embers tetras , Kubotai rasboras, or cardinals?"
"80 cardinal tetra."
"Cardinal tetras or cherry barbs"
"Cardinal tetras ( growing slightly bigger than neons)"
"If you lone the look of neons you can go for cardinals, they look similar but are healthier"
"Cardinals, Pristellas, or Rummynose if you're going over 82."
#6
Neon Tetra
4.4
(22)
"Neon tetras, rummynose, and ember tetra."
"I love the classic neon tetra."
"Neons"
"Neon tetras (or cardinal tetras) all the way. They are so beautiful and colourful!"
"Neon tetras are a classic, but still memorizing to stare at"
"Neons would look really good in here. They stay smaller than cardinals too."
"Ummmm neon tetras.. cheap as sin an beautiful."
"You could have 8-10 neon tetras looks great!"
"If your 15g matches the standard 24"x13", then you can keep neon tetras in it."
"Neon Tetras would be great."
#7
Rummy Nose Tetra
4.5
(17)
"Rummynose tetras would be great I think."
"Rummy Nose Tetra, imo, is the best/most fun/ hardiest schooling fish."
"I'll suggest rummy nose 80% of the time when someone asks for a schooling fish. They're just so beautiful and some of the tighter schooling tetras."
"Rummynose tetras are beautiful and school really well, even in relatively small numbers."
"Got 12 of them and their schooling behaviour and overall look are awesome imo."
"Rummynose tetra, brown pencilfish, and Beckford’s pencilfish all notoriously school tight."
"Use to have a school of 30 rummy nose in my discs tank that schooled really well."
"I'd have to go with rummy nose tetras."
"Rummynose tetras are mostly white, but their bright red faces."
"If you want "true" schooling, then rummies."
#8
Aquarium Fish
4.7
(13)
"I have neon tetras and zebra danios. No problems."
"I like chili rasboras, I have them with cherry shrimp and there is no shortage in the shrimp population, and I think they’re great little schooling fish."
"Rummynose are active swimmers and tight schoolers, perfect for a 4 foot tank."
"Rummynose tetras are beautiful and peaceful fish, perfect for community tanks."
"I like neon tetras. They look like a flock of bluebirds."
"Harlequin rasboras are peaceful and look great in tanks."
"Neon Tetras are vibrant and colorful!"
"Both black and albino neon tetras are stunning and easy to care for."
"I loooove harlequin rasboras! They’ve been so entertaining and really add so much life to the tank!"
"Neons look great against green and red plants."
#9
Chili Rasbora
4.7
(12)
"Cherry shrimp and chili rasboras is my vote."
"They are the most epic fresh water schooling fish"
"Chili rasboras! I love them in mine."
"Embers or chili rasbora."
"Chili Rasboras."
"Have you seen Chili Rasboras? You could get a ton of those guys in there."
"How about chili rasboras?"
"I loooooove them!"
"Chili Rasboras."
"Chilli rasbora in a 20 long blackwater tank with java moss and Cryptocoryne with lots of spiderwood."
#10
Corydoras
4.7
(9)
"They have a lot of different types of corydoras so you could definitely find one that suits you!"
"Harlequin rasboras school really well and look amazing"
"Or, as suggested, cories."
"Corydoras catfish! I have a 20 long stocked with guppies, platies and julii cories and I couldn’t be happier."
"I like Corydoras."
"Corydoras are amazing fish!"
"Corys hang together too, but of course, that's on the bottom."
"Coridoras for the bottom"
"Definitely cories, depending on the size of your tank."
#11
Tiger Barb
4.1
(8)
"Tiger barbs and snakeskin barbs or gold barbs would look really cool."
"Tiger barbs!"
"I think some tiger barbs or fancy guppies would looks nice."
"Tiger barbs"
"Tiger barbs"
"Inexpensive, hardy, and fun to watch."
"Tiger barbs!"
"Tiger barbs!"
#12
Congo Tetra
4.1
(8)
"Congo tetras and cardinal neons make an awesome combo."
"Congo tetras?"
"Congo tetras, Colombian tetras, Emperor tetras."
"Congo tetra"
"Congo tetra, rummy nose tetra are some of my favorite schooling fish."
"Let's suggest African glass cats or Congo tetras as nice alternatives to barbs and Columbian blues."
"A small school of Congo tetra would be neat."
"Congo Tetras. I've had them with Rainbows with no issues."
#13
Pygmy Corydoras
4.7
(7)
"By far the most fun to watch are the cories."
"I love the way my pygmy cory cats school. They look like airplanes flying in formation."
"Go to Aqua Huna.com and pick up a school of 10 of pygmy corydoras."
"I have pygmy corydora and my betta is perfectly fine with them !! Plus they’re small and adorable 🥰"
"Pgmy corydoras"
"Pygmy corydoras, buy at least 5"
"My Pygmy cories and Cardinals get along well."
#14
Celestial Pearl Danio
4.1
(7)
"Celestial pearl danios would do pretty well."
"Your best bet is probably more cpds."
"I love smaller fish so Celestial pearl Danios would look awesome!"
"Celestial pearl danios get my vote!"
"Celestial pearl danio are good, chilli rasboras are fine."
"Celestial pearl danios."
"Try Celestial Pearl Danios."
#15
Black Skirt Tetra
4.0
(6)
"Some biggish tetra? Maybe black skirt tetra or something like that?"
"Black skirt tetras. Good size, hardy and interesting schooling fish."
"If you want to go for something really different, 6 skirt tetras would look really cool."
"Black skirt tetra meet all the criteria u mentioned."
"If you like tetras but don't want neons, you could go with Black or White Skirt Tetras, they're pretty bulletproof."
"Try something a little bigger maybe black skirts."
#16
Zebra Danios
4.4
(5)
"I’m a ride or die for giant danios. They match the size of the fish you have so they aren’t gonna be bullied, extremely fast in the case they do get chased, and are absolutely beautiful."
"School of Whitecloud mountain minnows ...zebra danios are a couple of types to look at.."
"Zebra danios! No other fish will swim around your tank like those guys."
"Throwing more support behind some danios. They stay generally at the top/mid water level so they wouldn't bother your cories."
"Some say, zebra danios are fin nippers but mine are busy chasing each other."
#17
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
4.8
(4)
"I love my white cloud minnows. They school beautiful and you don't need a heater."
"White Cloud Mountain Minnows... I've always had an easier time keeping them alive vs the pet store neon tetras."
"Inexpensive, hardy, and gorgeous fish."
"Definitely White cloud minnows."
#18
White Cloud Mountain Minnow
4.5
(4)
"Always loved my big group of white cloud mountain minnows"
"I've been planning for a 6x2x1.5 (lxbxh) tank, heavily planted and filled with only white could mountain minnows, cherry shrimp, pygmy corydoras and hillstream loaches."
"I'm partial to white clouds and the golden variety. In the stores they are pretty pale but once rhey get comfy rhey color up nicely"
"I need to know if WCMM are good for this tank."
#19
Green Neon Tetra
4.5
(4)
"Green neon tetra if your ph is low enough."
"They have some cool schooling behavior and are very pretty."
"Green neon tetras or ember tetras."
"Green neons? Somebody posted theirs recently and they looked like little lasers."
#20
Danios
3.4
(5)
"Danios, tetras or rasboras."
"Danios are awesome."
"If you want a hardier schooling fish, then danios are a good option."
"Danios for the surface level, tetras for mid and corys and loaches for bottom."
"I have hard water. And my rasboras and tetras didn’t survive. :("
#21
Rasbora
4.3
(4)
"I also think you should look into chilli or galaxy rasboras."
"Rasboras like you mentioned are great."
"Rasboras are good too."
"Maybe a variety of rasbora? Espei or chili might look cool."
#22
Silver Dollar
4.0
(4)
"Silver dollars can school and get along with all other fish."
"I would go with silver dollars then you won’t have to worry about aggression"
"Silver dollars, like 8 of them"
"Love my silver dollars just a shame they destroy and eat all the plants."
#23
Chromis
3.8
(4)
"I have 3 chromis in a 30g that have been in there for over a year and I’ve never had any problems."
"I bought 7 cromis for my 150g display, it’s been a year and a half now and all except one are living quite well with other clowns and damsel fish."
"A bunch of chromis/damsels, or cardinals."
"Best experiment for open water swimmers would be chromis."
#24
neon
5.0
(3)
"I'm a big softie for neons!"
"Neon tetras are vibrant and lively."
"Neons, silvertips, rummynose."
#25
Diamond Tetra
4.7
(3)
"Diamond tetras are great and have a subtle sparkle that will look really nice next to the altume."
"I would do a few Diamond Tetras in there."
"Diamond tetras maybe? I had 8 in a 20g high and they seemed pretty chill."
#26
Pseudomugil
4.7
(3)
"Pseudomugil! I’ve fallen in love with the little guys. Very unique and colorful"
"If you haven't tried out Pseudomugil species, I highly recommend them!"
"I would do some pseudomugil."
#27
Silver Tip Tetra
4.3
(3)
"Personally I have silver tip tetras and corydoras catfish."
"Silver tip tetra."
"Silver tip tetras. Not exactly colorful but theyre super fun."
#28
Danio
4.3
(3)
"I love these guys. I’d recommend adding more as time goes on."
"If the aquarium is coldwater, then I would go with Danio's."
"I love danios but they are very fast and active and might out compete the gourami"
#29
Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
4.3
(3)
"I personally love dwarf neon rainbow fish."
"I got a shoal of dwarf neon rainbowfish and they quickly became one of my new favourite fishes."
"You could try a handful of dwarf neon rainbows."
#30
Zebra Danio
4.0
(3)
"Danios are crazy and would fit well in a tank that size."
"Zebra danios. My fav schooling fish."
"I plan to add two more to the Cory cats."
#31
Endler's Livebearer
4.0
(3)
"Maybe endlers?"
"Endler's livebearers and guppies"
"Endlers, Chili Rasboras or Galaxy/Phoenix Rasboras should work well for a 10gal!"
#32
Emperor Tetra
4.0
(3)
"Emperor tetras are cool."
"See of you can find emperor tetras."
"I’m a big fan of emperor tetras."
#33
Tetras
4.0
(3)
"Tetras!"
"I have mine with tetras and corys."
"Tetras!"
#34
Discus
3.3
(3)
"82 would be fine for both rummy nose and discus."
"You can mix discus with angelfish, they can grow quite big as well"
"I know nothing about Discus."
#35
Chili rasboras
5.0
(2)
"Chilli rasboras for sure"
"They add color and are great in a group."
#36
Aquarium
5.0
(2)
"Neon tetras are vibrant and easy to care for!"
"Neon tetras are vibrant and add a beautiful touch to my aquarium."
#37
White Cloud Minnow
4.5
(2)
"I LOVE them"
"White cloud minnows."
#38
Kuhli Loach
4.5
(2)
"The answer is always……kuhli loaches!"
"Khuli loaches!"
#39
Harlequin Rasboras
4.5
(2)
"Harlequin Rasboras are vibrant and easy to care for!"
"We recently got six Harlequin, rasboras for our 20 gallon and they're pretty fun to watch."
#40
Rasboras
4.5
(2)
"I like rasboras."
"Rasboras! Very fun little fish."
#41
Cherry Barb
4.5
(2)
"Cherry barbs are adorable and sooo pretty!"
"Cherry barbs maybe? Lots of sites say 20 some say 30."
#42
Black Neon Tetra
4.5
(2)
"I actually have a dozen black neon tetras with mine and they do great."
"Black neons or harlequin rasboras would be the smallest schooling fishes and buy them BIG. And they're peaceful, yet maybe hardy enough to survive your other fish."
#43
Guppy
4.5
(2)
"I've kept rainbows, ember tetras, guppies, hillstream loaches."
"I like guppies with harlequin rasboras."
#44
Kubotai Rasbora
4.5
(2)
"Embers tetras , Kubotai rasboras, or cardinals?"
"I love my kubotai rasboras behaviour."
#45
Gourami
4.5
(2)
"I loveeee gouramis. Pretty hardy."
"There’s the honey gourami, chocolate gourami, sparkling gourami, powder blue gourami."
#46
Espei Rasbora
4.0
(2)
"Espei rasbora."
"Check out espei rasboras."
#47
Hatchetfish
4.0
(2)
"Hatchetfish are pretty cool"
"If you want something different you could always go with hatchet fish."
#48
Giant Danio
4.0
(2)
"I have become a big fan of danios."
"Giant Danio do well but are big and will voraciously eat your expensive cichlid food."
#49
Angelfish
4.0
(2)
"You can mix discus with angelfish, they can grow quite big as well"
"I know this may not be helpful or realistic, but more angelfish, or a small group of discus."
#50
Lampeye Killifish
4.0
(2)
"Lampeye killifish are good"
"Lampeye Killifish! I just discovered them."
#51
Molly
4.0
(2)
"Several Mollys"
"Molly’s would look great in there"
#52
Apistogramma
4.0
(2)
"A pair of Apistogramma. Species would be up to you. Get a group of tetras, doesn't really matter what size."
"Apistogramma, kribensis, ram."
#53
Gold Barb
4.0
(2)
"Gold barbs or cherry barbs, they are peaceful compared with other barb types."
"Gold Barbs🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡"
#54
Penguin Tetra
4.0
(2)
"Penguin tetra cant beat em."
"If you want a good schooling fish, check out Penguin Tetras."
#55
Buenos Aires Tetra
3.5
(2)
"I have Buenos Aires tetras with my Acara."
"Buenos aires tetras as well, though their bodies arent as deep so theyre more tempting for bigger fish to eat."
#56
Platy
3.5
(2)
"I've got 10 pristella tetras, and 8 Platies."
"Platys (they don’t really school, but add a nice pop of colour) and Pygmy corys"
#57
Pearl Danio
5.0
(1)
"Pearl danios are a recent fave of mine, love how they are so iridescent once grown and properly fed"
#58
Vietnamese Cardinal Minnows
5.0
(1)
"Vietnamese cardinal minnows school really nice."
#59
Scissortail Dartfish
5.0
(1)
"They were the best schooling fish I found for saltwater."
#60
Corydoras Pygmaeus
5.0
(1)
"They are Corydoras pygmaeus."
#61
Boraras
5.0
(1)
"Perhaps you can do Boraras (any species) or some of the small tetra species like green neon, ruby, or Tucano."
#62
Anthias
4.0
(1)
"I'd say a pack of anthias, a bunch of chromis/damsels, or cardinals."
#63
Spotted Danio
4.0
(1)
"They’re really pretty imo, but they can occasionally be a little rude"
#64
Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish
4.0
(1)
"Have you ever looked into Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish?"
#65
Pleco
4.0
(1)
"A really popular one is the bristle nose plec."
#66
Blue Ram Cichlid
4.0
(1)
"Blue or Bolivian rams. Nanacara anomala. Any of the mesonauta species if you can find them."
#67
Phoenix Rasbora
4.0
(1)
"A school of Phoenix rasbora or Chili rasbora would look good in this tank if you don't want a betta"
#68
Sparkling Gourami
4.0
(1)
"Sparkling gourami"
#69
Kribensis
4.0
(1)
"Kribs"
#70
Clown Killies
4.0
(1)
"I also like clown killis for the top."
#71
Silvertip Tetras
4.0
(1)
"I have silvertips in a 15G long and they school tight."
#72
German Blue Ram
4.0
(1)
"A pair of German blue rams"
#73
Glowlight Tetra
4.0
(1)
"Glowlight Tetras would do good in this smaller tan at these temps. They also look great in blackwater in my opinion."
#74
White Cloud Minnows
4.0
(1)
"I enjoy white cloud minnows. They are really polite friendly little things."
#75
Springeri Damsels
4.0
(1)
"Springeri damsels are what you’re looking for."
#76
Honey Gourami
4.0
(1)
"Honey gouramis are fine for a 20 gallon"
#77
Daisy's Ricefish
4.0
(1)
"I put my betta with Daisy's Ricefish."
#78
Rainbowfish
4.0
(1)
"I had better luck with tall bodied tetras or rainbow fish."
#79
Fire Gourami
4.0
(1)
"Dwarf hourami or fire gourami"
#80
Hockey Stick Pencil
4.0
(1)
"Try something a little bigger maybe black skirts or one of larger pencil fish types like hockey stick pencils."
#81
Mountain White Cloud Minnow
4.0
(1)
"Underrated mountain white cloud minnows"
#82
Zebra Danios, Ember Tetras, Galaxy Rasboras, Cardinal Tetras, Neon Tetras, Glo Light Tetras
4.0
(1)
"Any of:
Zebra Danios
Ember Tetras
Galaxy Rasboras
Cardinal Tetras
Neon Tetras
Fancy Guppies (not schooling but just as cool)
Glo Light Tetras
And a school of dwarf corydoras for the bottom"
#83
Neons, rummy nose, celestial rasboras
4.0
(1)
"Neons would be cool in there, rummy nose, celestial rasboras"
#84
Corys, harlequin rasboras
4.0
(1)
#85
Checkerboard Barb
4.0
(1)
"My top choices would be: checkerboard (ugly when small, but great as they settle in and color up)"
#86
Colombian Tetra
4.0
(1)
"I have had good luck mixing columbian tetras with cichlids as long as the cichlids arent too big."
#87
Rasboras, Neon tetras, Platys, Rummy nose
4.0
(1)
"Rasboras 6+
Neon tetras 7+
platys 5+
Rummy nose 6+"
#88
Green Eyed Rasbora
4.0
(1)
#89
Ember Tetras
3.0
(1)
"I do love my ember tetras but they are more shoaling fish vs schooling."
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