From garden ponds filled with Koi Carp to the humble goldfish bowl (although goldfish need more space to thrive) – the UK is a nation of fish lovers.
According to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) there are an incredible five million indoor fish tanks in Britain.
Around 10 per cent of British households own fish – making them the third most popular pet after dogs and cats.
There’s plenty of choice when it comes to adding fish to (well prepared and correctly set up) home aquariums, with pet shops offering a bewildering range of colourful and interesting finned friends.
Schooling fish are particularly popular – fish that are only happy in a group of the same species, travelling around your tank in colourful packs.
As a general rule you should make sure to have at least six of these fish in your tank at any one time – and be aware that some species thrive when there’s a particular proportion of males to females (if there’s any doubt ask an expert at your local pet shop).
So, here are 15 of the best species of schooling fish for aquarists (the official name for people who maintain aquariums).
9. Hatchetfish
If there's not much happening at the top of your tropical tank then a school of Hatchetfish will happily fill that space. These pretty fish swim close to the surface, but watch out as they also enjoy jumping out of the water. This means they are only an option if your aquarium is securely covered. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Pygmy Cory
If you want a school of fish to help with the cleaning of your tank then the Pygmy Cory is the species for you - hoovering up small particles of food left by other aquarium inhabitants. The tiny silvery bewhiskered fish can be seen as prey for larger fish though, so be careful what you mix them with. | Canva/Getty Images
11. White Cloud Mountain Minnow
The evocatively-named White Cloud Mountain Minnow gets its moniker from where the originate - the picturesque White Cloud Mountain region in China. They school similarly to the Tetras but are a slightly more unusual aquarium resident. | Canva/Getty Images
12. Glowlight Rasbora
Close relatives of the Harlequin Rasbora, with whom they can share a tank, the Glowlight Rasbora can be differentiated by their more slender shape and slightly different markings and colouring. | Canva/Getty Images