Swimming in schools helps fish confuse predators and spend their energy most efficiently. About half of all fish school for part of their lives, and a quarter do so throughout their lifetimes. The Schooling Fish exhibit at the Long Island Aquarium features the Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber).
Schooling fish demonstrate the theory of selfish herd.
Selfish herd describes how individuals within a school or herd will push other members of the herd or school out of the way to escape a predator, putting those individuals at risk of predation themselves.
The silver moonfish establishes a pecking order within a shoal, so you may see them chasing one another or nipping at each other from time to time to show one another who’s boss!
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