ShoalBase Contributor Guide

This guide explains each question in the ShoalBase Data Submission Form. Please refer to it while completing your contribution to ensure consistency across entries. If you remain unsure about how to classify your observation, choose the option you think fits best and add clarifying notes in the final text box.

1. Species Information

Species (scientific name)

Enter the currently accepted binomial name (e.g. Pterophyllum scalare). If uncertain, give your best match or add notes.

Species (common name)

Optional but encouraged (e.g. “Angelfish”). Common names vary regionally; any recognised one is fine.

Life stage observed

Choose the life stage of the individuals in the observation:

  • egg/embryo – pre-hatching

  • larval – recently hatched, free-swimming but not juvenile form

  • juvenile – miniature adult form but not yet reproductively mature

  • adult – mature individuals

  • spawning – adults actively engaged in reproduction

  • not sure – if mixed group or unclear

If a mix of stages is present but one stage is most heavily present, select the dominant stage and explain in notes.

2. Context of Observation

Country of Observation

Where the behaviour was observed.

Observation setting

This refers to the environment where the fish were recorded:

  • wild – natural
    Natural habitat with minimal human alteration (e.g. intact coral reef, forest stream)

  • wild – human altered
    Disturbed or modified natural habitats (e.g. dams, reservoirs, artificial reefs). Many wild habitats are disturbed to some extent, so if in doubt choose the option you think best describes the habitat and leave a note in the final text box.

  • captive – research
    Lab or research aquarium settings

  • captive – aquaculture
    Commercial hatcheries, grow-out tanks, or ponds

  • captive – public aquarium/zoo
    Display tanks in zoos or aquaria

  • captive – hobbyist
    Home aquarium

  • other
    If none apply; specify in the text box

Fish origin

Where the fish came from, regardless of the observation setting:

  • wild – wild reared
    Born and grew up in the wild

  • wild – captive reared
    Wild-caught as eggs/larvae/juveniles but held in captivity for some time, or, reared in captivity but released or escaped into the wild

  • captive reared – research
    Bred or raised specifically for research

  • captive reared – aquaculture
    Farmed stock

  • captive reared – pet trade
    Commercially bred ornamental fish

  • captive reared – home aquarium
    Fish bred by hobbyists in domestic setups

  • unsure
    When origin is not known

3. Social Behaviour Categories

Group size observed

Tick all that apply for the species or observation:

  • solitary – individuals alone

  • pairing – stable or temporary pairs

  • small groups (3–10)

  • medium groups (10–100)

  • large groups (100-1000)

  • huge groups (>1000)

  • changing group sizes (fission–fusion) – groups frequently split/merge

  • unsure – if the number varied widely or was difficult to estimate

Social system observed

These describe the structure rather than the size:

  • shoaling – loose groups without coordinated, polarised movement

  • schooling – coordinated, polarised movement as a unit

  • colony – spatial clustering around a site (e.g. nesting, coral, cleaning stations)

  • aggregation (non spawning) – groups formed by shared resources but not social attraction

  • aggregation (spawning) - aggregation for the specific purpose of spawning

  • courtship display/mating – behaviours directly tied to reproduction

  • parental care – guarding, fanning, mouthbrooding, etc.

  • unsure

Multiple can be selected if species can display multiple systems, but please match to life stage selected above. In other words, if the species has been observed to display a different social system during a different life stage, please enter this as a new submission.

Purpose of social behaviour (wild only)

What function the grouping appears to serve:

  • general – grouping with no clear single purpose

  • predation reduction – confusion effects, improved vigilance

  • foraging – cooperative or enhanced food finding, social foraging

  • migration – coordinated movement between habitats or geographical regions

  • reproduction – spawning aggregations, lek formation

  • unsure – if the purpose is otherwise ambiguous

Additional social modifiers

Characteristics of the social system:

  • hierarchical – known dominance or rank structure, possibly enforced by aggression

  • non-hierarchical – no rankings within group, though there may be leader/follower dynamics (e.g. in moving schools)

  • territorial – individuals or groups defend areas; can occur within grouping structure (e.g. dwarf cichlids that aggregate or cluster but are still territorial or agonistic toward each other)

  • non-territorial – no defence of space

  • mixed species – multispecies shoals or aggregations

  • unsure

4. Evidence and Attribution

Evidence type

How the observation was obtained:

  • published peer-reviewed paper

  • thesis – honours, MSc, or PhD reports

  • unpublished data – structured dataset not yet published

  • personal observation – field notes or qualitative observations (photos or video are helpful in this case especially)

Citation(s) or DOI(s)

Provide full references or links when applicable.

Permission to display this record publicly

Indicate whether you allow ShoalBase to show the record on the website:

  • Yes, with attribution
    Your name/affiliation may be displayed

  • Yes, anonymously
    Data displayed without personal identification

5. Contributor Information (Optional)

  • Your name

  • Your email

  • Institution/affiliation

  • May we contact you for clarification?
    Helpful if data reviewers or users need details

6. Additional Environmental & Context Details

Optional but highly useful for ecological interpretation.

Habitat type

Choose the dominant habitat:

  • river/stream

  • lake/pond

  • brackish

  • benthic marine – demersal habitats

  • pelagic marine

  • coral reef

  • tidepool

  • other – specify if unique/complex habitat

Temperature (°C)

Approximate or measured temperature.

Oxygen level (% air saturation)

If you have dissolved oxygen readings.

Additional environmental/context information

Use this space for anything that adds clarity, such as:

  • depth

  • time of day

  • season

  • habitat structure

  • salinity

  • pH

  • notes about disturbance or stress

  • unusual behaviours

  • mixed life-stage groups

  • predator presence

Photo/video upload

Helpful for validation, especially for rare or ambiguous behaviours.

7. What If You’re Unsure?

If any category is unclear:

  • Select “unsure”

  • Leave a note in the final comments box

  • Provide photo/video when possible

We would much rather have slightly imperfect but well-documented entries than no entry at all.

8. Need Help?

If you have questions about definitions, data structure, or unique cases, contact us here.

Contribute Here!