It seems to me that if they spread out from each other, so a predator could only eat one in every bite, any single fish is safer because it’s less likely to be that single one, whereas if they’re huddled together and the predator can gobble ten at a time, the likelihood for any single fish being eaten in a bite is 10x higher.
I understand if the optics of a school are designed to look big and maybe scare off predators, but it’s always been phrased to me as if the “game theory” for a single fish makes it safer to pack in with others.
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The answers about confusing the predator are great, but it’s really a more grim story than that. It’s open water. There is no cover. The larger fish are faster than you. The only choice you have is hope they eat your friends first and get full. The end. It’s not great being a grazer with no cover. That’s why coral reefs and trees are so good for biodiversity.
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