Blue Diamond Discus And Snakeskin Discus Fighting

[jlara0429]

hey everyone im looking for some insight and some help and opinions to see what i can do with the displays that i saw when i added my new snakeskin discus after having him quarantine for good 3 weeks now. the current tank i have running is a 55 gallon tank i do regularly 20% water changes and the water parameters are as follows 6.6 ph , ammonia 0, nitrite 0 and nitrate 10. The stock i have in the tank consists of the following.
1 Cory catfish
1 pictus catfish
2 honey sunset gouramis
2 Dwarf Gouramis
1 German Blue ram 1 Bolivian ram
5 Pristella tetras
2 White Diamond Tetras
1 Cherry barb
1 Botia Kubotai
4 Red finned tetras
3 Rasboras
1 Blue diamond discus.

I tried adding the snakeskin discus in last night and in a matter of 15 minutes the blue diamond and the snakeskin seemed to be fine , but as the time when on maybe in about 10 minutes more they started to peck and flap their back fins at each other for a while i was afraid they were going to hurt each other so i didnt give them a chance to fully bond I just removed the snakeskin discus back into the quarantine tank now thats why im here trying to find an answer , I need to know what can i do about this and if this is normal or if their is anything else that i can do to reduce the aggression because like i said i dont want any of them to hurt each other and than i would have to end up healing them please i need some opinions or suggestions.

 

[roadmaster]

Discus are Cichlids and they will do as most cichlids do with respect to establishing a pecking order.Is why most folks keep them in groups of five or more to help keep one fish from being singled out by the dominant fish.
In viewing your fish listed for the 55 gallon, I would suggest that you consider that Discus don't compete well for food with fishes much faster, and that the 82 to 84 degree F temp that Discus require,does not suit some of the fish you are keeping in the long term, (tetra's cory's).They will often burnout within a few months, perhaps less.
For the tank you have and stocking level presently,, I would perform at minimum,,, 50 percent water change once each week,two would be better, (monday.Sunday).
I might read up on all I could find with respect to the care of Discus rather than accepting opinions including mine.
I have kept these fish from babies to adulthood and they are not that difficult to care for providing their needs are met but,,, they do have specific needs.

 

[jlara0429]

thanks alot for your great insight i appreciate the knowledge , i will try to stick to that routine with the water changes at 50% monday sunday now would you recommend giving it one more shot for the snakeskin discus maybe the pecking will seize or subsidize as they get acquainted being that i tried to rearrange and if i see anymore signs just remove him completely and try to give him away and just stay with my blue diamond only?

 

[roadmaster]

thanks alot for your great insight i appreciate the knowledge , i will try to stick to that routine with the water changes at 50% monday sunday now would you recommend giving it one more shot for the snakeskin discus maybe the pecking will seize or subsidize as they get acquainted being that i tried to rearrange and if i see anymore signs just remove him completely and try to give him away and just stay with my blue diamond only?

You could try again and give the fish a few days unless the dominant fish is relentless in it's harrassing of the other fish in which case, I would remove one or the other or...add more Discus.
I had similar expierience and wound up placing the runt fish that was being picked on by a group of five other Discus to another tank with some dither's.(ordered the fish and could not return it).