Greetings fellow aquaria enthusiasts, it is with a heavy heart that I type this desperate call for help.
Let me put things down into perspective:
I've got a community tank with a wide array of fish species of which I have recently introduced 2 new members, both of which are Symphysodon Discuses but in disparate colour and patterns.
The one that has a blue hue with vertical stripes along its body is pretty comfortable with its new home, exploring every part of the tank and even feeding on the dried tubiflex cube I had left for it.
However, the same cannot be said for the Discus that has a yellowish-orange colour. I never thought I'd be saying this but, my Cichlid is being bullied by an Anabantid.Unbelievable. What next? A loach eating a barb?
Anyway, back to the problem at hand, you see, I've got a Gold variation three-spot gourami that has been in the community tank for the longest time (About 3 years ) and It has been chasing the yellowish-Orange Discus around the tank and nipping its finnage since the hour I had brought in the new fish. This had led the poor Discus to hide amongst the wooden decor and away from sight.
I am really beginning to worry about the safety of the Discus as I am aware that some Gouramis have the habit of chasing their kind around the tank and eventually killling the bullied fish. ( I had reared a Trichogaster Leeri in the past and it would chase and kill the replacement mates I get for it , I thought it was a good idea to substitute the original partner that died a long time ago. On hindsight, I suspect foul play on its untimely death.)
The Gourami specifically nips the finnage of the Orange Discus but ignores the one in blue. I detect a colour association that has gone awry. It may be the case that the unfortunate discus has been mistaken for a newly-introduced ''Gold'' Gourami and as such, the older fish isn't too pleased about the addition, its trying to exert a form of authority based on seniority? If this is the case, I would say it is quite a breakthrough for me to witness such petty ''politics'' commence within a community tank. It is common to witness violence from belligerent fish species because of their innate behavioral aspects but to observe similarly violent attributes in a usually docile species is indeed fascinating though, the observation is bittersweet since the life of my Discus is at stake.
I was wondering what I could do to stop this unexpected bullying. I will not dispose my Gourami, I have kept it for the longest time and It deserves to be in that tank as much as the pricier Discus. I do not have a seperate tank to transfer any of the fish for any purpose, including the occasionally important quarantine reasons. I was considering the possibility of a method out there that is unbeknownst to be of which I could deter aggressive behaviour in a belligerent fish. Any form of help at this point is really appreciated.
I blame myself for being too trusting towards Anabantids, always believed they were the friendliest fish aside from the live-bearing platies. Here I have found myself a full-fledged piscivore. This fish is either an aberration of my understanding of Gouramis are clearly obtuse.
P.S. Its been about 6 hours since the release of the Discus into the tank and therefore, it has gone through the same amount of time in being tortured and stressed out. The fish was absent during feeding time and is beginning to develop signs of distress and infection along the edges of its caudal fin. I fear that the fish does not have much time left, I sincerely hope that someone could help me out with this.
At the very least, if the fish is not saved in due time, I'd like to take this chance to receive answers from the professional aquaria community so I could extend the information out to similarly uninformed hobbyists who may have discounted the hidden pugnacious propensities of a Gourami.
Let me put things down into perspective:
I've got a community tank with a wide array of fish species of which I have recently introduced 2 new members, both of which are Symphysodon Discuses but in disparate colour and patterns.
The one that has a blue hue with vertical stripes along its body is pretty comfortable with its new home, exploring every part of the tank and even feeding on the dried tubiflex cube I had left for it.
However, the same cannot be said for the Discus that has a yellowish-orange colour. I never thought I'd be saying this but, my Cichlid is being bullied by an Anabantid.Unbelievable. What next? A loach eating a barb?
Anyway, back to the problem at hand, you see, I've got a Gold variation three-spot gourami that has been in the community tank for the longest time (About 3 years ) and It has been chasing the yellowish-Orange Discus around the tank and nipping its finnage since the hour I had brought in the new fish. This had led the poor Discus to hide amongst the wooden decor and away from sight.
I am really beginning to worry about the safety of the Discus as I am aware that some Gouramis have the habit of chasing their kind around the tank and eventually killling the bullied fish. ( I had reared a Trichogaster Leeri in the past and it would chase and kill the replacement mates I get for it , I thought it was a good idea to substitute the original partner that died a long time ago. On hindsight, I suspect foul play on its untimely death.)
The Gourami specifically nips the finnage of the Orange Discus but ignores the one in blue. I detect a colour association that has gone awry. It may be the case that the unfortunate discus has been mistaken for a newly-introduced ''Gold'' Gourami and as such, the older fish isn't too pleased about the addition, its trying to exert a form of authority based on seniority? If this is the case, I would say it is quite a breakthrough for me to witness such petty ''politics'' commence within a community tank. It is common to witness violence from belligerent fish species because of their innate behavioral aspects but to observe similarly violent attributes in a usually docile species is indeed fascinating though, the observation is bittersweet since the life of my Discus is at stake.
I was wondering what I could do to stop this unexpected bullying. I will not dispose my Gourami, I have kept it for the longest time and It deserves to be in that tank as much as the pricier Discus. I do not have a seperate tank to transfer any of the fish for any purpose, including the occasionally important quarantine reasons. I was considering the possibility of a method out there that is unbeknownst to be of which I could deter aggressive behaviour in a belligerent fish. Any form of help at this point is really appreciated.
I blame myself for being too trusting towards Anabantids, always believed they were the friendliest fish aside from the live-bearing platies. Here I have found myself a full-fledged piscivore. This fish is either an aberration of my understanding of Gouramis are clearly obtuse.
P.S. Its been about 6 hours since the release of the Discus into the tank and therefore, it has gone through the same amount of time in being tortured and stressed out. The fish was absent during feeding time and is beginning to develop signs of distress and infection along the edges of its caudal fin. I fear that the fish does not have much time left, I sincerely hope that someone could help me out with this.
At the very least, if the fish is not saved in due time, I'd like to take this chance to receive answers from the professional aquaria community so I could extend the information out to similarly uninformed hobbyists who may have discounted the hidden pugnacious propensities of a Gourami.
