Fighting Discus

[freerunner416]

Hiya,

I have 7 discus in my tank. They have ample space and everything is great with the tank. All are growing on well. The problem i have is that my large blue diamond and a slightly smaller spotted Green are fighting almost 24/7.

Both discus are starting to show marks from the fighting. I would like it to stop but as they dont understand when i ask them to go to there rooms (im kidding) i don't know what to do...

I dont have another tank to put one into, i think that may make it worse on reintroducing the one i have taken out. I have rescaped the tank to see if that makes a difference but am struggling to think of anything else.

I am unsure of the sexes of the discus and wonder if this could be the problem.

Any thoughts

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Age and size is important here... Can you let us know? If they are at an age and size where hormones are starting to play a role, there is bound to be a bit of shoving and pushing around as is traditional in true cichlid fashion... Not necissarily between male rivals, but males will also start bullying the female of his dreams and if found to be "compatable", he will eventually marry her (untill death do us part). On the other hand, if she is not compatable however, such fighting can be fierce and it will become necessary to remove the bully or female.

 

[ox5477]

Yep, typical cichlid behavior. Just to be curious, you say there is ample room, but how big, volume-wise, is your tank?

Ox

 

[rabbut]

Speaking from experience here, most Discus are best left to it untill they sort themselves out (which they will do eventually) as trying to seporate off one fish will lead to worse agression issues uppon re-introduction. The only time I'd take one out is if it is realy stuffed by the other and gives up the fight (you can tell, as the other fish will pin it in the top corner of the tank, before continuing the assult). In most cases they will settle down after a few weeks. If there are bumps and scrapes on them, steap up waterchanges if possible, to maintain best possible water conditions. IME with good water quality, such woumds rarely become infected, but if water quality slipps, you may get a fungus outbreak

For now, just watch it. If one gets pinned into a corner after a stuffing and isn't allowed to move, then remove the BULLY, not the victim, as the bully may become a royal pain to the other fish Also, the bullied fish will recover better IME in formiliar surroundings.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[freerunner416]

Hi guys thanks for the info.

My blue diamond is about 6-7 inchs nose to tail and the Green is about 5-6. There is also a marlboro red that is about 5 inchs. It seems to swim around and about the two of them as if its trying to decide which to pair up with. Is there a way to sex discus? The diamond is very thick at the front below his mouth towards his body - dont know if that helps.

I was having treatment on a leg injury last night and was watching my fish whilst i was massaged and i think they are all just trying to sort out a "pecking" order. There seems to be little battles going all around the tank.

Rabbut, Thats a good point about the water changes. I do a quarter tank twice during the week (if i can - at least one is done) and a 50% at the weekend. I will up it this now during this time. Even if i do a smaller amount everyday.

Ox, The tank is 60 gallons with the big tetratec external filter. Yes i know discus should have 10 gallons each and once they have grown up i am going to be looking to possibly upgrade or sell them on.

 

[rabbut]

The thickness of the under-mouth area is probibly just fat, rater than a way to sex them. The only diffinative way of sexing discus is to probe them. This is very stressful for the fish, and an inexperienced prober can wind up killing the fish apparently. It's something I've always judged too risky to try myself....

There are a few ways of guessing. Look a the Plevic fins. Apparently they are more rounded on males than females. Look at the dorsal, appearently it is more rounded on females. Count the hard rays on the dorsal. Apparently 8=male 9=female. I'm sceptical of these methods though, as I haven't seen any proof of it acctually working..... If these methods of sexing are correct, my group of 6 are all males. There is like a 1 in 100 chance of that happening... See why I'm sceptical???

All the best
Rabbut

 

[freerunner416]

I see what you mean rabbut. To be honest i just hope they will calm down a little. Im sure it is as you have described - normal cichlid behaviour.

Well we will eventually see what happens if they pair up.

If two fish have paired as Ludwig says how can you tell? I guess they are inseperable?

 

[rabbut]

They will eventually claim an area of the tank, and chase off any other fish that gets into their teritory. Some pairs are more agressive than others. Some will sit in a small area of the tank and guard that. Other pairs can pin every other fish in the tank into one top corner together and not let them move..... Either way, you will see too fish very closely guarding a section of the tank, of a size that they decide, together. If left to it, or moved to a seporate tank, they will eventually spawn, usualy within a few days.

Pairs are relatively easy to break, if they are like angels... Just seporate them for a few days, re-arange the origional tank and then re-introduce the fish to each other. It may not work first time. If this is the case, try again, only seporating them for longer I have no first had with pairs of discus yet, though I hope to soon

HTH
Rabbut

 

[freerunner416]

thanks Rabbut.

They have settled down a little bit i think. The marlbora and the blue diamond are swimming around very closely. Would love two of them to pair but not sure about two different colours etc going together. We will see what happens.

Cheers

 

[freerunner416]

Okay so i have definately got to the bottom of the fighting!!

I came in the other night to find the blue diamond and the marlbora laying eggs on a leaf!! Was really shocked that they were spawning as i still thought they were too young.

Not sure if im that keen on crossing colours. What does everybody else think?

The eggs are all gone now but hopefully they will think about it again. I have a community tank so it will be difficult to raise any but i may by a tank splitter or something to patch off some of the tank for them and see what happens.

Cheers for all your advice

Craig

 

[Ludwig Venter]

They will definitely do it again and again and again......and it will definitely be gone and be gone and be gone etc. etc. etc....... If you're serious about breeding 'em now,..... you'll set up at least a 36" exclusively for them, and join the ranks of very few who got it right..... Discus are not easy to rear. (they are easy to breed) but if you could rear 8 out of the approximately 180 eggs laid, you are an achiever......

 

[freerunner416]

Believe me ludwig if i had the space i would try it. Unfortunately i dont have the space to set up another tank or i would have another one already. My friend has a fish hut and he may take them and try to rear some of the eggs etc. We will see what happens.

Thanks

 

[angelmouse]

congrats on the spawning freerunner416. Red marlbrough carry pigeonblood gene which is dominant so a marlbrough x blue diamond will result in pigeonblood fry that will likely be heavily peppered. red marlbrough are best with another RM or pigeon blood.
regards Angel

 

[rabbut]

Congratulations on the spawning, it certainly explains a few things

All the best
Rabbut

 

[freerunner416]

cheers guys i will see what happens with them.