Strange (to me) discus behavior

[anewbie]

I have a group of wc discus for about 18 months and one unusual behavior that crops up is when i feed them (I hand feed them freeze dried black worms); there is a large discus that decides when feeding is over - basically i soak the cubes till they are soft so the discus can easily break them apart and i ensure the small ones get a good bit during feeding but in the process when the large male (which i suppose is the group 'leader') decides feeding is over he will intercept any fish who attempts to eat (even if they still want more) and he will cease to eat and heard everyone to the back. Why he cares if the other eat or not eat i know not.

I do but in some algae based pellets mixed with some 'discus' pellets but they really prefer the worms (unfortunately so do everyone else in the aquarium for better or worse). I've though of cutting the discus off from the worms as i'm not sure it is the best diet but then they get really pissy and pout.

 

[plebian]

I have a group of wc discus for about 18 months and one unusual behavior that crops up is when i feed them (I hand feed them freeze dried black worms); there is a large discus that decides when feeding is over - basically i soak the cubes till they are soft so the discus can easily break them apart and i ensure the small ones get a good bit during feeding but in the process when the large male (which i suppose is the group 'leader') decides feeding is over he will intercept any fish who attempts to eat (even if they still want more) and he will cease to eat and heard everyone to the back. Why he cares if the other eat or not eat i know not.

I do but in some algae based pellets mixed with some 'discus' pellets but they really prefer the worms (unfortunately so do everyone else in the aquarium for better or worse). I've though of cutting the discus off from the worms as i'm not sure it is the best diet but then they get really pissy and pout.

This is not unusual behavior at all. I've seen a single discus prevent as many as four others from eating (in a very large aquarium with food everywhere). It almost seems as if they are more interested in preventing others from eating than they are in eating themselves. I've often wondered what possible evolutionary advantage this behavior might provide. Nevertheless, it's not uncommon.

The first thing you must know about discus is that they possess a wide range of personalities. It's one of the characteristics that make them so interesting (far more than their color variations in my opinion). The second thing you must know is that they will always establish a social hierarchy. The top dog is usually a male, but not necessarily. The top dog may be a benevolent tyrant, or a bully. In the first case, once his social position is established, he will mostly ignore the others and the others will mostly accept his status. If challenged, he will respond. In the second case, he will never stop harassing any of the others that come anywhere near him. I've had to remove bullies to restore peace and order.

And it's not just males that can be bullies. In any case, this behavior is most pronounced during feeding time. As for feeding, IME discus become easily addicted to worms. It's best to keep them on a mixed diet of commercial fare.

 

[anewbie]

This is not unusual behavior at all. I've seen a single discus prevent as many as four others from eating (in a very large aquarium with food everywhere). It almost seems as if they are more interested in preventing others from eating than they are in eating themselves. I've often wondered what possible evolutionary advantage this behavior might provide. Nevertheless, it's not uncommon.

The first thing you must know about discus is that they possess a wide range of personalities. It's one of the characteristics that make them so interesting (far more than their color variations in my opinion). The second thing you must know is that they will always establish a social hierarchy. The top dog is usually a male, but not necessarily. The top dog may be a benevolent tyrant, or a bully. In the first case, once his social position is established, he will mostly ignore the others and the others will mostly accept his status. If challenged, he will respond. In the second case, he will never stop harassing any of the others that come anywhere near him. I've had to remove bullies to restore peace and order.

And it's not just males that can be bullies. In any case, this behavior is most pronounced during feeding time. As for feeding, IME discus become easily addicted to worms. It's best to keep them on a mixed diet of commercial fare.

He's not a bully per sey but he does set the ground rules. As for diet i worry about the worm thing but they really don't want ot eat much other food. When i feed the other fishes bug bite (on the other side) they will come over to watch but wont' eat it but the other fishes have no problem grabing worms out of their mouth

 

[Colin_T]

He's not a bully per sey but he does set the ground rules. As for diet I worry about the worm thing but they really don't want to eat much other food. When I feed the other fishes bug bite (on the other side) they will come over to watch but wont' eat it but the other fishes have no problem grabbing worms out of their mouth

If you have plants and algae growing in the aquarium, the discus will be grazing on them.

As for the dominant fish taking the food, that is standard cichlid behaviour with the dominant fish shooing the others away so it can eat the worms later on. The easiest way to fix the issue is to feed the fish on both sides of the tank. Put food in at either end and the smaller fish can eat while the big one guards his bit.

 

[anewbie]

If you have plants and algae growing in the aquarium, the discus will be grazing on them.

As for the dominant fish taking the food, that is standard cichlid behaviour with the dominant fish shooing the others away so it can eat the worms later on. The easiest way to fix the issue is to feed the fish on both sides of the tank. Put food in at either end and the smaller fish can eat while the big one guards his bit.

He doesn't take the food he decides when the entire group is finished eating which is a distinction. During feeding he is fine letting the other fishes eat first but when it is time to stop eating no one else is allowed to eat.

Yea the tank has a thick carpet of plants and it is my hope they graze a bit. The lawn could use a good mowing.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Is he counting carbs or something?
It's got to be weird aquarium behavior. Why would they do that in the wild. Unless it's some sort of strategy to prevent another male from growing bigger and stronger than the current dominant male.

 

[anewbie]

Is he counting carbs or something?
It's got to be weird aquarium behavior. Why would they do that in the wild. Unless it's some sort of strategy to prevent another male from growing bigger and stronger than the current dominant male.

No clue that is why i made the post... i'm used to pigs but he isn't being a pig he is just deciding what the group does.

 

[plebian]

As for diet i worry about the worm thing but they really don't want ot eat much other food.

Just stop feeding them worms. It may take a week or two, but eventually they'll accept most foods. Going without for a couple of weeks will have no negative effect whatever, unless you're dealing with juveniles (under 9 months).

 

[fishorama]

I think you're spoiling them, lol. I know WCs are very different than tank bred I raised. I always offered a variety so there were no "fussy feeders". You might try weaning them off a blackworm only diet by mixing in other foods with some chopped black worms. Maybe the bossy 1 won't decide nobody else can eat if there's other "lesser" choices.

I made seafood mixes & offered thawed frozen bloodworms, live white worms & small red wigglers + many prepared foods. If you have a basement or other coolish place those last 2 worms are pretty easy to grow.

Your tank is huge! Can "bossy pants" control the entire tank?!? What's your arm span? I'd guess ~6 feet. 2 hands far apart, can Bossy drive everyone away?