Bully Discus

[melissa1977]

A question for the discus pros out there...

I currently have 2 discus in a 40 gallons tank. One I got about a week ago (a 3 inch blood pigeon) and a snake skin (about 3-4 inch) that I got yesterday.

The blood piegon is picking on the newbie.

I am planning on getting 2 or 3 more discus eventually but since they are so expensive I am getting them one at the time...

Is it dangerous for my new guy to get bullied like that or is it just a natural phenomenom ? I mean... could the guy die as an outcome of this... ??

[macman7010]

Discus are cichlids and cichlids are aggressive, especially to each other. It is not uncommon for Dicus to "bully" each other around. That is why most people keep several - "4 or more" Discus together in a tank to kind of diffuse this aggression.

The pigeon may stop some of his picking once he proves who is boss, although adding some more Discus would help also.

[macman7010]

also melissa i read you tank specs and line up in your signature. sounds like a nice set-up, any pics?

[melissa1977]

No no pics yet... I'll try to get some soon.




My BF just called me, im at work, to let me know the the blood pigeon is still bulling the new guy. I am really worry...

Should I run to the [acronym:fe9536e795="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:fe9536e795] and get an other discus or should I just let it be...

[macman7010]

Melissa,

It depends on what the bullying constitutes. If it is the occasional little chase or nip then no it should be fine. My Discus chase and nip at each other on and off all of the time. Although having more fish allows the aggresion to get diffused down the ranks. If it is really that bad and the pigeon is chasing the snakeskin non stop and not allowing it to eat you could try adding more fish or putting in a tank divider until you get a nice little shoal of Discus.

[melissa1977]

Thank you

I might get another one tonight....

[aquakev]

To combat the aggression I would ad one or two more discus. The only thing is that 40g is not really that big! and you already have the rams.- I know its troublesome when people say that but you are not going to be able to enjoy that many discus in that tank. I say enjoy because they are not as cool when they are all cramped up and have no where to swim, this also lead to the aggression.

If I were you, I would add only one two more discus mabey give one ore two of the rams the ax and hope that none of the discus pair off, as this will lead to aggression down the road.

I would also definitely read the article in the september issue of tropical fish hobbiest, about discus in planted tanks.-It gives the most liberal advice about caring for discus.

[melissa1977]

mabey give one ore two of the rams the ax

What do you mean by that ?

[greenmaji]

this is from the pecking order.. you dont have enough discus to make a shoal (6 make a good shoal) so the weaker fish is getting picked on.. If you had 4 more fish the strongest fish would have just been the head of the pecking order and there would be much less picking on a single fish.

[macman7010]

melissa, I also recommend the article in TFH this month, its very good. Id go with the divider or more fish.