One is tormenting the other!

[Kindredspirit]

Hey guys~


In my baby tank, oh *******, I do not remember the kind of discus they are...the ones from Marc, the two bigger ones...look down on my page...I know I know....lol!

Anyways, the bigger one of the two is being so mean and chasing the smaller on all the way around the tank continuously! He won't stop... I wanted to plop his azz in the 55gal for an attitude adjustment....but probably not~


What can I do about it, tho? Cuz there is no where to put him and I do not want the other lil guy getting all stressed~


What Would You Do?




Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/28/28_4_11.gif

[Dave C]

Different sized Discus in small groups will do that. You could divide the tank or move the offender to another tank. But given they're all new fish you probably shouldn't move the fish to a tank with other Discus. You could also provide hiding spots for the small fish.

[AADiscus]

Marie

How many fish do you have in that tank? Do you just have the two bigger ones in there with the little ones. You could always try putting them with bigger fish or putting a few more in there so that they can pick on someone their own size.

[Jarrod]

Hi Marie...sounds to me like they may be developing a pecking order and the one that's doing all the chasing may just be the most dom one in the group...not sure about discus pecking orders and establishment of them but I know my africans went thru same sorta deals when new fish were introduced.
hth
Jarrod
:)

[justafishguy]

I have had the same problems and often wanted to give the fish a little smack too. Gladly, the fish stopped being so aggressive and now gets tossed by all the discus in the tank.

[diablocanine]

Ahhh, Cichlids!!!

[JMArtist]

Marie,
They are most likely developing a pecking order among them selves.
That can take a while to establish.
Since you have no more room for another tank, you might want to look into a tank divider if this issue does not subside in another few weeks.
There is always going to be a little bit of bulling among themselves any way.:whip:

[traco]

Yes, I was told the same thing to give it a few weeks which is hard when you look at them all day and see the bullying going on. Is everyone getting their share of food? Putting food in two or three spots to even out for feeding?

[Kindredspirit]

Marie

How many fish do you have in that tank? Do you just have the two bigger ones in there with the little ones. You could always try putting them with bigger fish or putting a few more in there so that they can pick on someone their own size.


Angie~ I have 6 - dime size babies, and then the two quarter size, ones...and one of them is the punk! But, Angie, I couldnt put the bully in the 55gal could I ? http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_2_105.gif I have only had them for a week yesterday..... and my four 6month olds, in the 55gal, wouldnt they be too big?


Marie~

[Timbo]

mine are going thru that still (pecking order sort out) i dont mind at all as they seem to be acting like cichlids usually do, once they sttle in a bit. can go on for weeks..i got this one tardo who can never remember his place and is forever getting reminded. my two smallest were having probs gettin at their fair share of the vittles at first too, so what i did was put alot in all at once, so for about a 2-3 minute duration, theres food everywhere, enuf time for all to stuff their pieholes, even the lil doods.

diablocanine: Ahhh, Cichlids!!! hehe

[Dave C]

I couldnt put the bully in the 55gal could I ? I have only had them for a week yesterday..... and my four 6month olds, in the 55gal, wouldnt they be too big?

The issue isn't whether the fish in the 55g would be too big. The issue is that you would be breaking quarantine on the new arrivals by moving one to your other tank. So you might benefit the new discus that are being bullied and put your other fish at risk at the same time. I'd be willing to bet that after you removed the bully the other larger fish would start to bully the smaller fish in the qt tank so it wouldn't accomplish anything.

[goheel]

I would just let them settle it by themselves. From my experience, eventually they will stop.

[Kindredspirit]

I'd be willing to bet that after you removed the bully the other larger fish would start to bully the smaller fish in the qt tank so it wouldn't accomplish anything.



You are exactly right, Dave! I remember I did that with the four from Cary, that are in the 55gal now. I removed the bully, only to have the next dominate one start to be the bully against another!

Catch 22...i so forgot!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_15_55.gif


(check your pm)

[Kindredspirit]

Hey Jarrod~ Are you having fun here yet? lol! I think they are establishing that pecking order thing...I didnt think that they started that so young tho!

Justafish~ I wanted to jump in my tank a couple of times too and smack one of em! I have heard them smack agaisnt the inside of the tank after being rammed...I'm thinking...'oh Hell No'!


Diablo~ I know that Discus are Chiclids (sp) ...are discus a lot like the others? or is that a dumb question? ( JM...shh.........)

Goheel~ They do eventually stop....at least mine did... I was just worried cuz these guys are so little~

Barb~ I did that today...I pop food every where...I wish you could see them, woman...they are afraid of nothing, B...i mean it! They come right up to the tank and even the massive large air bubbles i have going, they love it! They get swept away often tho and we laugh!!

JM~ YES! a tank divider...I couldnt think of that one....no comment... even Cliff told us where to get a really good idea for one....at Home Depo, the gets these egg crates, I think and cuts them....they have lil squares....the dime size with slither thru, but not these! Cool...See, you are too good, babe!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_8.gif

[Kindredspirit]

Since this is my thread, can I ask for advice on a different subject? I do not want to open another thread, people are going to get bored with me!


But....


This 35gal tank with the babies is cloudy! It is driving me nuts, guys...It was never cloudy, while waiting for the babies to arrive. Even after every wc it is still cloudy...Hazy, cloudy, England cloudy, dayumit! I have the Top Fin filter on it from the new 55gal , it has two compartment with sponges...I am not sure what else to tell you all...

You should see it...awful ... all readings are good and , hell, i don't know what else to tell~I hate cloudy water a lot.http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_20_69.gif


Help?


M~

[Dave C]

If it's a qt tank is it new filter media? Sounds like a new filter going through cycling to me. If so change more water, move some sponges from your other tank.

[Jarrod]

Hey Jarrod~ Are you having fun here yet? lol! I think they are establishing that pecking order thing...I didnt think that they started that so young tho!

Justafish~ I wanted to jump in my tank a couple of times too and smack one of em! I have heard them smack agaisnt the inside of the tank after being rammed...I'm thinking...'oh Hell No'!


Diablo~ I know that Discus are Chiclids (sp) ...are discus a lot like the others? or is that a dumb question? ( JM...shh.........)

Goheel~ They do eventually stop....at least mine did... I was just worried cuz these guys are so little~

Barb~ I did that today...I pop food every where...I wish you could see them, woman...they are afraid of nothing, B...i mean it! They come right up to the tank and even the massive large air bubbles i have going, they love it! They get swept away often tho and we laugh!!

JM~ YES! a tank divider...I couldnt think of that one....no comment... even Cliff told us where to get a really good idea for one....at Home Depo, the gets these egg crates, I think and cuts them....they have lil squares....the dime size with slither thru, but not these! Cool...See, you are too good, babe!



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_33_8.gif

LMAO Marie I can't remember havin this much fun and still bein concious and havin all my clothes on :bounce: not to worry Marie they'll get it all sorted out in due time...ain't life grand?...lol
Jarrod

[CliffsDiscus]

Hi Marie,
I would suggest to go ahead and place the divider in tank, unless you have
another spare tank. Also you have 2 different types of Discus, one has a slow
growth rate (Fireworks) and the other has a faster growth rate. If you leave
the larger Discus in with the smaller (Fireworks) it would take away their growth.

Now Candy has three different growing rates of Discus, the Fireworks, the
Turquoise, and the larger Discus.

The Fireworks are one of the most demanding Discus to take care, they demand
super water quality.

Best Regards,
Cliff

[JMArtist]

You could also supply your smaller Discus with clubs and small fire arms to fend off those bullies....I wouldn't give them cruise missiles or Atomic Weapons as that would cost millions of dollars and you'll have to do lots of water changes...

[traco]

Remember your other tank went through it also? Mine also went through the same thing going from the 65 to the 90. I couldn't understand why when everything was just switched straight from the 65 to the 90!!!:angry: But I think the tank walls and floor themselves have some cycling to go through even with switching over all your bacteria laden sponges, etc.... So it should clear up soon, I think mine took a couple of weeks? Hang in there:p

[Kindredspirit]

If it's a qt tank is it new filter media? Sounds like a new filter going through cycling to me. If so change more water, move some sponges from your other tank.


Dave...see if I can make you understand, 'marie language' lol...I had my discus from Cary in the 30gal...I bought a 55gal and moved them over with sponges from the 30gal...then...then i wantd to use this now cloudy tank, for the babies I knew I was getting from Cliff.. It was empty for a week, with sponges in the filter from....hell, from somewhere, transferred over...I so forget how i did this, but I do have it all written down and I followed the Wise Ones here....

And so....all the readings were fine when I put the babies in a week ago yesterday....and a few days ago the cloudies hit, Dave! I hate a cloudy tank. I am confused ....I thought since I transferred sponges or left sponges, old ones in this tank it was already cycled? *******....will I ever get this down...So why did it cloud up? Is this what is called a bacterial bloom...

I am totally confused now...adding new fish, no matter if you had added sponges from another tank, it is still going to cycle and cloud up??


or am i completely lost here...http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_11_1.gif





Marie~

[Kindredspirit]

Hi Marie,
I would suggest to go ahead and place the divider in tank, unless you have
another spare tank. Also you have 2 different types of Discus, one has a slow
growth rate (Fireworks) and the other has a faster growth rate. If you leave
the larger Discus in with the smaller (Fireworks) it would take away their growth.

Now Candy has three different growing rates of Discus, the Fireworks, the
Turquoise, and the larger Discus.

The Fireworks are one of the most demanding Discus to take care, they demand
super water quality.

Best Regards,Cliff




Hey Cliff~ I guess I had better get that divider...Candy and I got the same exact babies I think....she hand picked mine for me....didnt we?
Cliff, they are doing great tho! They are never scared of anything....



Marie~:angel:

[Kindredspirit]

Remember your other tank went through it also? Mine also went through the same thing going from the 65 to the 90. I couldn't understand why when everything was just switched straight from the 65 to the 90!!!:angry: But I think the tank walls and floor themselves have some cycling to go through even with switching over all your bacteria laden sponges, etc.... So it should clear up soon, I think mine took a couple of weeks? Hang in there:p


Weeks?? That so will not work for me, Barb! lol...i do remember that now....but I had to go out and by the HOT Magnum and it was instantly clear, as nothing else helped! I don't wanna do that now.. Do I have to do that now?? lol! What you said up there does make a lot of sense....



Marie~http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_102.gif

[Alight]

Marie, have you been testing for ammonia and nitrites every day? I would for a few weeks, until all the new fish have settled in.

Of they are still at zero, not sure where the cloudiness is coming from.

If they are not, then you have a mini cycle going on, and need to change a bunch of water a couple of times a day until they are at zero.

The water changes are probably in order anyway, to reduce the cloudiness, even if ammonia and nitrites are at zero.

[Kindredspirit]

Al~ I have been changing water every day and the nitrites and ammonia are zero... I will check them soon....but you are thinking that they are not, cuz the water is cloudy?


Marie~:angel: