Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Greetings to all discus masters here. I have a new discus tank that's been up and running for a month now, and there are 6 sub-adult (approximately 4"-5" in size) discus in there.
I just noticed today that two of the discus always swim around my heater, chase off other fish, shake/shim their bodies frequently, and most weirdly pecking on my heater like crazy but there is nothing on it.
I have no idea what happened. I do know that these two fish always hang out together and they don't attack each other at feeding. To me they seem like a pair but as a discus newbie I cannot confirm it.
I keep my daily 90% water change on schedule, and I feed all of my discus 6 times a day with a mixture of frozen bloodworms, flakes, and homemade beef heart mix. The fish are only about 9 months old.
Are these breeding behaviours or signs of sickness? I was told that discus fish won't lay eggs until they are adult?
Thanks in advance!
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Hi James, they are teenagers. Just have to deal with young love. :D
Pat
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Do you have access to a heater guard and spawning cone or piece of slate
Jeanne
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Second Hand Pat
Hi James, they are teenagers. Just have to deal with young love. :D
Pat
Haha. I remember those days, but I guess they should last longer than that.
Is this for sure breeding behaviour? I had to turn off the light last night when I observed it, and they all went to sleep pretty soon after. I just turned the light this morning and I haven't seen anything unusual yet.
Should I leave the light on next time I see this?
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sturiosoma
Do you have access to a heater guard and spawning cone or piece of slate
Jeanne
Hi Jeanne. I actually don't have anything in my tank except a big piece of driftwood. Should I remove the driftwood and place a standing PVC pipe or spawning cone inside? I have never seen/known a heater guard.
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
I would let them grow some more before I would encourage breeding!
Pat
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Second Hand Pat
I would let them grow some more before I would encourage breeding!
Pat
+1, unless they are older fish already.
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Second Hand Pat
I would let them grow some more before I would encourage breeding!
Pat
You mush have a special ability to read my mind, as this is the question that I was about to ask! My discus are still juveniles and I would really love to see them growing a bit more before I move them to another tank for breeding.
Thank you Pat for giving me the answer before I even asked.
For now, should I just ignore even if they lay eggs? Should I leave a spawning cone there?
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jamesx
Hi Jeanne. I actually don't have anything in my tank except a big piece of driftwood. Should I remove the driftwood and place a standing PVC pipe or spawning cone inside? I have never seen/known a heater guard.
I would leave the driftwood, and you can get a heater guard at Amazon, if nothing else to keep them from burning themselves
Jeanne
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BrendanJ23
IS the tank cycled?
Yep, it's an one year old tank. It's just that the discus fish are new. All test readings are zero except nitrate which I keep below 5ppm everyday.
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CliffsDiscus
Teenagers firting
Cliff
Haha. Totally got it.
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sturiosoma
I would leave the driftwood, and you can get a heater guard at Amazon, if nothing else to keep them from burning themselves
Jeanne
Would flipping my heater horizontally work as well? Right now the heater is in upright position.
Re: Weird Discus Behaviour: Shaking & Pecking
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jamesx
You mush have a special ability to read my mind, as this is the question that I was about to ask! My discus are still juveniles and I would really love to see them growing a bit more before I move them to another tank for breeding.
Thank you Pat for giving me the answer before I even asked.
For now, should I just ignore even if they lay eggs? Should I leave a spawning cone there?
Yes and do not put a spawning cone in the tank. I would suggest placing the heater horizontal in the tank. They are less likely to lay on it (and it is best that they didn't. Would hate to see them burn the neither regions).
Pat