Beat up Discus

[Bizarro252]

Hello everyone,
Posting this to the beginners section because hopefully its a pretty basic question that I should already know...

I came home today to find one of my guys beat up, I have been seeing some pairing behavior with him and another, but the one that I have seen that with doesnt appear to be the agressor, its the Marlboro red it seems.

I lost one of their group about a month ago, so now I only have 5 in a 55gal tank, and being worried about agression I actually just yesterday reduced temp from 86 to 85... thinking I should go further if they are fighting this much - thoughts?

Thanks


Yesterday, JUST yesterday he looked like this:
IMG_20180121_182445.jpg


And now this:
IMG_20180123_190300.jpg
IMG_20180123_190302.jpg


Even caught the ******* being a jerk while taking pics...

IMG_20180123_190401.jpg

[Bizarro252]

Video incoming.... the aggressor is not who I thought it was, just finished up a water change and I am thinking this is pairing behavior... My angel pair do beat the crap out of eachother sometimes too...

Still curious about the temp though, thinking of reducing to 82-83...CALM DOWN FISH

My wife thinks it looks more like territorial... Could be?!?

EDIT:
Video.
https://vimeo.com/252450100
https://vimeo.com/252450678

[Jenene]

Hey Matt, I’ve had some pretty bad aggression even when I had 8 in there. I tend to think paring or even removing one for a treatment to a QT can change the dynamics and start some sparring. My big Eruption was beat up pretty badly. I had seen some members having luck with taping a mirror on the outside and it really worked for me instantly. I had 2 12” x12” squares. Supposedly it tricks them into thinking there are more fish in the tank. I left them up for a few days and everything settled even after the mirrors were removed. It’s worth a try if you think he’s getting too beat up. They heal really fast though- as I’m sure you know.

[Bizarro252]

Thats a cool idea! I will hit up the dollar store tomorrow

[Jenene]

Thats a cool idea! I will hit up the dollar store tomorrow

Even a craft store. Mine were the back of an old wall mirror we were not using. I have had to stick them on every once in awhile so now I just keep them stowed away near the tank.


It's interesting because I just realized your dynamics did just change with the "weirdo's" passing... Good luck!

[Bizarro252]

He looks almost back to 100% today, I 'installed' a mirror anyways since I already grabbed one on the way home. They seem to like it (several are doing the shimmy shakes at it lol).


IMG_20180124_175422.jpg

[benjieb]

interesting...am just setting up a new tank that has a blue base which i dont like.....looks like a swimming pool! Have bought a perspex mirror for the base that im going to lightly silicone in.....am hoping that it will calm the fishes down more as it will fool them into thinking the shoals bigger.... i hope!