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Thread: Aggression

  1. #1
    Registered Member
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    Feb 2020
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    Default Aggression

    How do you calm down 1 discus. He or she is the biggest in the tank and is always going at the 2nd biggest. Splitting fins, losing scales. I thought to start with ot was the pecking order but it just hasnt stopped and im unsure what to do, i dont want to separate them again.

    Would love someone elses opinion

  2. #2
    Platinum Member fljones3's Avatar
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    Jun 2018
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    VA
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    Frank

    Default Re: Aggression

    How many in the tank, and what size is the tank?

  3. #3
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    Jan 2019
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    Default Re: Aggression

    Quote Originally Posted by fljones3 View Post
    How many in the tank, and what size is the tank?
    Two good questions, Frank. From this and not knowing anything about your situation here are a few suggestions.

    . Discus are both schooling and territorial in nature. Around six or more is considered a Discus school. You would want six or more because the aggression, which will happen, will be spread out. Frank asked about tank size because a small tank would not allow you to build said school. Use a ratio of 1 fish for every 7 gallons. Some say 1 fish for 10 gallons while I keep 1 fish for 5 gallons. Seven is a compromise.

    I once had a fish like the one you have. At the time I had 5 fish living in a 30 gallon tank. I was going to put the fish on "time out" in another tank but never got around to it. It fought often and always with a blue one. After a while it paired off with another but the fighting with the blue one continued. More time went by and the fighter changed its mind an paired with the blue one and today it and its one time enemy are not together in a breeding tank spawning.

    Point is who knows why the fish are fighting? Prior to moving the two to the breeding tank the new pair would naturally chase any fish away from their territory. When I added a new fish that fish fought with all other fish. In fact it tried to become involved as a third party in the spawning pair's process. Along comes my son, Little Ricky, who knows nothing about keeping fish but a whole lot about human nature, observed that my fish needed something to occupy themselves so they had less time for fighting. His idea was to get a wave maker. The fish having to spend their time swimming the current would give them both exercise and occupy their day.

    I got the wave maker and moved 2 of the 5 to a breeding tank. All of the various aggression is now gone. There are now 3 in the 30 gallon and the spawning pair in a 20 gallon. Having 3 fish in a30 gallon tank is not enough for me so I am in the process of adding 2 more I nope to find another pair. At this point I would try adding more fish.

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