Big Bad Bully! Terrorizing the other 6 and stressing them out!

[sunsetopal]

Hi All! I have a big bad Alenquer bully on my hands! I have 7 new Juvie's in a 55 gallon. This juvie Bully is attacking 4 of them non-stop. Its only been 8 days that Ive had them all and this discus has already ravaged the fins of all but 2 discus. Should I just banish the bully to live by its self??? The rest are not looking happy! They have to constantly hide from the bully!
This is distressing! The bullies tail fin was already torn when I received it. None of the other fish pick on the bully or the others.
Thank You for your advice! Regina













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[seanyuki]

Try to rearrange the decorations in the tank may help with bully aggression towards the others.....there will always be an alpha among the pack.

[sunsetopal]

Will Do! Thank You Francis!
Regina

[peewee1]

If you have a quarantine tank you might time out the bully for a few weeks in order to give the others a rest and recuperation. In the meantime a new alpha may emerge in that group so when the time out fish is reintroduced stronger competition has been established. I also agree with the rearrangement of the decor.

[sunsetopal]

Thanks Peewee! That may be a good solution! Just to give the others a rest and a chance to have leisurely swims around without being nipped at!
Regina

[number1sixerfan]

Thanks Peewee! That may be a good solution! Just to give the others a rest and a chance to have leisurely swims around without being nipped at!
Regina

I don't disagree with the recommendation, because it really is all just trial and error. There is no way to predict what will happen. All I'll say is typically, the next bully steps right up and just does the same exact thing, so be prepared for that. I just went through this with 10 large adult discus, which was much worse than anything I've seen before (I never buy adults, always raise from young, less issues with this). It took a few months for them to settle down. The biggest thing that helped was rearranging plants, the sponge filters (resetting territory) and lights out periods. I used a very thin blanket taped to the tank for a 3-4 days at a time and that really seemed to help tremendously combined with the redecoration. With just the redecoration, I had less luck. It was tough, because obviously I wanted to be able to view the tank, and I lost some of my plants but the discus chilled out. Good luck!

[sunsetopal]

oooooh! That is interesting number1! Yes I did the rearranging of decor and it did not help one iota!

The Bully is one of 2 of the larger Alenquers in the tank. just as of last nite I noted this other Alenquer giving the Bully the business with chases and head butting! This ones only messing with the bully! I know its probably my fantasy.. I have named him Francois.. But it seems Francois is so chill and is trying to protect the others.

So I will next try your technique!

I really don't want to quarantine the bully and I get your reasoning. Thanks so much for chiming in with help!
Regina

[number1sixerfan]

oooooh! That is interesting number1! Yes I did the rearranging of decor and it did not help one iota!

The Bully is one of 2 of the larger Alenquers in the tank. just as of last nite I noted this other Alenquer giving the Bully the business with chases and head butting! This ones only messing with the bully! I know its probably my fantasy.. I have named him Francois.. But it seems Francois is so chill and is trying to protect the others.

So I will next try your technique!

I really don't want to quarantine the bully and I get your reasoning. Thanks so much for chiming in with help!
Regina

Np, and I'm also not saying to not take the bully out either. Just try each variable you can and make a judgement call based on how they respond or change behavior. Also, I know it's stressful and frustrating to have these beautiful fish and to see them constantly doing it (at least for me), but just remember it's pretty natural for cichlids.. and discus don't often do much physical damage. It takes some time for them to sort out the pecking order. But if fish stop eating, or are breathing heavy constantly, or are literally not moving from a single location ever, then pull him or the stressed fish or do something different. Also, salt and large frequent water changes seemed to help with the stress of the fish. Btw, 3-4 of my fish still go at it lol, just much more relaxed than before lol

[sunsetopal]

O.K... Thx again! I wouldn't be so darn alarmed about the bully if it were't for the fact that the victims are suffering physically with tattered tails and fins from his constant nipping and they all hide from him most the time except when they see me and think its meal time.. then they come out.
I'm going to follow your advice and let them get their pecking order slated and then see if the bully will be nicer
Regina