Keep pairs in a tank?

[kreekree]

Just researching and learning. I have no desire to breed as of yet.

I'm trying to learn so please don't think I'm trying to come off as a trouble maker just trying to understand.

Everything I have read in this forum suggests discus belong in schools of 5-6. People breed discus in smaller tanks of just two. How does that make for happy discus if there's only two in the tank always? I'm assuming some never move their pairs to large tanks to be with a group?

[Second Hand Pat]

Pairs can be moved to a community tank for several reasons. One is to rest them, especially the female as eggs laying taking alot of resources from the female. Another is to strengthen the pair bond or mature a young pair in the tendng of eggs and young. Sometimes the human needs a break from fry rearing. :)

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Discus should be in groups of 5 or more in a community tank, thats what schooling type fish need. Once they get to the right age for spawning and you decide to try your luck at breeding, then a small tank for the pair is fine for them because their mindset is on breeding and not on being in a group (hope that makes sense). Kind of like humans, when we pair off, we don't want an audience? Well, some might like that, Lol.

As Pat mentioned though that when a pair is together too long, they might turn agressive towards each other and now you need to put them back in the community tank or separate them and give them a break. We all need it!

[Larry Bugg]

Like a lot of chchlids, discus can be very aggressive. We keep them in groups so that aggression is spread out and not as evident. Less fighting means a happier social group. A proven pair will not normally show aggression towards each other and therefore are happy to be in a tank alone.

[kreekree]

Thanks everyone for educating me! :)

[rerdragon1977]

I dont mean to steal the thread but i have 6 discus in a community tank. I now have two pairs controlling territories and laying eggs with the other two scared in the middle. They eat their eggs every two days or when i do a water change the others will dart in and eat them during the confusion. I can tell that they are about to lay the eggs when their colour gets darker and they start picking at stuff. Between the 2 pairs i have eggs about every three weeks. They rarely school anymore and im wondering if i sould split them up? There should be plently room for them in the 90 gallon. Will community tanks eventually all pair up and is there a way to discourage this as i like it when they school and have the best colour?? My wife realy one will let me have one tank so mabey throwing them into a larger 220gallon may give them some room to figure it out???

[bogia99]

I heard from some experience discus keepers that they will sell/trade/separate their females and only keep males in their show tank. Sound logical enough to me.

[rerdragon1977]

That actually sounds like a prety good idea