HELP: Breeding Pair - Male Keeps ramming/pecking at Female

[JSpam1990]

Hey Guys,
I've been reading a lot of good stuff on this forum and decided the other day to join. So this will be my first post and I hope I won't say anything stupid :p

Here goes:

I have a pair of Fire Red discus whom I bought as a breeding pair from Discus Hans. But I'm having an issue. My male (I think) is ramming into and pecking at my female. It's to the point where her fins are tearing (side fins and tail) and her color is changing to a darker color. I decided to go ahead and separate them by putting an egg crate barrier in between. The male would calm down and I'd take the barrier away. And then this keeps happening:

They swim together, pat their fins together, swim over one another, and then the male does the shaky thing. But then this is where things start to go wrong: He starts chasing and ramming into the female. Pecking, pushing, etc.

From other posts, it seems like he's just really horny, but I'm worried about the health of my female.

What do you guys think I should do?
Thanks in advance

[John_Nicholson]

I would suggest leaving them alone. Animals fight, its what they do. I know in this PC world that we live in some people like to blame humans anytime animals fight but really it is just what they do.

-john

[Keith Perkins]

Besides, the make up sex might give you some really nice fry. :)

[rickztahone]

As the others have said, they do fight. Where is your temp at? A lot of times, lower your water temp by a few degrees in one go after a water change and that may put the female "in the mood". Key word here is "few". 3-5 degrees is fine.

[baolongcaca]

Hi,

if they fight too hard, you should separate them. Maybe the female not ready for spawning. Note, if the female fin usually shaking ... that is a signal she ready .. for mating

[John_Nicholson]

Wrong. This just makes it worse when you do put them back together. I have been raising discus a very long time. I have only had one discus killed by aggression. If you are looking for long term success just let them work it out.

-john


Hi,

if they fight too hard, you should separate them. Maybe the female not ready for spawning. Note, if the female fin usually shaking ... that is a signal she ready .. for mating

[mmdiscus1]

This happened to me today, i seperated them after eggs were laid , because male was aggressive towards her- everything as you describe, i was worried and seperated them. Eggs were eaten by male in the matter of hours.. So now i know for sure- seperating doesnt work. In fact they r still fighting, i think, but i will leave it as it is.

[rickztahone]

Typically when John gives you advice about breeding, you can take that info to the bank. Separating does not seem like a good idea at this point.

[MadMatt]

Hey Guys,
I've been reading a lot of good stuff on this forum and decided the other day to join. So this will be my first post and I hope I won't say anything stupid :p

Here goes:

I have a pair of Fire Red discus whom I bought as a breeding pair from Discus Hans. But I'm having an issue. My male (I think) is ramming into and pecking at my female. It's to the point where her fins are tearing (side fins and tail) and her color is changing to a darker color. I decided to go ahead and separate them by putting an egg crate barrier in between. The male would calm down and I'd take the barrier away. And then this keeps happening:

They swim together, pat their fins together, swim over one another, and then the male does the shaky thing. But then this is where things start to go wrong: He starts chasing and ramming into the female. Pecking, pushing, etc.

From other posts, it seems like he's just really horny, but I'm worried about the health of my female.

What do you guys think I should do?
Thanks in advance

Hi Jspam,
And welcome to the worlds most assembled passionate Discus breeders. :)

You are getting very good advice here, John has helped me before and I can say he has been 100% correct with his information.
John I have had the exact same thing happen, one pair is my favourite, he smashed her in so hard she got stressed, I got her from an Asian breeder and she came with developing gill flukes, I was afraid I might not rehabilitate her if she was so stressed, so I separated them for 1 month. When she was out of QT I put them back together, they paid again and had an acceptable spawn size. Half their juveniles are very attractive, half are pepper pancakes but so healthy and kook looking.
Should have I not separated them?
I think this is what's happening to our friend here.
IMO, if your female is getting stressed and could get ill, I would consider outing the female in a QT.
Moreover, discus have a social order and they do communicate with each other.
The male is communicating to her, she is not responding how he desires her to, so the male gets more aggressive.
I would do what John says, but is she gets hurt you need to QT the fish, get her better and put them back together.