What to do when they pair up?

[FLBlue]

I haven't been able to find a good answer directly to this question so here goes.

When you have a tank let's say a 125g with 8-10 discus and they start to pair off how do you deal with tank dynamics if you're not interested in breeding, but just want a display tank? Are they passive enough that the aggression won't have them killing off their tank mates or do they have to be removed? Can you just buy 8-10 and let nature run it's course and they'll figure it out among themselves during that time of the month? I guess I'm just trying to avoid a thunder dome where you constantly have to be rehoming and purchasing new fish especially after raising them up.

Thanks!

[famtsberg]

from my reading you find smaller tanks such as 29-40 gallon and move the pair in by themselves. most do bare bottom with a cone.

[Boxraddict]

I have wondered this too. Simply put can a pair live among other discus? That’s what I’m hoping to find out too. Got 8. 2 mine are pairing off chasing others away.

[FLBlue]

I have wondered this too. Simply put can a pair live among other discus? That’s what I’m hoping to find out too. Got 8. 2 mine are pairing off chasing others away.

Yes, I'd like to know from the ones that have been keeping community tanks for a few years not just getting into them about their experience.

Can you have 8-10 in a tank and have breeding behavior occurring (I don't see anyway around this) without having to separate them and move them around? If not, I feel like we would constantly be having to remove and rehome fish and that would not make it very enjoyable.

[famtsberg]

Yes, I'd like to know from the ones that have been keeping community tanks for a few years not just getting into them about their experience.

Can you have 8-10 in a tank and have breeding behavior occurring (I don't see anyway around this) without having to separate them and move them around? If not, I feel like we would constantly be having to remove and rehome fish and that would not make it very enjoyable.

You can do this but if you are hoping to get babies, most folks put them in their own tank.

[CliffsDiscus]

Let them pair off, let them lay eggs, check if the eggs are fertile, then if there are any aggression place an egg crate divider. No need to do any moving. Enjoy your tank.

Cliff

[FLBlue]

It seems from some of the answers here and on the FB group that even with breeding going on they are not so aggressive to kill off other tank mates like other cichlids do.

I'll be ordering different types of discus so I'm assuming they'll randomly pair off and I cant imagine the offspring to look good when the parents are different strains.

[AquaticNerd]

As long as the parents are genetically compatible, you won't have any problems with bad young.

There's been plenty of discussion here on the forums, but basically you want compatibility in terms of Pigeon Blood (PB) or non PB pairs. A PB x PB pair will produce great young. A non-PB x non-PB pair will produce great young. A PB x non-PB pair will produce fry that are heavily peppered. Some people may not care too much about that, so it's up to you. If your plan is to not breed them it doesn't matter - just let nature take it's course. I've had a pair (or two) breed in my display tank (even at the same time) and the ones that didn't breed had a nice snack when the parents weren't paying attention. My water isn't also suitable for breeding since it's hard, so the eggs would eventually calcify and the parents would also then eat them.

[number1sixerfan]

Instead of creating a new thread, going to ask a related question here. Is egg crate or adding another tank essentially the only option? Has anyone been able to reintroduce after a period of time without issue?

I have two that I saw signs were pairing up months ago and yet only ever had minor aggression issues. They have for sure paired up and one of them is being extremely aggressive towards all of the tank mates. Haven't seen this much aggression with the few I've had pair off before. Going to get some egg crate for now, but really hoping to avoid having to setup a second long term tank for them.