Fighting Discus

[arnie]

I've had a nice 4 inch leopard in a 58 gal tank along with a few neons and some driftwood for the last 4 months, I've just purchased a 2.5 inch blue diamond and put it in the same tank but ever since I did, he's been chased by the other discus to the point of exhaustion (in my opinion), he can only get relief by wedging himself between a sponge filter where he's relatively safe.. I've had different sugetions but none from discus people, what can I do????


Thanks, Arnie :'(

[Willie]

These are cichlids, so they are highly socialized and establish pecking orders rapidly. One is always the alpha fish. With only two fish, one will always be picked on. Most people recommend at least six discus in a tank for this reason. I have two suggestions:

1. take out the larger fish and return this fish after a week. The smaller fish would be the 'owner' of the tank and may have more standing.
2. rearrange all the furnishings so its a new tank.

Either of these will only work for a while, since the tank will gradually revert to the alpha/everyone else arrangement. So you're back to either one discus per tank or getting more discus. Watch the small one. If he/she starts to lose weight, you'll need to move it out.

Willie

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Arnie:
I answered your IM, but thought I'd reply here too.

Your 4 inch leopard in has been king of the tank for several months. You've just added a much smaller 2 1/2 inch blue diamond. Discus king doesn't like sharing "his" tank and is chasing Discus intruder, making the poor little blue diamond hide in the corner. This is typical cichlid behavior and there is not a lot you can do with these two discus. You can either add several more discus or take the one discus back to the store.

AS a side note . . . you always need to quarantine new fish before adding them to your existing tank. A fish may look completely healthy, but when put under stress (like the blue diamond is now) hidden pathogens can gain the upper hand sickening the new discus and/or the established discus.

[crazy4discus]

get more discus in there n u will b fine

[arnie]

Thanks for your help guys, I'm glad to report that I took the leopard out and rearraged the tank, at the same time I bought a pigeon blood the same size as the blue diamond which I put in the same tank and returned the leopard back to the tank. I haven't had any problems since and they are all getting along!!!!!!!



Thanks....Arnie ;D