When a pair starts fighting

[cschwaderer]

Hi all,

I've got a breeding pair of Checkerboard Turquoise Discus. They've been spawning since December and have successfully raised 3 batches of fry. Typically the cycle is: 1. Take juvies out 2. In a week they spawn on the glass and nothing hatches 3. Another 4 days and they spawn on the flowerpot and those hatch and get raised.

A couple weeks ago, they got to step 3 and only ended up with a couple free swimmers, so one ate them (which I've seen with other pairs before - I think it was the male). but instead of spawning again in 3-4 days, they started fighting, first the female fighting the male, then the male started getting the best of things. I've separated them with a divider for 3-4 days at a time, then put them back together. They start all lovie-dovie, then end up fighting again. This has been going on for about 3 weeks now.

I just wondered what other folks might do when their pairs start fighting to the point of missing scales or ripped fins and one of the partners up in the corner.

[Peachtree Discus]

i let them fight until it gets bad...(to the point of missing scales or ripped fins and one of the partners up in the corner). jus watch them closely and get ready to pull one if they cannot behave themselves

i have a pair that would fight after a few days of freeswimmers. I would separate 1 and reintro after i pulled the fry. they would be ok from there. Most recently they raised a spawn together but afterwards the male bullied the female until she got stressed/sick. Another pair raise the spawn together but totally break up (staying at opposite ends of the tank) for a few months.

[cschwaderer]

i let them fight until it gets bad...(to the point of missing scales or ripped fins and one of the partners up in the corner). jus watch them closely and get ready to pull one if they cannot behave themselves

i have a pair that would fight after a few days of freeswimmers. I would separate 1 and reintro after i pulled the fry. they would be ok from there. Most recently they raised a spawn together but afterwards the male bullied the female until she got stressed/sick. Another pair raise the spawn together but totally break up (staying at opposite ends of the tank) for a few months.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Yeah, it was getting bad where I saw her pushed in the corner for a couple days, so I put them both back in my large 135 gallon tank with several other adult discus. Today in the large tank, he is still trying to court her, but no real aggressiveness. Another male in the tank is also now trying to court her and she appears to be kind of interested in him over the other.

I've also had pairs that start fighting aggressively anywhere between a few days after egg laying through having wigglers or free swimming fry. I had to separate them as well. I had a large flurry of egg layng with 3 different pairs and now everyone has stopped. They look great, eating fantastic, water parameters fine. They just don't seem interested in breeding right now for whatever reason. Discus-dynamics can be pretty fascinating sometimes.:)