Consciensious treatment of breeding pair - eggs won't develop. What to do?

[Sasha]

I have 4 discus in a 56 gallon tank. I use aged well water in the tank which has a PH of 8.1-8.2 and is relatively hard (7-8 dKH, 10 dGH). This is the third time that two of the four (the same pair) have spawned.

My fish are stressed - both the breeding pair (tending to the eggs and being territorial) and the other two non-breeding fish (who I think are both males; one in particular is being highly picked on and chased by the breeding male into a corner). I've added several plastic plants to the tank to create "territories" and to slow down the pace of attack by the breeding male on the others. It has helped some, but there is still quite a bit of aggression being displayed.

According to my research, the eggs won't develop in the hard water, which is for now potentially a good thing. I am not ready to raise babies for a number of reasons (extra tanks, space, time, etc). Maybe in the future, but not now.

Question 1: what suggestions do you have to deal with this situation in the most humane way? Do I remove the eggs? Or will this further stress out the breeding pair? The female is so intense on tending to the eggs that she is not eating much at all.

Question 2: is it likely that I will continue to have territorial/aggression problems if I leave all 4 fish in the same tank together? Or will the situation, over time, work itself out and they will assume a reasonable pecking order?

Question 3: if I do remove the mated pair to their own tank filled with the same (hard) water, is it healthy for them to continue to spawn over and over and not have the eggs develop?

I want to be a conscientious discus keeper - and I do love my fish - and I'm not sure of the most "humane" thing to do.

I appreciate your advice and suggestions.

[TURQ64]

1. They will just continue to spawn, making more eggs..
2.Yes. No, since they are pairing up, there will never be peace in the valley..
3. They may hatch, don't count that fact out..

[Sasha]

1. They will just continue to spawn, making more eggs..


Thanks for the response Turq (which, by the way, happens to be the name of my female! :-) ) I agree they will continue to spawn, but would it be better/easier on the pair (or at least her) if I remove this particular set of eggs until I can get a breeder tank for them, so that they can live happily ever after? Will they calm down and rest for at least a few days without having to look after the eggs?

[Sasha]

New development last night... I now have a confirmed second female in the tank. She laid eggs on the glass tank wall. The male (who is paired with a different female), did not fertilize them, but instead started to immediately eat them. All of her eggs were eaten. Now the three of them, the mated pair and this newly sexed female, are hanging out on one side of the tank, and the final and remaining 4th discus (who I think is a male, but this is not confirmed), is still being relegated to the opposite corner.

Does this new development have an impact on my course of action? Will one male mate with 2 females?

[mac2b4mic]

I just had wrigglers hatch in my community tank and my ph and tds is really high...too high for breeding anyways. It's possible they will hatch. They are cichlids they are going to have aggression, even the pair will have their differences. I wouldn't separate the one untill there is serious injury...when I had 4 they were very hostile all around...I got a couple more and now it's a lot better and the one that was being picked on is not anymore...my recommendation it to ger 2 more discus If u have the space for it...it might help, it did me

[CliffsDiscus]

I usually have pairs spawning in my tanks, (no room for breeder tanks), most of the time I pull out the eggs and see how fertile are the eggs, or place an divider
in the tank seperating the pair from the rest of the tank mates.

Cliff

[CliffsDiscus]

I just had wrigglers hatch in my community tank and my ph and tds is really high...too high for breeding anyways. It's possible they will hatch. They are cichlids they are going to have aggression, even the pair will have their differences. I wouldn't separate the one untill there is serious injury...when I had 4 they were very hostile all around...I got a couple more and now it's a lot better and the one that was being picked on is not anymore...my recommendation it to ger 2 more discus If u have the space for it...it might help, it did me

I just got back from the Pro Bowl, checked out that Disney Hotel too.

Cliff

[mac2b4mic]

Pro bowl is fun! Better be its the only football out here, lol...haven't been to the aulani yet, going tomorrow for a little stay cation

[Sasha]

Thank you for your insights and shared experiences.