too much breeding?

[josinski]

Is there a gentle way to discourage breeding? It's changed the dynamics of my tank, permanently it seems, because this one couple just won't stop. She's been laying eggs once a week for about 5 months solid now...most of the time the babies get eaten but I have 5 juvies that I separated out 4 weeks ago and are doing nicely (still a small number compared to what they've laid I know but OK by me). I've removed the the other fish in the tank so they wouldn't eat the babies but now that I've almost raised the five I feel like I'll have accomplished enough. I'd like the tank to return to the environment it was before. I put one other adult back but the mom pesters the hell out of it. I used to have cardinals and a couple corys in there too.

This is obviously a good think if you have time and desire to raise fry. But it takes a lot of work to keep them fed properly.

This must happen all the time to others of you--right? A couple pairs off and starts mating and pesters all the others to stay away? Is there any other solution beside moving them to their own breeder tank? Or should I just ignore it, put all the fish I want in there and let the babies get eaten?

Thanks for your advice.

[Bud]

you know this is coming......I dont like you...ha I kid :)..Ive had my group for over a year,waiting..and waiting...and...nothing!Are they nice offspring(desirable)?Nice enough to capitalize on?If not,.....they are carnivores.;)

[cjr8420]

sell/trade the females off as u find them and try to replace with males.

[josinski]

Bud--the mom is a virgin red snakeskin and the dad is a really big royal blue--not sure yet what the kids will look like. Yes, I know this might be the dream couple for the right owner, but it also seems like it would be a full time job if you let it. She lays even if she already has babies around from a week ago--I would have thought that would flip the switch off--is this normal?

cjr--yes I suppose I could do that. I grow attached but I guess that's one option.

[WMD]

it would be nice if the fry turned out to be blue faced virgin red lol

[John_Nicholson]

Short answer is no. Not much you can do. Reproduction is as natural as fighting. Its just what happens.

-john

[strawberryblonde]

I currently have 3 pairs who are breeding. I ended up removing one pair just because the fight for space had become too violent and left the remaining 3 unattached males hiding in the middle of the tank behind a flower pot.
Breeding is just what they do and they do it constantly.

My smallest female has been paired and laying eggs since last July...3 days after I got her into the tank. It's every 3-5 days like clockwork depending on whether or not the eggs get to the wriggler stage.

With just 2 pairs in the tank I've noticed a big reduction in the aggression levels and unless it ratchets back up again I'll just leave them as they are - both pairs at one end, fighting over who gets the longer branch on the driftwood and the other 3 discus free to swim from the middle to the other end of the tank.

[josinski]

Thanks Toni it sounds like a similar situation but you have even more. I guess this must be happening to many discus owners. Are you doing anything to care for the young and grow them out or just let them get eaten over and over?