Ross Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 I have a 5x2x2 tank and about a year ago I started with a breading pair of Discus and a single guy that had come from the same tank. A month later, I added 6 more and then another month, 2 more. From day 1 the original single guy was constantly hiding. At first, I thought he just needed time to settle in but I couldn't get him to eat and I noticed that the breeding pair were constantly harassing him. He got more and more skinny and finally after some time, he died. instantly, the breeding pair starting picking on the next one who then took up the same behaviour of hiding, not eating and eventually dying. Then onto the next one. This time I set up protective custody within the tank by using a plastic grate to create a wall where I kept the victim but the perpetrators found their next victim from the bunch left. Meanwhile, the guy in the cell still wasn't eating so I put him back in with the others and I now have the breeding/killer pair locked away for the rest of their natural lives. The 2 that had previously been attacked have since starved and died and now I am left with the prisoners locked up and 3 others in the larger portion of the tank BUT NOW 2 have taken to ganging up on the 3rd and he too has stopped eating. Suggestions have been to get rid of the breeding pair, rearrange the plants and logs, or buy another 6 Discus and remove the partition so that they all settle down within a school. Has anyone experienced this sort of thing? How did you fix it? I thought Discus were supposed to be peaceful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny@ageofaquariums Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 I would definitely also check out your feeding routine. Mix it up, pellets with flakes and some frozen other options a) remove breeding pair to a breeding tank. add more driftwood to create a more complicated structure c) add more discus d) add more fish as targets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yojimbo Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Don't get anymore fish. Either sell the breeding pair or put them into a 20gallon by themselves. Discus can be angry fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carib Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 Man....I could have written this post myself. Although the pair that I have left I got from a breeder here on the forum, going strong but picked on and starved off all the other discus that were store bought. Started with a school of six around 5-6cm mark and now down to three (last remaining Lfs purchase). Also ate about 20 tetras. And beat up a neon blue ram that thankfully learned to hide now. I realise it was probably coincidence that the dominant pair happened to be the fish purchased at the same time and from same person but always seemed weird that they stayed together as if they "knew" each other and ganged up on the rest. Peaceful my ..$$ there's always some mofo wants to be the biggest baddest dude in the tank doesn't matter what type of fish. Getting out of Discus and starting up an American tank. At least they have a rep and stick to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davalee Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 I had 8 large discus in a 6 foot which they quickly out grew. Brought 2 small discus and put them in the new 8 foot tank then added the big guys. Schooled together instantly. We have a pair that constantly lays eggs and 1 other fish that eats the eggs pretty much as they lay them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsright99 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Adding fish from different shops is asking for disease trouble. Even from the same shop but diff shipments can cause problems. The pair will be putting out growth inhibiting horemones so thats another reason the smaller one rnt growing , WATER changes will help stop that. The same with the smaller ones, as the dom one gets bigger it'll do it too. They are territorial when breeding and haveing other fish in with the pair will stress the pair and the others being chased. Like i am sure you've told many times, you buy your Discus all at one from the same place. 6-10 is a good number. Dither fish will have to ne slow fish as they will eat the food before the Discus get a chance to. Put in some cheap brine when you find them for the adults for a bit of live food but that can be a bit of a problem too, but fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsright99 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 Don't put in blk ghosts or nocturnal catfish as the sudden touch of the fish on the Discus will ( can) startle the hell out it and the Discus will dart off and smash into whatever ornaments,wood ect even jumping out of the tank. What pair do you hav e? And what's in THEIR tank now fish wise? You didn't say how many times they've laid eggs either... If only just started, they can take 4-5 times to get it right. How old,big are they, are they 2 girls -have you seen the eggs fertilizated, the other fish could've been stressing the Discus hence why eating eggs, the male might be to young to make sperm, or he could just straight out be a useless dad, in which case its best to break the pair and find another mate for the other, which is going to be expensive for obvious reasons. You didn't say anything about your water either which has a whole lot of more factors which can come into play and cause problems. What's your water temp? Just a few things to think about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatsright99 Posted July 11, 2013 Report Share Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) I don't know why you put them in a 5x2x2 for a start... A 3x15 is good enough( as you get to raise babies you'll understand better ) who said that an extra one in with a pair wouldn't be a problem? You should of put the divider in to make a 2x2x2 sect for the pair and the rest of the tank for the others. No gravel. One less problem. Put plants in a terracotta pot. The wood at least will help with the tannins which is good for the fish. It makes the water brown which all softwater fish like, as opposed to being yellowish from fish waste and other waste. Again more water changes for that Edited July 11, 2013 by thatsright99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
