what changes the pecking order?

[TimboS]

Hi All,

I recently introduced my male and female back together after some time apart because he was aggressive and I wanted her to have a chance to eat and grow. She was kept in the community tank.

Now, considered she fattened up a bit and was clearly happy with her new surroundings I made for a change, I put him back in. The time apart must have been at least two weeks.

Well, when they were put back together, she took no nonsense from him and stood her ground. When the lights turned off, she actively pursued him.

Today, three days later, he is back to his old tricks. He just pecks at her until she moves up into the back top right corner off the tank and that's about it. She is clearly hungry and wants to eat but anytime she moves toward the food he zooms out from elsewhere in the tank and just pecks her back into the corner. To see such vivid black stress bars is not a good sight.

I wonder what on earth could have made her lower her defenses ?

The remedy is one of three things as I see it:

1) Get more discus (would like to do this but it's more cost and while the tank is rated at 124L, it holds only about 110L once you account for sand, driftwood, etc - so there's not enough for four)

2) Trade him in at the LFS for another discus (but I loose out since he is easily a $150 fish)

3) Keep just her

Thoughts? Opinions? Rants and/or raves ? :wink:

[the german]

only one way is the right one here,get a bigger tsnk snd some more fish.
sorry but thats the only thing what really helps.
you shouldnt keep only two discus.
are you sure you have a pair?
when so they should be ok together.
breeding tanks are usually arround the 100l mark so when they a real pair they shouldnt be fighting so much.

[TimboS]

Well, they have spawned together twice. She laid the eggs and he followed up behind, row by row. The breeding tubes are also differently shaped.

I reckon I'll leave them be for a week, and if things don't settle down, he's going to find a new home.

[the german]

that would be a shame :?

[ILLUSN]

you could try a divider, or another fish, bigger then the bully,

thats all i can think of sorry.

[TimboS]

Yep, would be a shame alright. He's a very nice fish, but I have had the female alot longer.

I might try a divider ILLUSN - in fact I have done that before but neither look all that happy with such small space as a result. The divider however was clear - I wonder if it should be blackened for her piece of mind if I have to go down that route again?

Would TWO smaller fish be as good as one bigger fish?