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View Full Version : Discus aggro, associated health issues



katchan
Tue May 27, 2008, 03:28 PM
Hi all, we currentley have 4 discus in a 3' paludarium (to be upsized in 4 weeks :D to either 4x2x2 or 5x2x2). 2 are red turqs which I've had since Feb '07, one snakeskin that I got last christmas (in between the red turqs in size) and a small blue diamond. I'm having a few aggression probs that dont want to settle down.

basically I had the two red turqs, they were always at each others throats so I got the snake, hoping to spread the aggro. Now the large discus picks on the snake and other red turq, the small red turq seems unphased by this, who also picks on the snake, who lost alot of weight a month or so ago, but is now slowly gaining again, but also looks dull and stress barrred all the time. Also about 6 weeks ago we got blue diamond to try to spread the problem. Which did nothing. The Dominant discus mostley ignores it, the snake does ignore it and if the the smaller turq goes near it the dominate chases him off. Any suggestions for solving my discus dramas would be great.

Things I have considard myself.
1. i can afford a new discus on friday, to try and spread the aggro again.
2. I may be able to temp move the two trouble makers into another of my tanks for awhile till the snakeskin gets back on its feet, so to speak, though their may be some risk as it has a small GT, and a med acara and JD, all of which my dominant discus has happily kicked round the tank before (actually he's done that to all my fish cept a BGK and sailfin plec) :twisted:
3. I have two 5 litre breeding nets I could either house each of the trouble makers in till I'm happy with the snakeskin or I could house the snake skin in one for a week or three till I'm happy hes really healthy (this would be within their current tank.
4. set up a new tank for the snakeskin, while I have a suitable tank, I'm currentley pushed for space to set it up (plus would need to buy heater and substrate if used)

katchan
Tue May 27, 2008, 03:39 PM
PS forgot to mention tank params etc
Generally keep the tank around 28C
ph 7, kept steady as a rock
ammonia/nitrite 0
nitrate sometimes reaches 5, but rare due to plantage

cityguy
Tue May 27, 2008, 04:17 PM
Aggression can be reduced by increasing the number. A minimum of 6 to 8 Discus are the best if you have the space in your tank, which you shall have very soon as I see..

Moving the agressive Discus / Discuss's away to a temporary tank would also help, while you re-arrange your old tank and let them in again after a week or so. In that way it would become a new home for them and aggression will certainly reduce.

tomahawk
Tue May 27, 2008, 04:21 PM
I agree ditto with city above, moving the fishes and redoing the tank has helpled me even in case of highly agressive fishes like oscars. 8-)

katchan
Wed May 28, 2008, 12:11 AM
I have had a few move arounds in making my paludarium, its been a stages things thing as I could afford it (with one last big change when we get our new tank). So since christmas there has probably been 3 complete tank changes which hasnt helped (into the current tank, a change because the wood I was using was rotting with lots of debris, and a change of rooms).

My main discus seems a very aggressive fish, as I said he has dominated every fish I have bar a sailfin and BGK, some of these are a large breeding pair of acara, large breeding pair of festivum, two medium JD's and a medium salvini (I had to do an emergency 2 week temp move last year and he ended up in their tank and the king of fish was the king)

katchan
Wed May 28, 2008, 12:14 AM
So going from above suggestions, get new discus on friday, move both red turqs for a week, do small tank move around and re-intro the red turqs and get another discus in a couple more weeks if needed (bring the total up to 6) revaluate then.

cityguy
Wed May 28, 2008, 06:33 AM
So going from above suggestions, get new discus on friday, move both red turqs for a week, do small tank move around and re-intro the red turqs and get another discus in a couple more weeks if needed (bring the total up to 6) revaluate then.

Absolutely Pal.. :lol:

Hollowman
Wed May 28, 2008, 07:19 AM
Dont forget proper QT before introducing the new fish if you get them, this can take 6-8 weeks done properly.

Hollowman :wink: