Discus aggression

[Lobonator]

Hey everyone,

I've mostly been into the characins for the last few years but ended up selling my tank and fish a few months ago when I had to relocate for work. Decided I'd give discus a try again after a few years off.

After cycling a 55 for a few weeks, I grabbed a trio of wild red spotted greens from Brazil around 4-5 inches. for the last few weeks they have been great. Dorsals always up, great colours and behaviour. Up to this point my water has been pretty solid as well. This past monday, I picked up three red cuipeuas from Santarem Discus that are around the same size and added them to the tank. The importer had already quarantined them for me for a few weeks and everything was okay. For the first day everything was fine, but now one of the cuips is clearly dominating the group, and the greens are noticeably stressed, and showing very dark colours and clamped fins.

Any ideas on what I should do? I really dont want to lose any of these gorgeous fish!

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Aidan

 

[tlindsey]

Hey everyone,

I've mostly been into the characins for the last few years but ended up selling my tank and fish a few months ago when I had to relocate for work. Decided I'd give discus a try again after a few years off.

After cycling a 55 for a few weeks, I grabbed a trio of wild red spotted greens from Brazil around 4-5 inches. for the last few weeks they have been great. Dorsals always up, great colours and behaviour. Up to this point my water has been pretty solid as well. This past monday, I picked up three red cuipeuas from Santarem Discus that are around the same size and added them to the tank. The importer had already quarantined them for me for a few weeks and everything was okay. For the first day everything was fine, but now one of the cuips is clearly dominating the group, and the greens are noticeably stressed, and showing very dark colours and clamped fins.

Any ideas on what I should do? I really dont want to lose any of these gorgeous fish!

Any suggestions are appreciated!

Aidan

Do you have plants in the aquarium ?

 

[Lobonator]

No plants as of yet. Tank has a thin layer (less than an inch of sand) and a couple pieces of drift wood. Should I add some large swords in there to break up the sight lines a bit?

 

[tlindsey]

No plants as of yet. Tank has a thin layer (less than an inch of sand) and a couple pieces of drift wood. Should I add some large swords in there to break up the sight lines a bit?

Yes personally I would .

 

[Grasmere Discus]

Discus that turned dark colors with clamp fins is usually an indication that water quality has degraded. Check your ammonia/nitrite levels. In any case, vacuum the substrate, replace your mechanical filter pads, and increase the frequency of your change water. Aggression probably is not the culprit. I have discus that get beat up on all the time, but they are fine because I change water everyday.

 

[fattubwhale]

check your water!

 

[Lobonator]

I've been super on top of my water. And changing everyday. Ammonia and nitrites reading 0, nitrates 10. And ph 7. Moved the greens to another tank. And they are fine, all colours back and eating well.
At the same time the cuips are fine in the original tank. Is there anything else it could be?

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Sounds like you just have an a-hole fish. It happens.

 

[Lobonator]

Sounds like you just have an a-hole fish. It happens.

Thats what I was thinking, I separated the Greens from the Cuips the other day and have them in the quarantine tank. All fish seem to be doing fine with the exception of the one discus that was super stressed and black. He's coloured back up but is still very shy. Hoping they'll come around so I can beef them up a bit and get them back in the main tank

 

[Chadster72]

Sorry if I'm a rule breaker. I would turn on a really cloudy storm, change water, overfeed, change water. Move a rock. Yeah. Butthead fish. Shake up the tank gently. And cool. Keep having fun with your tank. I'm new and love the comments here