How do i stop a bully?

[chris allsop]

In my current tank 48 15 15, i have 6 discus. One is always chasing the others and effecting there colour by bringing out there stress bars.
How do i stop it bullying
Its not due to over crowding cos it does it no matter how many discus are in the tank.
At the minute i dont have another tank to put it in, im looking for one tho.
Im thinking of seperating him but i dont know what to use for a tank divider? any ideas?

 

[WILDER]

Sorry but no nothing at all about these fish, do you have alot of hiding spaces, you might be better of putting it in the forum section for these fish.

 

[IMCL85]

Need more detail about ur tank/water stats(ph/temperature/ammonia etc...)and the discus size

The cause of the stress ain't just by bullying usually when u have 6 dicus together the agreesion toward just one fish is slime unless u didn't give them enought space to escape the bully(usually 6 disucs together there is already enought to draw out agreesion as it would just continue chasing one fish) Or maybe you didn't put them together all at once etc. IYou can try to put in more discus to draw out the agreesion. If you see more agreesive beahive just get a 10g for him or maybe be a tank divider. My dicus hasn't be agreesive nor stress for like years now. Before I have like 6 as well then 2 die from unknown reason and the rest live peacefully together.

 

[simonbrown403]

Tank size 48" * 15" * 15" works out at about 177ltr/39gal less after displasment, as a rule of thumb discus require 45ltrs per fish to grow and be healthy, although some will disagree.

Its something thats common with young males, the dominant male go's power mad, the others will get sick of it sooner or later and wollop it one, it can take mounths to settle some times, ive seen the pecking order change 2/3 times in 6 months

Discus can be teritorail at time, its worse when you introdusing new fish, your current tenonts will be picked on the newbies as they swim around the tank trying to find a a safe place to settle, some times rearanging the tank can break up teritores, giving the new comers chance to find home and there slot in the pecking order.

 

[rdd1952]

Im thinking of seperating him but i dont know what to use for a tank divider? any ideas?

[snapback]884441[/snapback]​

I don't know that a divider is the answer or not but this one might work.

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Most sites ive read up on discus say the minimum for six discus is a 100gal, if thats correct then your overstocked and thats the reason for the agression, a lack of space

 

[chris allsop]

No he is always like it, no matter how many fish are in the tank, water stats are good too.

 

[IMCL85]

Well I guess then u probably have to use divider or send him to another tank. else the stress in ur tank would cause alot of disease out break. Good luck

 

[freddyk]

By all means this one should be simple - seperate him into a holding tank and see what happens. You may find that you suddenly reach a nice balance in the tank. You may find another fish takes over as the 'bully'. But it only seems sensible to seperate him and see.