Does color matter?

[NorCalAl]

I have 3 blue discus and (had) 3 reds. The blues sort of stick together and starved out one of the reds. I finally moved the remaining two reds to another tank where they are recovering. Now that the blues are alone, size seems to dictate rank. One of the blues is very large, the other two about 2/3's of his size.
OK, so what I'm trying to figure out is does the color matter? I've read that cichlids communicate through color, so do the blues stick together because of that? Do they try to starve out the reds simply because they are red?
I've had up to seven discus in the tank at one time and it always seems to be the same - with the blues (they've always been the biggest) winners of every event.
I've added a fourth large blue to the blue tank with hopes both his newness and size will help quell the fighting. I've read that I should have more than four and once I can find another couple of good-sized blues, I'll move them in too.
But is my reasoning sound? Does it have any basis in fact or could there have been other factors involved? I know the littlest one (red) that did get starved out was somewhat runted and never got big, so I put him/her down to those factors. But what about the others?
Opinions requested!

[benjohnson]

Hi There,

I believe that they do go on colour, I for example have 4 blue and 4 red melons in the same tank, and they mosy definately stick together in 2 seperate coloured clans. They almost have half a tank each and god fobid someone cross's the line war breaks out .

I havn't ready it anywhere official, just from observation of my own tank that I feel this is the case

[samir]

must be from two different batches thats why. discus don't bother with colour, at least not that I know of.

[benjohnson]

Nope , they wern't introduced in any particular order , it was first a couple of blues, then a couple of melons, and so on, and they have just found their groupings themselves

[mistakes r crucial]

Nope, I haven't found that either, I'd be looking for another reason.
MAC

[NorCalAl]

The added big Henkel blue seems to be getting along with the blues. I lost another red during the night.
As far as two groups of siblings or even breeders goes, I seriously doubt that is the case. Perhaps two of the reds were related in some way, but not the blues.
I certainly appreciate your opinions. Thank you!

[NorCalAl]

OK, as the day goes on, the problems are coming out. The original Diamond is attacking without stopping, the new Henkel. He's chasing him everywhere and I can see the new guy is getting stressed - as if the move didn't do that already.
Is there anything I can do to lessen the aggression? I've moved some tank items in order to make the original blue think he's in a new place, but it hasn't had an effect. If anything, he's increasing his attacks. He's also attacking the other two, smaller blues.
Any suggestions? I come here to ask because I'm supposing you all are the experts and I'm hoping you can give me some pointers.
TIA!

[benjohnson]

oh ok.. i wasn't aware that this situation was losing you fish, i though you just mean in general.
When I said mine group together, that isn't a probolem... and they aren't aggressive like this.

Sounds like perhaps either chasee wants to breed with a girl in the tank and is defending its territory .

Although the fact you have introduced a new fish could mean they are re establishing the pecking order.

If the really aggressive fish doesnt chill out withing the next 24 hours, I would get yourself a divider andc put him on his own for a couple of days and let him chill out, sometimes that helps.

Also may be worth checking your water is ok, that can sometimes make them a bit jumpy if theres a problem with that .

HTH

[samir]

remove the aggressive one and add it back after a week or so.

[nicholas76]

Like samir said strain wont make a diffrence

sex and age will though.

[triumph1921]

Hi

I would second removing the aggressive one and adding it back a week or two later ...................

Or even better put him with some other fish his own size if u have some.........

Make sure u dont keep him in there long to stress the other fish out as once they get sick they really go downhill fast from stress........

HTH

Cheers

[NorCalAl]

I've since added yet another large (7") green. The aggression is abating to some degree. Now there are five, three large and two smaller discus in there. Did a PWC today. Tomorrow will be the first day with all five present. I'm hoping to move everyone to a 180 sometime in Feb. I get the tank in two weeks and I figure it will take another two to four weeks to get it setup and ready. Again, I will plant it heavily but this time, I think I will provide some seperated swimming spaces. Maybe they will take over their own spots that way. At least, that's my hope!