Behaviour

[benjohnson]

Morning All,

My Pair have gone off the boil for the last 6 months or so... they have stopped laying (Up until that point they were a proven pair laying every 8 days or so, Mostly got to wrigglers then got eaten but had some juvies from them )

They have been showing their "Breeding" courting for over 6 weeks. They go a really bright vibrant colour, start pecking at something... then just give up ! They do everything as normal, right up until the point they should start laying stuff, then they just .... don't !

Coupled with this, they have started bickering with each other in the last couiple of weeks, with a bit of jaw locking going on . Doesn't seem to be one being aggressive with the other in particular, just whoever fancies a fight will pick one.


I have tried numerous tactics to get them to lay, as I suspect thats what the fighting is all about.... water changes, temp up , temp down, food changes, all sorts of stuff.... and I don't seem to be getting anywhere...

Should I just accept that maybe they're finished breeding? Their really big fish ( female is 7 inches and male is 8-9 inches not including tail) So i guess they are pretty old now.


Anyone got any advice?? If the common consensus is their finished with their breeding days, their heading for the community tank I expect!!

Cheers,
Ben

[discus lover01]

how old would they be ? and if there around 7-8 years old i would say there finished as i have had pairs breeding up until 7ish years old.
i would think look further into it like maybe worming them and doing a fluke treatment and then increase there diet to bulk them up a bit more even if your sucking any excess out daily but i would do a worming on them as this can stop females laying and also stop males doing there part as well.
hope this helps

[benjohnson]

They have been fluke and worm treated recently.... :-(

There is a possibility they are 7 plus years old, i bought them 18 months ago, and they were pretty big at that point and have grown a little more since.

Is there a rought age to size guide? Obviosuly feeding etc affects it, but is there a rough guesstimate?

[Merrilyn]

Can you post a pic of them Ben.

As a general rule, older discus have very long ventral fins. That's about the best way to estimate the age. Another thing you can look for is a general wrinkling of the skin, like the skin of an old person.

Discus do burn themselves out and reach the end of their breeding life. Your fish may be close to that point.

Either way, I'd give them a break in the community tank for a few months, and see if that repairs the pair bond.

[benjohnson]

I have attached one , which shows the length of the fin you mention.... i cant sem to get the size down to below 128 k/b so cant post any other pics....


Will keep trying if you need more info,

Thankyou for your help :-)

[discus lover01]

hope the resize of the pic helps mate

[Merrilyn]

Certainly not a young fish Ben, but by the looks of that photo, nothing like 7 or 8 years old either.

My best guess is around 4 years old.

Give them some time in the community tank. The break from the breeding tank may just spark them up again.

(Thanks for the resize dl01 :P)

[discus lover01]

i was thinking around the 4-5 to merrilyn and not over the top for breeding age as i have had discus breeding at 6 -7 years old but not long after they turn 7 they do stop there spawning or slow right down that u miss there spawning activity if they still have it but there still good displau fish.
And yw about the resize )

[benjohnson]

Fair Enough.... Perhaps the picture doesn't do them justice, he really is a big lad , but thanks for your help :-)

Hopefully we'll get them going again soon !

Cheers,
Ben