Bullying

[jwight]

I recently purchased 3 discus (1 brilliant blue, 2 pidgeon blood) and introduced them. They are fine and eating well. I then added 1 more marlbaro red 3 days later. The largest of the pigeon blood (about 1.5 cm larger in diameter) is bullying the new one and the other pidgeon blood but not the brilliant blue.

The bullying is generally only at meal times and they do not touch. Should I be worried? Will this stop? What can I do?

[Dave76]

I've used to have a similar situation in my tank - my blue turq & snow leopard (the biggest) picked on the 3 other discus.

I've put 4 worm feeders in different parts of the tank and basically feed all of their food into these - they have no problems sucking flakes and pellets through once they are mushy - this seems to have solved the problem.

Whichever feeder I put the food into first the two bullys go and eat from, then the other discus can pick and choose where they want to eat after that.

Dave

[jwight]

I'll try that

[narny]

In my opinion Marlboro Red's are more aggresive anyway, me and my mate, he breeds and knows his stuff have both noticed this. I've tried a few reds and allways the same result.

[jwight]

The Marlbaro Red is the one that is getting bullied. It is the pigeon blood who is bullying.

[kalebjarrod]

you will always get some dominance in a tank

this is healthy and natural

you just need to make sure that no one is getting injured, in the wild they have the space to run away, your fish don't have that luxuary in your tank

if they are only messing around at feed times just break the food up into a few bits and scatter it around your tank, this will solve the problem

[jwight]

The food does scatter to about a 24 inch area at all heights so that is not the problem. I will wait and see what happens.

[kalebjarrod]

the discus in my avartar dominates my tank, everyone gets some food after he pushes them around a little :wink:

[jwight]

Every discus eats well and no injuries that I can see but is I have posted on another topic I see very little of my discus up close for now. I do find bullying unsightly as an aussie you feel for the underdog. lol.

[kalebjarrod]

its hard, but what do you do its natural

maybe if you call the guy a cool name like matthew hayden or leyton he will gain some confidence and start performing lol

[jwight]

Maybe Lleyton, hayden aint doin so well. Should be swaped for Bevan in my opinion but I am biased as he is my hero ever since that famous last ball four. lol.