Discus tail slapping?

theredchaser

theredchaser

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Aug 8, 2008
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I have 4 discus with sizes 5, 4, 4, and 3 inches in a 55 gallon tank. The biggest one (Bertha) is definately the top in the group. She? is always pecking away the other discus.

This afternoon I found one of the 4 inch (Po) lightly pecking Bertha's side/underside while Bertha would slap Po's face with her tail. Po is now shoveling away sand from the side of a pot. Sometimes Bertha will come check on Po and they will swim together.

I tried searching for tail slapping behavior and all I got was breeding behavior. Is it possible that they are just forming a pecking order? (the 3 discus other than Bertha are new additions.) It seems kind of weird since during the day Bertha chases Po (almost exclusively) all the time.

Do you think this is breeding behavior or just nothing? I want to sell off my other tanks but if they're gonna be busy then I might have to keep them...:eek3:
 
agree
discus do not spawn in the substrate.. if they were ready to lay eggs they would be cleaning a flat surface usually upright / verticle/
 
If Bo is pooking the under belly he wants her to lay eggs.Very possible they are a male female which will pair.If that`s the case they will stop tail slapping and chasing.
 
They've definately paired up. They're always together and they even eat together. The pot is actually kind of a tall upright pot that Po was cleaning.

The problem is now the smallest one is always getting picked on by the unpaired discus that's left... mano-a-mano Should I get another smaller size one? I don't want to overstock the tank since its only a 55 with a lot of large plants. I could also grow out the small one in my spare 20... Or I could just let nature run its course and let the little guy fend for himeself... What would you guys do?
 
If they are getting close to spawning, you should see their vents (egg tube on the female and fertilizing tube on the male which will be a bit shorter than hers) very easily. In my experience with my discus, tail-slapping has been more of a pecking order, dominance behavior. The type of behavior seen most often prior to discus spawning is usually shimmying, mostly body movements rather than real tail slapping. But they're young, I'm sure that they're not 100% sure what they're doing yet! Tough to say what I'd do about the 3" one getting picked on all the time. More than likely that's probably what has led to his lack of growth (I'm assuming their all around the same age). I wouldn't pull him out and put him alone, he won't be happy about that. I think even if you get another one, at this point, he's always gonna be low man on the totem pole. Somebody has to be, but it adversely affects some discus more than others.
 
I decided to just grow out the little guy in my 20 gallon qt for now and put some plants to make him feel a little easier. I want them all to grow to adults in my 55 and I don't think I can keep more than 4 adults in my 55 anyway. At least now he's eating like a pig. (Now eating beefheart too)

I saw the pair pecking some of my larger swordplants but nothing really more than that.
 
If he's eating like a pig, then he's comfortable! That's good news! Keep us posted and good luck!
 
Well as an update, it looks like Bertha is ready to get it on but Po still doesn't quite know whats going on. She'll shake her fins and approach some of my plants at an upward 45 degree angle. Po just tags along and dances around her. They seem to be most interested in the filter inlet instead of the plants though...

Its kind of interesting now that Po's the weakest one in the tank, Bertha will guard the food dish while Po is eating so he gets his fair share.
 
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