Bullying by Discus amongst each other is very common and should be expected and planned around.
Discus bully other Discus for mainly one reason, to establish a pecking order. It can take months to establish a pecking order, but once it is established the bullying usually lessens. The most aggressive bullying usually happens amongst larger Discus that are close in size and age. It is not always the largest that wins the top of the pecking order. Sometimes a Discus that is slightly smaller is just more aggressive and can be above another Discus that is slightly bigger. It is not always the males that are on the top. I have had many times had the female being bigger bullies that similar sized males.
The only other reason for bullying is when to have pair are spawning or are preparing to spawn. The pair will almost always chase all of the other Discus to the other end of the tank and will be relentless. The male will be the most aggressive. The upside is that Discus will have their best coloration that they will ever have during the spawning.
The good news is that Discus almost never bully another Discus to the point that it kills the Discus being bullied. With that said, it can be hard watch is not wanted in the aquarium.
There is nothing you can do to stop the bullying. There are some tricks that do work to lessen it. Distractions are the main tool to lessen bullying. I have found the most effective way to reduce bullying is to have large schools of very brightly colored fish in the tank. My main go to is Neon Tetras. Adding several bubblers will also create distractions.
Hiding places are another necessary tool. Large rock formation, driftwood and/ or heavily plants tanks will supply the necessary hiding spots to allow one Discus to get away from another bullying Discus.
When there is a bully in the tank it is important to feed your Discus at both ends of the tank at the same time and to have at least one of the feedings at night with the lights off. That will help insure that all of the fish have access to food.
See all the Discus Fish for Sale at www.SOMETHINGSPHISHY.com
Please Visit our New Instagram Page at Somethingsphishy Instagram
