Discus behaviour

Question
I saw your article about discus fish and would like to fire you a burning question I have.

I had a very small tank (1 foot X 2 feet X1 foot) with 8 small discus and 2 neon tetras. Since they need a bigger tank, I shifted them to a 55 gallon tank, heavily planted, drift wood and with powerhead filtration. I added 4 clown loaches to clean up the tank bed of any left over food.

All went fine and since I felt that the 2 neons were lonely, I added about 10 pairs of neons to the tank. After the introduction of the new neons, the discus began attacking the neons. I could see most of them without eyes and then later on dead. the dead count was as high as about 5 neons a day.
what is the reason for this sudden change in behaviour? I read in one site that neons are prey of discus and angel fish.
Could you give me your expert opinion please?

Answer
Hi Hasitha;

Sounds like your discus are feeling better and have enough room so their appetite increased. They are simply doing what comes naturally. It is true that neons are the natural prey of angels and discus as well as other cichlids. That's why those little types of fish are swimming around in schools and breed like rabbits in the thousands in the wild. Nature provides large populations in order for them to be food for others.

That's my educated and exerienced opinion anyway. ;-)

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins