Why odd

[freespool]

I am about to start stocking my discus tank and can not find any logical reason why people say to get an odd number of fish. I am planning 7-9 fish. would like 8 since I can get 2 varieties with 4 of each. but to go odd would mean 4 and 5 of each. Is there anyone who can explain why the odd number.

Oh, they will be in a 110 gal tank

[Darbex]

I hadnt heard that before. I wouldnt worry about it. It has to be a superstition because their isnt a logical reason for it. Though I do have to say every time I had 10 discus one would die and leave me with 9.

[BeefyG]

I've been told it before. I'm not sure why either. Get one of a different color like yellow or white and yell "freak!" every time you pass by the tank. I've heard the whites can sometimes pick up pigment from tetra colorbits though if that is what you are feeding. Or maybe that was albinos...

[armthehomeless]

I think it is supposed to look more natural.

[freespool]

So there is no health benefit?

[Darbex]

No health benefit. But how natural when you got man made variants?

[nacra99]

The whole odd number is a result of someone's crackpot theory that somehow there is a magic number in each school of discus such that the runt doesn't get picked on all the time... this is of course a bunch of nonsense.

The best way to ensure that the runt does not get picked by any one dominant fish is to keep a group of at least 5-6 so that the aggression by the dominant one is spread out.

I think the myth probably came about because people would advocate "a group of at least 5" and somehow "5" being an odd number somehow morphed into "and odd number group"... but that's just my own crackpot theory... makes sense though...

[Warlock]

5-6 minimum.. but more is better.. they are a schooling fish.. more number makes them more comfortable