# Bucktooth Tetra (Exodon paradoxus) w/ cichlids??



## NY SURF RIDER (Dec 26, 2006)

Anyone have any experience w/ these guys?

I had an impulse buy today. Never hearing of these, I saw one in the store and bought it. Its about 2" long.

Just did some research on them, and I see some pple suggesting that the tetra might end up descaling and plucking the eyes out of cichlids. I think this was mainly if you kept a school of them. I find it hard to believe that this single 2" Exodon is gonna do much damage to my 7" JD, Mota, or my 5 Star. Yet after reading about them I'm a lil worried.

Has anyone ever kept them w/ their cichlids? Do you think it'll pose a problem?


----------



## ktluvsfish (Jan 13, 2008)

I was wondering the same thing. I saw them at the LFS a few days ago, and they were awesome!


----------



## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

I have 6 of each in two tanks.they live with red devils,flowerhorns,jellybean parrot/pink convict.All the cichlids were introduced when they were smaller than the exodons.No problems at all :thumb:


----------



## NY SURF RIDER (Dec 26, 2006)

Hey thanks. How long has your set up been going on w/ the Exodons and Cichlids together?
Also, what are you feeding the Exodons? I really wanna put a school in w/ my JD, Mota, Freddy, and 5 Star General. I heard the Exo's are prone to attack anything w/ shiny silver scales and my 5 Star is the definition of shiny silver scales. But, w/ my 5 Star's level of aggression I can't picture any sort of tetra causing him harm. Just wanna hear some opinions and be sure though before I make it happen.


----------



## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

I've had the first 6 for 3 years and the other 6 for about a year.They love flakes,any type of bloodworm,and I feed them a good quality small pellet.


----------



## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

NY SURF RIDER said:


> Hey thanks. How long has your set up been going on w/ the Exodons and Cichlids together?
> Also, what are you feeding the Exodons? I really wanna put a school in w/ my JD, Mota, Freddy, and 5 Star General. I heard the Exo's are prone to attack anything w/ shiny silver scales and my 5 Star is the definition of shiny silver scales. But, w/ my 5 Star's level of aggression I can't picture any sort of tetra causing him harm. Just wanna hear some opinions and be sure though before I make it happen.


It's kinduva inertia thing more than a aggressive fish thing. A small fish can ambush bigger fish easily. Snag a scale, zip off, and life is good. Our stupid algae eater made the switch from eating algae to sucking on the slime coat of our big guys. I put a stop to that right quick!

On the flip side, exodons are pricey, and you have some big mouths swimming around in that tank. 

-Ryan


----------



## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

The first 6 exodons have lived with my piranha's for three years.Have added two red devils and one 2" flowerhorn.Red devils were added 5 months ago and the flowerhorn 2 moths ago.The exodons pretty much stay middle of tank and no serious fin nips.They are fairly expensive but they are quick and can defend themselves need be.I'd give it a shot but remember you should get 6 or more imo. :thumb:


----------



## earth intruder (Oct 14, 2008)

The exodons nipped at the cichlids (juvie GTs, oscars, salvinis) when we housed them together in our store... While we were moving the exodons into a different tank, one accidentally got into the juvie mbuna tank. They killed him in literally 20 seconds flat. We went to grab a net to fish him out, and by the time we walked back he was dead. Those crazy mbuna....


----------



## homerl (Jan 6, 2009)

If you were to add guppies,goldfish,platy's etc.that would be a mistake,but I find they don't bother the larger cichlids.Personality of your fish/aggression will determine" rank" in your tank as well.


----------

