I have a 46 gallon bowfront and started my tank with rosy barbs (LOVE them!). I added cory cats and a pleco. I went to get my last few fish for a while and the clerk (independent store, not chain) recommended the Exodon Paradoxus, or Bucktooth Tetra. I'd never heard of it, but gave them a shot.

What a disaster They have been tormenting my barbs for a week now. One of my cories has died (may be unrelated, but they were all just fine before). They've driven my barbs into hiding in some of the vegetation whereas before the barbs were very social with each other and loved being out in the open water.

I had the tetras all bagged up and ready to take back to the store, but the store was closed that day. They were such a hassle to get out of the tank that I really don't want to do that again!

Anyway - are any of you familiar with these fish and what was your experience with them?

Thanks!
--Kristin

I've never had any, but I just recently read an article on them. They use their buck teeth to shuck the scales off of other fish. The article I read didn't recommend them for community tanks. They said that the more of them there are, the less aggressive they are. They also had some recommendations for tankmates for them, but unfortunately I don't remember what they were. Maybe someone else can share some more information on them.

Oh yay <_<

I'm really surprised, b/c this would be the first time they've steered me wrong. Maybe I'll at least go up there and see what they have to say tomorrow....

There's not much info out there on these fish - I've tried a lot of my regular fish info sites and can't find a lot.

Thanks for the info!
--Kristin

These are NOT community fish

here is my Bucktooth tetra profile


as said these are scale eaters, in fact they behaive much like piranhas, they can kill fish and they do kill fish, they are often kept with predatory fish like piranhas or large cichlids like flowerhorns although I personally suggest a apecies tank and only in reasonable sized shoals

These fish are known for there aggression and they even kill piranhas sometimes!!!

admitedly baby piranhas, but still piranhas

Thanks Innes - Guess that seals the deal and we're making a run back to the store tomorrow. I love my barbs and don't want them to meet the same fate as my cory

if I were you I would complain about your missing cory, this only happend because of some seriously bad advice, next they will be telling you to add an oscar to a 10g community tank <_<

At least I know enough about Oscars to know that's a bad move

Happy Ending - they took the tetras back with barely a question. The owner still stands by their assesment of the exodon paradoxus as a community fish with other fiesty fish, but he did take them back. I didn't ask for a refund, just even exchange for 2 new rosy barbs and a cory. I would have preferred a spotted or striped cory, but albino was all they had.

All's well that ends well!

Thanks again for all the input!
--Kristin

lol yeah with red bellied piranhas or flowerhorns and other "fiesty fish"


Great news on them taking them back though

Yeah, this lfs is top notch.