New Mom to Bucktooth Tetras

[Dizzy Toad]

I'm new to the fish world so forgive my ignorance....

I've just recently (one week ago) got 5 bucktooth tetras. All has been fine... they've been eating really well... REALLY well... they're pigs actually. No issues although one of them seems to be a bully. We added a bristle-nosed catfish and weren't sure if it would end up being an expensive dinner for the tetras but they don't bother it at all. Today I was watching them and noticed that 4 of them were hiding behind rocks/plants. I fed them and they all came out and attacked the flakes. Once the food was gone, the bully seemed to chase the other 4 back into hiding (up until today, they weren't hiding... the bully would chase a bit but they were all swimming together). I also noticed that the colors of the bully are bright/vidid and the other 4 are quite dull. The black mark on the tail of the 4 is gone and the black mark on their body is dull... one of the fish has no black markings at all anymore. They were all equally bright/vivid when we got them.

We've only been feeding them flakes up to now (the pet store advised us to wait about 2 weeks before introducing live food). Any ideas as to why the 4 fish are now hiding and their color is disappearing??

Thanks!! DT

 

[jo3olous]

I'm new to the fish world so forgive my ignorance....

I've just recently (one week ago) got 5 bucktooth tetras. All has been fine... they've been eating really well... REALLY well... they're pigs actually. No issues although one of them seems to be a bully. We added a bristle-nosed catfish and weren't sure if it would end up being an expensive dinner for the tetras but they don't bother it at all. Today I was watching them and noticed that 4 of them were hiding behind rocks/plants. I fed them and they all came out and attacked the flakes. Once the food was gone, the bully seemed to chase the other 4 back into hiding (up until today, they weren't hiding... the bully would chase a bit but they were all swimming together). I also noticed that the colors of the bully are bright/vidid and the other 4 are quite dull. The black mark on the tail of the 4 is gone and the black mark on their body is dull... one of the fish has no black markings at all anymore. They were all equally bright/vivid when we got them.

We've only been feeding them flakes up to now (the pet store advised us to wait about 2 weeks before introducing live food). Any ideas as to why the 4 fish are now hiding and their color is disappearing??

Thanks!! DT

Cycled tank?
Tank size?
Bristlenose catfish = bristlenose pleco???

Fish might be lacking color because they are stressed from the new home, your tank isn't cycled, etc etc.

more info about your tank would help generate more accurate answers though. Welcome to MFT

"The fish's natural diet consist of small invertebrates, other fish, and plants. It is not a safe tank mate for fellow tetras because it will eat small fish and it is not a safe tank mate for larger species because it is a notorious lepidophage. Bucktooth tetra are best alone or in large planted tanks with adequate coverage for other species. They are best kept in shoals of 8 or more; a shoal that is less than 8 will pick at each other and stress the exodons to a point where it will catch some disease or will die of fatal wounds. It is otherwise extremely hardy and can live in home aquaria for more than ten years."

 

[Dizzy Toad]

Cycled tank?
Tank size?
Bristlenose catfish = bristlenose pleco???

Fish might be lacking color because they are stressed from the new home, your tank isn't cycled, etc etc.

more info about your tank would help generate more accurate answers though. Welcome to MFT

"The fish's natural diet consist of small invertebrates, other fish, and plants. It is not a safe tank mate for fellow tetras because it will eat small fish and it is not a safe tank mate for larger species because it is a notorious lepidophage. Bucktooth tetra are best alone or in large planted tanks with adequate coverage for other species. They are best kept in shoals of 8 or more; a shoal that is less than 8 will pick at each other and stress the exodons to a point where it will catch some disease or will die of fatal wounds. It is otherwise extremely hardy and can live in home aquaria for more than ten years."

Forgive me... but what does "cycled" mean?
The tank is about 20 gallons, I believe. Bristle-nosed catfish = pleco, yes. We filled the tank with tap water and waited about a week before putting any fish. PH levels and water temp are good. The last change we made was about 4 days ago... added more gravel (purchased from aquarium store and thoroughly rinsed before adding). The pleco was added about 5 days ago and we got the fish about a week ago.

I'm thinking maybe the 4 fish losing their color are stressed from the bully chasing them??? The bully's colors are bright/vibrant.

Most of what I've read says we should have more of them... but the guy in the aquarium store said we should be fine with 5... and up until today... all was fine. They wouldn't eat when we first got them but we figured they just needed to get used to their new home and that was confirmed by the aquarium guy who said about 48 hours... and now they eat (as I said) really well.

Not sure what other info i could add.......

 

[Whiskers]

well one thing i've been told is that the dominate fish will show its colors and the subdominate fish will loose their colors a bit. my rudi island nyereies are that way.

 

[thanatos0203]

congrats on starting your fish experience lol, its hard getting everything going good in your tank, but you seem to be having a better start than i did.

 

[jo3olous]

Forgive me... but what does "cycled" mean?
The tank is about 20 gallons, I believe. Bristle-nosed catfish = pleco, yes. We filled the tank with tap water and waited about a week before putting any fish. PH levels and water temp are good. The last change we made was about 4 days ago... added more gravel (purchased from aquarium store and thoroughly rinsed before adding). The pleco was added about 5 days ago and we got the fish about a week ago.

I'm thinking maybe the 4 fish losing their color are stressed from the bully chasing them??? The bully's colors are bright/vibrant.

Most of what I've read says we should have more of them... but the guy in the aquarium store said we should be fine with 5... and up until today... all was fine. They wouldn't eat when we first got them but we figured they just needed to get used to their new home and that was confirmed by the aquarium guy who said about 48 hours... and now they eat (as I said) really well.

Not sure what other info i could add.......

Filling a tank with water for a week and letting it sit IS NOT CYCLING. You should always cycle a tank prior to adding fish.
MissFishy's Guide to Fish
Miss Fishy has a great site on cycling for newbies and even the veteran fishkeepers. She is an active poster on this forum.

they grow 4-6 inches as adults. The 20G might be too small for them unless its a long 20G tank (30inches or longer). They should be in schools of 8 or more, you will see the dominant one bullying the rest till they die because you only have 4, and even if you remove the bully, a new bully should arise. Because they need a school of 8+++ to reduce aggression, 20G is not suitable. Consider that these are active fish requiring room to swim and get away from each other so A LOT of hiding places would be vital. I don't recommend you purchase anymore for your 20G tank unless you plan on upgrading. I would say return them and pick a fish more suitable for your tank size. I am also iffy about a BN pleco in a 20G but i think its okay, others may disagree.
If you are seeing symptons of stress from your fish, theres not much you can really do stocking wise, you just don't have the proper housing for them.

Never take advice from a fish store worker unless you have researched it yourself. Often they don't know squat or they will tell you anything to sell you anything. I'm not kidding.

Welcome to MFT, hope you learn lots and hope fishkeeping becomes enjoyable for you. It will become a growing hobby as long as you do it right and do not get discouraged if you fail. *PEACE!*

 

[Chris_A]

Exodon paradoxus! One of my fav's simply because of their scientific name .

I'll leave the cycling issues alone, everyone else has that handled... But yes, these guys really should be in *large* schools preferably in a species tank. One can get away with other large fish but they may end up missing parts of their fins and scales so secondary infection is always a worry. If it were me, I wouldn't keep them in anything less than a school of 12 and *at least* a 6 foot 125 gallon, a 6 foot 180 would be better. That's the ONLY reason I've never bought them... just don't have enough space for a tank that allows proper schooling for an approx. 6" fish. I've seen first hand some 8 incher's but Fishbase lists them at 3" which is WAY off base.

My recommendation would be to try and trade them in for store credit. Once you have properly cycled the tank then pick out something a bit more appropriate... Or go buy a 180 gal... if you end up like most of us multiple tanks is almost a forgone conclusion eventually lol

Chris