Back to Grouse is a unique and active freshwater fish that definitely stands out. These are not your usual tetras!
But their high level of aggression is an issue that you should be aware of before you consider owning it for yourself. This species can mean free!
This guide will teach you how to deal with their burning nature and prepare yourself for all the other aspects of nerve-toothed tetra care.
Table of Contents
Summary of species
Although the nerve-toothed tamarind is part of the Tetra family, it has nothing to do with the fish of the highly known peaceful community! Scientifically known as Exodon Paradoxus, this freshwater fish is predatory and highly aggressive.
Ideal for seasoned aquarists, the nerve-toothed tamarind can be violent towards any other fish nearby. These are many scale-eating species of the Amazon River Basin. The teams will attack the fish and tear their scales little by little!
Snake-toothed grouse are found naturally throughout Brazil and Guyana. Although not as popular as its peaceful cousins, the species is still readily available in the aquarium trade.
Respect for their beauty and deadly nature, they are considered a must by many Eucharists!
Bucktooth Tetra Appearance
The black-toothed Tetra is similar to other types of Tetra species. These are small, torpedo-shaped, and quite colorful!
The main color is metallic silver. However, the silver is decorated in hints of yellow, green, and red. Two large spots also put pressure on the body. One in the middle of the body and the other at the base of the tail.
Bucktooth Tetra wings have been shown solely to give a sense of proportion. The red and orange spots cover the dorsal, patellar, and anal fins. Meanwhile, the bright yellow spots add a pop color to the tail!
Despite their creative names, these freshwater fish do not have extension teeth. But their teeth are still quite unique. The teeth are sharp and quite sharp to help eat the fish scales. They can easily go below the hard scale to tear them down!
Teeth and lips are facing outwards, which allows them to damage and bite other fish. As threatening as it sounds, it’s really hard to see your teeth if you don’t look closely.
Bucktooth Tetra Lifespan
The lifespan of a healthy tetra can reach more than 10 years. It is almost identical to other Tetra species.
Like all other fish, nerve-toothed grouse need a well-maintained environment and proper nutrition to achieve their maximum lifespan. Without good care, these fish can suffer from disease and premature death.
Bucktooth Tetra Average Size
The average size of nerve-toothed tamarind in captivity is about four to five inches. However, they can grow up to six inches in length!
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Many acupuncturists have tried their best to get nerve-toothed grouse for the six-inch mark in captivity, but it is rarely effective. Even with huge reservoirs and extensive feeding techniques, these freshwater species always seem to be small when kept in aquariums.
Bucktooth Tetra Care
The care of Bucktooth Tetra is usually best reserved for acupuncturists with little experience. They are really awesome fish with very unique behavior and requirements!
To be fair, these can be a bit of a challenge regardless of your level of experience. But with a little knowledge and dedication, these fish should be taken care of.
Here are the main maintenance instructions are given here!
Bucktooth Tetra The size of the tank
First of all, if you want to keep these fish, you need a wide tank! For a group of 12 fox-tooth grooves, we recommend using a tank that can hold no less than 55 gallons.
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Of course, a big tank is always good. This is especially true if you want to keep a larger group.
If you think this is big enough for a relatively small fish, why is it important:
Deer-toothed grouse are quite active and need ample space for swimming and exploring. In addition, they fish the school. You need to keep the larger group together to avoid fights and cannibalistic behavior (more on this later).
Bucktooth Tetra Water parameters
Booktooth Grusio is not too demanding when it comes to water parameters. They are suitable for much tropical fish in South America which do very well in standard water conditions.
In the Amazon River Basin, the waters are warm and mingled with life. Thanks to the riverbank debris, swamps are usually next to acid.
- Water temperature of Bucktooth Tetra: 72°F to 82°F (averagely 75 degrees )
- pH levels: 5.5 to 7.5 (aim for slightly acidic)
- Water hardness: 0 to 15 KH
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Be sure to get yourself a reliable water test kit to help you monitor these situations consistently. This allows you to make adjustments and changes to any settings before taking them to an insecure level.
What To Put In Bucktooth Tetra Tank
These fish are not crazy to use plants to hide. They are much more aggressive and active for this! However, they still prefer to have plants that they can go to
A mixture of live plants can do much better for these fish. Go for fern sword national trees from Java and Amazonia. Medicinal plants at the top and a few floating plants in the aquarium are also good options.
But make sure you don’t overload the plant tank! Place them around the perimeter to create a natural setup that still allows them to swim. Deer-toothed grouse are not known to harm plants, so they should be successful in aquariums with this type of setup.
For the layer, use a dark sand material. These freshwater fish prefer to be in the middle and at the top of the water column but they can take the initiative to feed there. The sand is safe and natural.
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Extra decoration is always a good idea. You can add driftwood, caves, and rocks. Like plants, don’t overdo it! Keep it simple and focus on creating an open swimming area.
Bucktooth Tetra Common Potential Diseases
There are no unique health concerns like worrying about nerve-toothed tetra. However, they can still suffer from all the common diseases that affect other freshwater species.
These fish can get Ich, suffer from bacterial infections (such as fin rot), or become infected with parasites.
The good news is that most major health problems are easy to avoid. Deer-toothed grouse are quite strong but they can react negatively to large fluctuations in temperature or pH. The formation of ammonia and nitrates in water can cause serious damage.
Maintain proper water conditions and make sure you are using a powerful filtration system to keep the environment in good condition. Partial water changes every week or twice are also important.
Diet and diet
Stag-tooth grouse is a muscle and through it! In nature, their diet consists mainly of Bucktooth
Tetra Food & Diet
When they eat the scales, a group will gather their prey and attack from all sides! In nature, it actually has quite a resemblance to a piranha.
It may take a second to get used to this unique food experience but it doesn’t hurt too much when you get hung up on it.
Many owners will supply live or dead feeder fish to meet these requirements. You can also provide other sources of high-quality protein for a variety of purposes. They will easily absorb brine shrimp, blood worms, earthworms, and other insects.
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Some fish will even take commercial flakes, but don’t expect them to settle for flakes or filtration on their own. These fish need protein to keep them healthy!
Bucktooth Tetra Behavior & Temperament
As we mentioned earlier, nerve-toothed groups need to be on the team for real success. But unlike many other freshwater species, it is not a matter of concern or confidence. When these fish are not in large groups, they quickly flip over each other!
There is no exact science to determine how many fish are needed to prevent this, but usually, groups of at least 12 are successful. If you have a very large tank, don’t be afraid to party for 25 to 50!
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No fox teeth will be targeted and killed in large groups. Instead, they will team up and focus on any other sick or unhealthy fish.
These fish can create a beautiful display of color when swimming together. Very active, they will go around the pond to explore and practice. They can swim all at once but they will go their separate ways and do their own thing now and then!
Back Tooth Grues is a very aggressive fish that is also very confident in aquariums. They are not ashamed like other Cruces! As a result, they are always a pleasure to visit and a species of recreational freshwater that you can find.
Bucktooth Tetra Tank Mates
Because of their aggressive nature, deer-toothed grouse work best in single-species tanks.
While not the largest fish in the vicinity, a group of box-in-toothed grouse can easily bring down and kill a larger fish. Any other fish in the aquarium will quickly become food.
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: Even the Cichlids, known as bullies in community tanks, will serve as a cowardly target in the presence of black-toothed grouse!
These fish will work fast on almost any fish. The worst part is it happens fast! It takes a few minutes to target another fish by hungry bucket teeth. Before you know it, the party will gather and the fish will break into pieces.
Some aquarists have experimented with invasive groundfish species. However, there is no guarantee of protection. Even if a tank mate avoids the group, his health will probably suffer from all the stress.
So, in short, it’s always best to keep nerve-toothed grouse in a single-species aquarium (no matter how confident you are in a possible combination of tank mates).
Bucktooth Tetra Breeding
Reproduction of nerve-toothed grass is possible in captivity. However, it is incredibly rare and quite difficult.
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These fish are layers that show no sign of parental instinct. If you want to try your hand at breeding, it is better to do it in a separate tank.
Set up a small breeding pond with similar water parameters. Add some fine leafy plants. Deer-toothed grouse are scattered eggs. The plants will provide some protection for the eggs.
Bucktooth Tetra Tips: You can also install a layer of mesh at the bottom of the tank. With a net, the eggs can fall out while keeping them separate from the adults.
Condition your fish on a high protein diet several days before you want to breed them. Then select a pair and move them to the breeding pond.
To start spawning, you can perform a 50% water change. Use water a few degrees warmer to simulate the temperature changes of the breeding season.
If you are lucky, the female will scatter her eggs in the tank. When this happens, remove the adults immediately to give the eggs a chance for survival.
The eggs hatch in two to three days. Once they are swimming freely, provide baby brine shrimp as food. Don’t be surprised if you lose baby fish. They are prone to cannibalistic behavior, so your young population will decrease in number as it grows.
The best thing you can do is keep them well fed so they don’t get excited when they’re hungry.
Conclusion
The care of the Bucktooth tetra consists mainly of learning how to deal with the aggression of this species. Not planning this will quickly lead to chaos in your tank!
But if you create an environment that minimizes aggression from these fish, they can be a total joy to own. You will benefit from a constant display of activity and colors.
If you are still not sure if you can own this species, please feel free to send us your questions! We are always happy to help our readers.
