Exodons: Very interested in them :) but need crucial questions answered

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RobotDeathSquad

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 18, 2009
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Hi everyone,
I changed my mind about getting a 10 gallon, and now I want to switch to a 20 gallon. Not only that, I want a school of 10 or 11 “vicious” Exodons! lol I guess that’s what being on MFK for a while will do to you! :grinno: I want a bigger tank and a fish that qualified as a monster…

Now, I have been trying to do research on care of the Exodons, however I cannot find a substantial amount of info. All the “care guides” are just general info about them, but no details on feeding them and important stuff. So Im gonna give this a shot and post my questions here, mostly concerning feeding and filteration.

Oh, and if you know of a good detailed Exodon care sheet anywhere, please post it :)

1)
I would like 10 or 11 Exodons in a 20 gallon long aquarium. I am a fan of AquaClear filters. Would an AquaClear 30 filter do the job? If not, let me know.

2)
I want a staple for their diet. I heard pellets or flakes can be a good staple, yes? If so, which kind of pellets/flakes? What is a good affordable staple food for Exodons?

3)
How often should they be fed?

4)
Crucial question: How do I make sure each one gets enough food? Since they are schooling fish, there is definitely a pecking order, yes? So how can I ensure there is enough food to go around? How much food should be put in the tank at feeding time?

5)
Does the aquarium require a cover (I.e. are Exodons “jumpers“?)

6)
Putting them under a black light at night… will they glow? Is it safe? I think it will look cool! :D

That’s all, and thanks in advance for any answers! Also, if you are a current or ex Exodon owner, I wanna PM you!
 
I can't address all of these, but as for #5, add a cover, unless you have a good reason why not to. I've had blind cave tetras jump out of temporarily uncovered tanks, and they aren't known for their jumping prowess
 
That many Exos will need a larger tank as they are very active and will grow to about four inches in length.If they are crowded they may start to nip one another.A good cichlid pellet or flake should do for them and you could add some cut up raw shrimp or fish fillet as a supplement and as long as there are a few of them you should'nt have a problem with them getting their share.I doubt if they will glow under a black light.
 
I was concerned about the tank size, but how come several people on MFK say its ok (if you have good water parameters)?

Exodons are schooling fish and thrive in tight schools. They are unique because if theres less than 10 or so Exodons, they will kill each other off, and the last Exodon standing will die from the stress of not being in a school... not joking.
 
In fact, here is a quote:

From fellow MFK member BitterAspects:

you "can" do a shoal of 10 on your 20L, though generally speaking it is not advised. especially if this is your first shoal, and first experience with them. it would be "better" for you to get a bigger tank for them, but your 20L will be fine if thats all you got.
exodons do well in tight shoals, and while i wouldnt tell you to pack 100 in a 5g, i can say for sure that 10 in a 20g is absolutely possible with the right care taken. (in fact, i have done quite a bit more with no problems).
in a smaller tank, you will need to keep an eye on their water parameters, bump up the filtration, and maintain a good WC schedule. if possible, a planted tank would be good. stem plants will provide places to hide for the smaller ones that will inevitably get picked on.
Click to expand...

So since I am thinking about it, I really need these answers from an Exodon owner, in fact, I'm gonna PM BitterAspects right now lol
 
RobotDeathSquad;3744821; said:
In fact, here is a quote:



So since I am thinking about it, I really need these answers from an Exodon owner, in fact, I'm gonna PM BitterAspects right now lol
Click to expand...


Here's another quote for you: "I can make you rich just send me some money"........Egon

There ya go..........that one is true also.
 
RobotDeathSquad;3744355; said:
Oh, and if you know of a good detailed Exodon care sheet anywhere, please post it :)

www.exodonparadoxus.blogspot.com

1)
I would like 10 or 11 Exodons in a 20 gallon long aquarium. I am a fan of AquaClear filters. Would an AquaClear 30 filter do the job? If not, let me know.

go with the next model up, the AquaClear50. i would also suggest adding a small powerhead or utilizing the custom plumbing in my sig to increase circulation in the tank.

2)
I want a staple for their diet. I heard pellets or flakes can be a good staple, yes? If so, which kind of pellets/flakes? What is a good affordable staple food for Exodons?

exodons are not picky eaters, so the skys the limit. but the more you vary their diet, the happier they will be.
its best to stick with a good quality dry food, but make sure its small enough to fit in their mouth. i use a staple of Dainichi XL-pro (extra small size pellets) and TetraMin Pro tropical crisps.
on top of this staple, i supplement with a ton of other fresh, frozen, freeze dried, and dry foods.
MP, Tilapia fillet, ocean white fish, silversides, FD krill/FD shrimp, super red shrimp, bloodworms, beefheart, tubifex, food sticks, other dainichi pellets (crushed), etc.

3)
How often should they be fed?

at least daily. though 2 smaller feedings is better. these guys can be aggressive even towards eachother. keeping the well fed (but not overfed) will help keep the aggression down to a minimum.
keep in mind, the more you feed, the more they produce waste. this can lead to a rise in nitrates, so keep your test kit handy so you know how often you have to change your water. (1-2x weekly)

4)
Crucial question: How do I make sure each one gets enough food? Since they are schooling fish, there is definitely a pecking order, yes? So how can I ensure there is enough food to go around? How much food should be put in the tank at feeding time?

lol. good question. there is really no way to regulate who gets what, but generally this is not an issue. they are aggressive feeders and will get the food if its available. i wouldnt concern myself too much about regulating each fish individually.
for dry foods feed only as much as they will consume in a few seconds, then add more. i just drop a pinch of food (well, a really big pinch) and wait until its gone, then add more. keep doing this until they start to slow down. dont wait until they stop completely, this can lead to uneatedn food in your tank and filter which can disrupt your water parameters.
with fresh foods (tilapia fillet, MP, nightcrawlers, etc), you will need to experiment with your shoal to see how much they will eat. i usually just drop a few MP into the tanks and dont worry about them. eventually they will be gone.

5)
Does the aquarium require a cover (I.e. are Exodons “jumpers“?)

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!!!
i can not state this enough. i have lost more exodons than most people have ever kept because of ill fitting lids. these guys can and will jump. id suggest a glass canopy, and tape off or otherwise block all the openings as much as possible. they will find holes if you leave them.


6)
Putting them under a black light at night… will they glow? Is it safe? I think it will look cool! :D

i would stay away from the blacklight, personally.

That’s all, and thanks in advance for any answers! Also, if you are a current or ex Exodon owner, I wanna PM you!
Click to expand...

feel free to PM me again if you have any more questions.
 
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