some noob questions i've been meaning to ask

I

illpoet

Members
so i finally got a chance to visit the forumn at work and i thought i would take the time to make a post with all the questions of stuff i should know but don't.
1. what does the sp. stand for in the fish names?
2. what is daphnia? i know its a live food but is it an insect cruestacean... etc?
3. What language is capitalcichlids.com? any idea why?
4. is being drilled out the only thing that makes a breeder tank a breeder tank or are there other things?
5. what does the L# in plecos stand for and why are they classified that way? (still looking for an L18 to buy btw)
6. is there any reason why generally fish here are referred to by there scientific names as opposed to their common names? (my guess is that it elimanates confusion)
anyway thanks in advance for helping me with my education. I wish i had some sort of prize to offer but times are hard and all my spare money goes to the fishes.
 
marge618

marge618

CCA member
Response to your question: "6. is there any reason why generally fish here are referred to by there scientific names as opposed to their common names? (my guess is that it elimanates confusion)"

a. sometimes it's too early in the morning to care
b. sometimes it's just easier to use the common names
c. sometimes it's a matter of time (the scientific name is just too long)
d. sometimes it's like the names of people = informal situation calls for first name
e. sometimes it's that the scientific name is impossible to spell
f. all of the above (so no confusion)
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Aquaria 101

illpoet said:
so i finally got a chance to visit the forumn at work and i thought i would take the time to make a post with all the questions of stuff i should know but don't.
1. what does the sp. stand for in the fish names?
– Shorthand for 'spice' (recommended) in culinary/sushi preparations.
.
2. what is daphnia? i know its a live food but is it an insect cruestacean... etc?
–Usually but actually depends entirely on whom sold you your culture".
3. What language is capitalcichlids.com? any idea why?
– "Modern Geek". Ancient Geek doesn't have acronyms.
4. is being drilled out the only thing that makes a breeder tank a breeder tank or are there other things?
– It has to be tapped/threaded as well to determine sex.
5. what does the L# in plecos stand for and why are they classified that way? (still looking for an L18 to buy btw)
-Latin for expensive.
6. is there any reason why generally fish here are referred to by there scientific names as opposed to their common names? (my guess is that it elimanates confusion)
– Nothing remotely common about CCA cichlids or members.

anyway thanks in advance for helping me with my education.
-Our pleasure.

I wish i had some sort of prize to offer but times are hard and all my spare money goes to the fishes.
–
Click to expand...
Some of us got our pets used in TV shows/commercials so we receive royalties everytime the ads run - we got the idea from Tony who supplied the fish used in an Dan Akroyd's Saturday Night Live Bass-a-Matic skit (link below) and made out like a big dog which is why he has so many tanks (they had to do 37 takes before they got it right). You should ask him for tips.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/19046/saturday-night-live-bassomatic
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
illpoet said:
so i finally got a chance to visit the forumn at work and i thought i would take the time to make a post with all the questions of stuff i should know but don't.
1. what does the sp. stand for in the fish names?
Click to expand...
sp stands for species. It basically means the fish has been classified in a genus, but the exact species has not been described.

illpoet said:
2. what is daphnia? i know its a live food but is it an insect cruestacean... etc?
Click to expand...
They are small crustaceans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnia

illpoet said:
3. What language is capitalcichlids.com? any idea why?
Click to expand...

illpoet said:
4. is being drilled out the only thing that makes a breeder tank a breeder tank or are there other things?
Click to expand...
Usually a breeder tank means the tank has a "footprint" of 36x18. There is a long 40 gallon tank that has a footprint of 48x13. The 40 breeder is the most common breeder tank. 30 gallons are available a fair amount.

illpoet said:
5. what does the L# in plecos stand for and why are they classified that way? (still looking for an L18 to buy btw)
Click to expand...
L indicates the fish is a Loricariids. Then each new undescribed species is assigned a number. A similar convention is used for Corydoras with CW followed by a number.

illpoet said:
6. is there any reason why generally fish here are referred to by there scientific names as opposed to their common names? (my guess is that it elimanates confusion)
Click to expand...
There are some common names that are both unique and the accepted name for the fish(Oscar, Jack Dempsey), however these tend to be the exception. Even Angelfish have a couple of species. Names like Jewel cichlid, Red Devil and Green Terror can refer to a few different species.

With African cichlids you have to go with scientific names because there are far more species than common names.

Scientific names do change and have some confusion but they are a lot more accurate than common names.
 
Avatar

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
You're no fun.

But if you want to be so literal breeders are about increased surface/substrate area to volume ratios compared to standard tanks - they can be any size. Many fish are more comfortable/inclined to spawn with greater 'space'/room to maneuver and as many derive this sense from horizontal (breadth and width) rather than vertical (depth) attributes, broader tanks are often designated 'breeders'. Also far easier to be alert to predators in shallow water or when there's room to see them coming - less risk/sensory input from above or below in expanded two dimensions than three, easier to relax.

Humans generally abide low ceilings better than close walls - our sense of space and comfort similarly derived from eye-level rather than overhead clearance. Most fish species send most of their time moving laterally rather than vertically - a breeder tank gives them greater license to do just that.

Welcome aboard.
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Avatar said:
4. is being drilled out the only thing that makes a breeder tank a breeder tank or are there other things?
– It has to be tapped/threaded as well to determine sex.
Click to expand...

I think I might have peed a little bit when I read that one. ;)

Avatar said:
Some of us got our pets used in TV shows/commercials so we receive royalties everytime the ads run - we got the idea from Tony who supplied the fish used in an Dan Akroyd's Saturday Night Live Bass-a-Matic skit (link below) and made out like a big dog which is why he has so many tanks (they had to do 37 takes before they got it right). You should ask him for tips.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/19046/saturday-night-live-bassomatic
Click to expand...

That certainly was a memorable night in the SNL studio. Dan was finally getting it down and after blending up 20 large haps (cleverly disguised as bass), I thought it was going to be the final take and the rest of my fish in 5 gallon buckets would be saved. At that point, Belushi storms in through the door from a 3-day bender in Studio 54. He chats with Dan and Gilda for a second, looks at me and yells "What the f*** is a venustus?"

Good times they were indeed....
 
Tony

Tony

Alligator Snapping Turtle/Past Pres
Seriously though, Verbal gave you some pretty concise answers.

I think that the scientific names frustrate everyone in the beginning when they're first really getting into the hobby. Once you start learning them though, they're pretty easy and also teach you a lot about the physiology of the different genuses.

For instance, it never clicked for me before that venustus, polystigma, livingstoni and fuscos were so closely related until I learned that they were all Nimbochromis. Dig a little deeper and find out there's another species - linni. A bit deeper and you realize that fuscotaeniatus may be more closely related to Tyranochromis.... still something under debate by bigger fish geeks than me. You wouldn't learn this info using terms like "giraffe cichlid" or "sleeper cichlid" and there's not even common name for the others (so you have to use their species name).

One big breakthrough for me learning more about these fish was when I purchased/borrowed my first "real" book on Africans. For the fish that you're into, I recommend Ad Konings' Back to Nature - Malawi Cichlids. While it isn't totally comprehensive in terms of having all regional variations of everything (like his Natural Habitats book), it's only like $25 or so through the group buy (we're doing an order now I think). It'll be the best $25 you've spent in a while, I guarantee.

PS - Don't be afraid to ever ask questions. We love answering them (especially Sam)
 
fischfan13

fischfan13

Banned
mscichlid said:
illpoet said:
3. What language is capitalcichlids.com? any idea why?
QUOTE]

Huh? 'Splain Lucy.:wacko::wacko:
Click to expand...

Actually capitalcichlids.com is derived from the 6th Century language of
Nuaha'lala<insert 2 clicks from your throat>muahaha'lala<insert and extra click>falalala.
This was an ancient language spoken by horny mariners who were looking for young brides on the Isle of Pencillinitis in the South Pacific.
True Story.
Click to expand...
 
fischfan13

fischfan13

Banned
I just happen to have found a picture of one of the forefathers of the original capitalcichlids.org language.

oldcannibal.jpg
 
Pat Kelly

Pat Kelly

CCA Member
Too funny guys.

Of course he is talking about when you put the .com on our address instead of .org,
you get this on google.

Здравствуйте. Сайт переехал на другой домен, теперь сайт располагается по адресу : otitb.com.
 
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