Common Names : Chocolate Cichlid & Other Confusing Common Names

[Grishtargan]

Before I ever heard of the JD cichlid I lived for a short time in Jack Dempsey's hometown of Manassa Colorado. The JD cichlid is one of my favorite fish.


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[Empyreal]

I find the name of the chocolate cichlid refreshing, just because its not trying to be over the top like super blood red dragon straight highligher green...etc lol. It may not describe the fish perfectly but its simple and familiar. I would be much more upset if the LFS was filled with blue diamonds and electric neon blues than names such as chocolates, oscars, and jack dempseys. Just MO

 

[fwprawn]

I once read in an old fish book that the name "Oscar" was applied to Oscars, because the fish is an all-around friendly, outgoing fish, and somebody thought it would be nice to give the fish a "friendly, pet-like" name - like a dog may be named "Fido" - similar story to what I read.

Nice pair of temporalis!

 

[JBeast99]

I always thought Oscar was somehow derived from the scientific name of oscellatis... never hear that before, just seems sort of logical to me...

 

[notho2000]

I find the name of the chocolate cichlid refreshing, just because its not trying to be over the top like super blood red dragon straight highligher green...etc lol. It may not describe the fish perfectly but its simple and familiar. I would be much more upset if the LFS was filled with blue diamonds and electric neon blues than names such as chocolates, oscars, and jack dempseys. Just MO

I agree with you totally. By the way, I came across this on the 'net about the origin of the name Oscar:

"There are two possible origins for the name Oscar. In 1936, E.W. Clarke mentioned the names of his two Oscars, Lena and Oscar in an article for The Aquarium. Later, in 1949, Gene Wolfsheimer mentioned that aquarists in California were referring to these fish as Oscars in an article for The Aquarium Journal. (Wayne Leibel, Aquarium USA Annual 2001)"

 

[notho2000]

I've noticed the trend lately of using the species name as the common name for those fish that don't have a common name, such as 'beani' for exCichlasoma beani or 'grammodes' for exCichlasoma grammodes. It's pretty effective until you get a name like (thanks, Sven Kullander!) Tahuantinsuyoa macantzatza. Then the Inca Stone fish might be better. By the way, what are your thoughts on the L- numbers for Plecos. It's like giving them a licence plate. Should this be done with all fish? It's certainly the ultimate in non -description.

 

[Chicxulub]

It's no big deal but I'm wondering why a general topic like "common names" would not not appear in the category I had put it in. It's true that the Chocolate cichlid is a SA fish but the gist of the thread was "inappropriate common names in the hobby". i could have just as easily picked a fish from CA, Madagascar, or elsewhere and it wouldn't have mattered to the topic's intent. Being a moderator on another forum, I guess I'm overly attuned to that. It doesn't really matter to me in that it won't affect the thread adversely no matter where it's found. BTW, you do good work as a moderator IMO.
Jim

I misunderstood the intention of you post then my good sir. I thought your wonderful diatribe was simply a discourse on the poorly named Hypselecara temporalis; I didn't grasp that you were attempting to start a discourse on all poorly named fish. If that was you're intent, we'll get it moved back and I'll edit the title for clarity.

 

[linerz]

I love chocolate cichlids

 

[Aquanero]

I always wondered where the name Jewfish originated for what is now called the goliath grouper which is much more of an accurate discription.

 

[Ian21777]

I always wondered where the name Jewfish originated for what is now called the goliath grouper which is much more of an accurate discription.

I read that it's because it is the 'grandest' example of a kosher fish.

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