Common Names : Chocolate Cichlid & Other Confusing Common Names

[duanes]

Although "eye biter" may be an over statement (they should be called sale biters), in the book The Cichlid Fishes by George Barlow 2000,
Ripping scales and fin membranes off other fishes is called lepidophagy
"the genus Perissodus are so specialized that their members have snouts bent to the left or right to varying degrees. The bias is genetically set and the crooked snouts can be seen in fry. Remarkably the attacker can launch a strike only toward the side in which the jaw is bent."
Females of one species may mimic a female of another in order to tear off a mouthfull of scales from a male and speed off.
On a side note, I may label 1 of my bag of red ceibals simply "red ceibals" at the next auction, and another bag "red super collider ceibals" to see if it makes a difference in the bidding.
Or instead of simply Gymnogeophagus balzani, I think they should be called Gymno "electric yellow super KOK battering scull world of war"balzani.
but I digress.
Jim ---you must be old like me, I started collecting cichlids in the late 50s

 

[Curtis Rouse]

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've read that it's because they eat anything ie "greedy" eaters. It's a totally derogatory term and no longer used.

Sent from my SGS4 Active

 

[Aquanero]

How about the name "Fluke" for Paralichthys dentatus or Summer Flounder if your not in the North East. Neither one of those names are discriptive. Perhaps Flounder has somthing to do with the way they flop around in deck when cought but where Fluke came from escapes me.

 

[rodger]

This is such a great thread! And I have nothing to add.
It is nice seeing two people that have been doing this longer than me in the same thread!
I personally like going by Latin names. They always tell a story of some kind: Who discovered it, a physical characteristic etc.... I admit some of these names for the same old fish are entertaining.

 

[notho2000]

Although "eye biter" may be an over statement (they should be called sale biters), in the book The Cichlid Fishes by George Barlow 2000,
Ripping scales and fin membranes off other fishes is called lepidophagy
"the genus Perissodus are so specialized that their members have snouts bent to the left or right to varying degrees. The bias is genetically set and the crooked snouts can be seen in fry. Remarkably the attacker can launch a strike only toward the side in which the jaw is bent."
Females of one species may mimic a female of another in order to tear off a mouthfull of scales from a male and speed off.
On a side note, I may label 1 of my bag of red ceibals simply "red ceibals" at the next auction, and another bag "red super collider ceibals" to see if it makes a difference in the bidding.
Or instead of simply Gymnogeophagus balzani, I think they should be called Gymno "electric yellow super KOK battering scull world of war"balzani.
but I digress.
Jim ---you must be old like me, I started collecting cichlids in the late 50s
]

Duane, you are just a "fountain of knowledge" when it comes to fish trivia. And yes, I'm not only old, like you ... I am just as silly.. I got my first fish (Platys) in 1954.

 

[Chicxulub]

Duane, you are just a "fountain of knowledge" when it comes to fish trivia. And yes, I'm not only old, like you ... I am just as silly.. I got my first fish (Platys) in 1954.

Goodness! That was before my mom was born!

There really is an incredible wealth of knowledge on this site.

As for me, I can't stand the common name of my favorite fish: the African tiger fish. Tigerfish is a stupid name for this fish. It has nothing to do with tigers! Datnoides are tiger fish; their pattern looks like a tiger. Hydrocynus is a perfect name for these fish. They're active, intelligent and aggressive. They also prowl around in packs. Dogfish is the perfect name for them! Their scientific name is literally 'water dogs'. I really wish that term would catch on for these things.

 

[MyGiants]

I think they come up with names when they capture them out of the water. A fish color can look different when its out of the water versus how they look when there under water not stressed out.

I remember when Pigeon Blood discus first hit the market. I always wondered then how they came up with "Pigeon Blood". I mean yes they had some intense orangy color but not really Red at the time.

 

[johnny potatoes]

There is a salt water fish named Slippery Dick. Clearly they missed on that one.

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[duanes]

Slippery dicks are from the same sub-order as cichlids (Labroidei), and when spawning, subordinant males try to slip into the action to get a little action themselves.

 

[MyGiants]

There is a salt water fish named Slippery Dick. Clearly they missed on that one.

Maybe when this fish was first caught they would slip out of there hands easily. So they said this fish is a slippery dick! and the name stuck