An awesome little guy i never new about before

[cichlidfish]

maybe you should do the research first.

why do they call a payara a "tetra"?

why do they call exodon paradoxus, a "tetra"?

why do they call a bala shark or rtbs a "shark"?

common names dont mean anything.

Ok so why is it always refered to as the only U.S. native tetra? The tetra family is very large and diverse. I agree that common names can be misleading, but this is a tetra. Just because a payara doesn't look like a neon tertra doesn't mean it isn't related

Anyone else think this isn't a tetra?

 

[bitteraspects]

Ok so why is it always refered to as the only U.S. native tetra? The tetra family is very large and diverse. I agree that common names can be misleading, but this is a tetra. Just because a payara doesn't look like a neon tertra doesn't mean it isn't related

Anyone else think this isn't a tetra?

Yes, they are related, as they are both characins. But a payara is by no means a "tetra" like a neon. Much in the same way a bala and a great white are not the same.
Common names are useless.

 

[channarox]

i agree,but lets just go with the flow.

 

[cichlidfish]

Yes, they are related, as they are both characins. But a payara is by no means a "tetra" like a neon. Much in the same way a bala and a great white are not the same.
Common names are useless.

Well that is what I mean they are characins...but a neon is closer realated to a payara then a bala is to a great white. These mexican tetras look like most smaller tetras you find in SA, like buenos aires.
Anyway, don't want to argue about it, just want to give info that I found. I think these would make great dithers for large CA cichlids.
There are so many cool CA fish that aren't available in the hobby.
I like the banded tetra too.

 

[bitteraspects]

yes, but that doesnt make a pygo or aramatus a "tetra"

 

[snarferer]

Look through all the posts and see how many times "tetra" is misspelled!
T-E-T-R-A

I've seen terta and tertra haha.
One of the most common type of fish in the hobby, spell it correctly!

 

[Plec123]

thats a pretty cool looking tetra.
i went on webster.com and found the definition of tetra so therres no argueing

• Main Entry: tet·ra
• Pronunciation: \ˈte-trə\
• Function: noun
• Etymology: by shortening from New Latin Tetragonopterus, former genus name, from Late Latin tetragonum quadrangle + Greek pteron wing — more at tetragonal, feather
• Date: 1931

: any of numerous small often brightly colored South American characin fishes often bred in tropical aquariums

 

[bitteraspects]

thats a pretty cool looking tetra.
i went on webster.com and found the definition of tetra so therres no argueing

• Main Entry: tet·ra
• Pronunciation: \ˈte-trə\
• Function: noun
• Etymology: by shortening from New Latin Tetragonopterus, former genus name, from Late Latin tetragonum quadrangle + Greek pteron wing — more at tetragonal, feather
• Date: 1931

: any of numerous small often brightly colored South American characin fishes often bred in tropical aquariums

unfortunately webster is not a marine biologist, nor do they keep up with current classifications.
but thanks for playing.

 

[caribemob]

unfortunately webster is not a marine biologist, nor do they keep up with current classifications.
but thanks for playing.

 

[Retuks]

Id hate to bring up an old post but the picture i have just laid my eyes upon compels me to do so...

Are you certain they are illegal in Hawaii??
and idno where any of you have been but that does NOT look like a blind cave tetra... for one, its got eyes. Blind cave tetras dont, they just bare sockets.

Tetra: what makes a tetra a tetra in general is the possession of that small fin between the dorsal fin and the tail. no clue what its called.

Characin: within the TETRA group, Characins are generally all the scaled, laterally compressed fish (skeletally structured in a near to vague diamond shape) bearing a swim bladder.

Ie. a Wolf fish is a tetra because it bares that fin i talked about. however it is not a characin because it bares no swim bladder, proper bone structure, or proper scales to fit the order of characins (class/phylum w.e. if im wrong).

ADD: after reviewing some pictures of hopilas, i can't tell if my statement above is consistent, however that is still the definition of Tetra. i am unable to explain this in the wolf's case however. unless i just can't see that fin. (adipose?)