In common name hell.

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jschall

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2009
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Chico, California
Ctenopoma acutirostre: "Leopard ctenopoma," "Spotted ctenopoma," "Leopard fish," "Spotted climbing perch," "Leopard gourami," "African leaf fish," "Leopard bushfish"

What the HELL am I supposed to call this fish when I talk about it?

How many common names does your fish have?
 
afaik "common" names are made up by breeders...

so if you have a fish thats traded commonly but not often enough that people will recognize it and remember its name...it'll probably be in this boat.


i like ID sharks, wtf. its a catfish not a shark.
 
Tatia Intermedia - 0 Common names :headbang2

TheRealAndyCook;4633707; said:
afaik "common" names are made up by breeders...

so if you have a fish thats traded commonly but not often enough that people will recognize it and remember its name...it'll probably be in this boat.


i like ID sharks, wtf. its a catfish not a shark.

Wild caught fish mostly have common names too. My favorite is the Pseudodoras (Oxydoras?) Niger. It's normally called the prehistoric cat, ripsaw cat or niger cat. Sometimes I read in books that it is called the "mother of pearls" catfish (WTH?) leading me to conclude that authors also make up new names and hope that it catches on.
 
TheRealAndyCook;4633707; said:
afaik "common" names are made up by breeders...

"Common" names are made up by breeders, collectors, distributors, fish stores, authors, forum posters, and 8-year-olds who happen to see a fish in a public aquarium and yell out a made-up name for it. I would assume breeders and fish stores are the worst offenders here.
 
I usually stick with leopard gourami with those guys, when talking to a "lay person" haha.

The Bichirs are the worst though...I don't even know how best to pronounce bichir, and when I say "polypterus senegalus" people think I'm speaking chinese.

Being on forums dosen't help either...I don't "talk" fish with a heck of a lot of people, so sometimes I'm so used to reading the names and don't even think about the pronunciation until it comes up and I sound like an idiot.
 
_Jessica_;4633780; said:
I usually stick with leopard gourami with those guys, when talking to a "lay person" haha.

The Bichirs are the worst though...I don't even know how best to pronounce bichir, and when I say "polypterus senegalus" people think I'm speaking chinese.

Being on forums dosen't help either...I don't "talk" fish with a heck of a lot of people, so sometimes I'm so used to reading the names and don't even think about the pronunciation until it comes up and I sound like an idiot.


Thats what my big red speak-n-spell is for.

speak_n_spell.gif
 
I call it a leopard leaf fish.. why? because it's shaped like a leaf fish with leopard spots.
 
add african spotted leaf fish to the list, thats what they call em here lol
 
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