Common Words

[kevin007]

Common Words About Fish.

(A)

ACIDIC: ph less than 7, opposite of ALKALINE.

ADIPOSE FIN: Extra fin between the dorsal fin and caudal fin, only in some fish.

AEROBIC: Requires oxygen, opposite of ANAEROBIC.

ALEVIN: The life stage of a fish when the yolk sac is still present. Also called sac fry. (Definition by The-Wolf)

ALGAE: A type of aquatic "plant" that can grow on almost anything in the aquarium, ie: gravel, decorations, tank glass. Can cause a green cloudiness to the water.

ALKALINE: ph more than 7, opposite of ACIDIC.

ANABANTOID: Famliy of fish with an organ that enables them to use atmospheric air, ie: Gourami, Betta. They are also known as LABYRINTH FISH.

ANAEROBIC: Not requiring oxygen, opposite of AEROBIC.

(B)

BARBELS: "Whiskers" around the mouth of some fish, ie: catfish.

BIOLOGICAL FILTERATION: A filteration method using bacteria to remove toxic dissolved subtance.

BRACKISH: Brackish water is neither fresh nor marine, it is intermediary i.e. slightly salty, and covers a large range. Typically brackish tanks are kept at a specific gravity of between 1.002, (slightly brackish), and 1.010, (very brackish).
(Definition by Lateral Line)

(C )

CARBON: A medium that can absorb dissolved material.

CHROMATOPHORES: Color Cells.

COLDWATER: Fish that can be kept without a heater, ie: Goldfish.

CONDITIONING: Seperating the breeding fishes and feeding them with high quality food.

(D)

DEMERSAL: Bottom dwelling, opposite of PELAGIC.
(Definition by Lateral Line)

DIFFUSER: A device which infuses gas into the water. (not limited to airstones / air) (Definition by @ombomb)


DORSAL FIN: The fin at the surface of the fish, most fish species have one only.

(E)

EGGLAYER: Fish that lays eggs.

(F)

FILTER: Device that removes wastes.

FILTER MEDIUM: Medium placed in a filter to remove wastes.

FINGERLING: A fish typically between approximately 10 and 40 grams. Often used up to 1 year of age for some species.
(Definition by The-Wolf)

FRY: May be applied to any small fish, but generally fish are termed fry up to a size of 5-10grams.
(Definition by The-wolf)

(G)

GENUS: Genus is a level in taxonomy. Many different genera can exist within a family, many species can exist within a genus.

GONOPODIUM: Modified anal fin, only found in male livebearers.

Gram negative/ gram posativeGram's stain)
A method of staining bacteria to differentiate between them.. Named after H.C.J.Gram who developed the method. The bacteria are stained with a violet dye, treated with acetone - alcohol (a de-colouriser) and finally restained with a red dye. Bacteria either fall in to the gram negative or gram positive category. Gram negative bacteria do not retain the violet dye when it is washed out but retain the red dye (and appear red under the microscope), whereas gram positive bacteria retain the violet dye (and appear violet under the microscope). Other modifications of the original Gram staining technique are also used. Most of the bacteria pathogenic to fish are gram negative, however there are exceptions such as Corynebacterium (the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease).
(Definition by The-Wolf)

GRAVID: Describing a "Pregnant" female livebearer.

(H)

HARDNESS: Hardness is typically a measure of the Carbonate and BiCarbonate salts of principly Calcium and Magnesium.
(Definition by Lateral Line)

HOOD: Aquarium lid, usually contains with lightning equipment.

(L)

LIVEBEARER: Fish that gives birth to live fry.

(M)

MARINE: Saltwater.

MEDIUM: Material used to filter water.

MOUTHBROODER: Fish that incubate their eggs externally in their mouth.

(N)

NITROBACTER: Bacteria turning nitrite into nitrate.

NITROSOMONAS: Bacteria turning ammonia into nitrite.

(O)

OPERCULUM: Cover of the gills

OVIPOSITOR: Tube used by female egglayers to lay eggs during breeding times.

(P)

PECTORALS: Two pairs of fins near the gills of the fish.

PELAGIC: Surface dweller, opposite of DEMERSAL.
(Definition by Lateral Line)

PELVIC: The paired fins above the anal fin.

pH: Measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.

PHARYNGEAL TEETH: Teeth in fish within the cyprinid family's throat.

PROTEIN SKIMMER: Device used to remove organic substances (dissolved) from marine aquariums.

(Q)

QUARANTINE: The isolation of new fish to prevent any disease into the main aquarium.

(S)

SCALES: Plates covering a fish's skin.

SCUTES: Bony plates covering a fish's skin, ie: some catfish.

SHOAL: Large numbers of fish within the same species swimming together.

SPAWNING TANK: A seperate tank used to breed fish.

STRAIN: Tank developed variant of fish, ie: diffent color or long fin variety.

SUBSTRATE: Material which is used to cover the tank floor, ie: sand, gravel.

(T)

TUBERCLES: White pimples on the head, or gill cover that can be seen on large male coldwater breeding cyprinids.

(U)

UNDERGRAVEL FILTER: Same with biological filteration

(V)

VENTRAL: Fin located on the underside of the fish's body.



I hope this can help fish keepers, like a mini fish dictionary,

Kevin007

 

[bluefire]

Very good informative post, i think someone should sticky this in the beginners section or something because im sure there are many inexperienced and experienced fishkeepers that could benefit from this.
well done

 

[Undawada]

Good post!
Sticky?

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> BRACKISH: Freashwater + Saltwater.

Brackish does not mean that. Brackish water is neither fresh nor marine, it is intermediary i.e. slightly salty, and covers a large range. Typically brackish tanks are kept at a specific gravity of between 1.002, (slightly brackish), and 1.010, (very brackish).

DEMERSAL: Heavier than water, opposite of PELAGIC.

Means bottom dwelling, not necessarily heavier then water, similaly, Pelagic is a surface dweller, if they were lighter then water, they rest above the surface!

>>> GENUS: Group of fish species from the same family.

Genus is a level in taxonomy. Many different genera can exist within a family, many species can exist within a genus. The definition given above is not in the strictest sense wrong, it is, however, not the full picture.

>>> HARNESS: Dissolved salts in the water.

Presumably HARDNESS. Not all salts dissolved in water contribute to hardness. Hardness is typically a measure of the Carbonate and BiCarbonate salts of principly Calcium and Magnesium.

I feel there is a good idea here though.

 

[@ombomb]

I hope this can help fish keepers, like a mini fish dictionary,

Or a glossary even

 

[Undawada]

I noticed the brackish one too, now that you mention it.

UNDERGRAVEL FILTER: Same with biological filteration

this is a little vague. Perhaps "Filter that uses the gravel substrate as filter medium" is a little clearer.

Anyone else have anything to add/revise?

 

[@ombomb]

FRY: Fish recently borned.

born recently

DIFFUSER: Airstone.

A device which infuses gas into the water. (not limited to airstones / air)

 

[Lateral Line]

Yes, several of the definitions here are dubious, however, the idea of a glossary of terms is a good one. I have suggested on the mod board that we build one in much the same way as the Fish Index. People submit suggestions, and they are added as and when the wording is agreed by the staff here.

 

[The-Wolf]

Alevin: The life stage of a fish when the yolk sac is still present. Also called sac fry.

Gram negative/ gram posativeGram's stain)
A method of staining bacteria to differentiate between them.. Named after H.C.J.Gram who developed the method. The bacteria are stained with a violet dye, treated with acetone - alcohol (a de-colouriser) and finally restained with a red dye. Bacteria either fall in to the gram negative or gram positive category. Gram negative bacteria do not retain the violet dye when it is washed out but retain the red dye (and appear red under the microscope), whereas gram positive bacteria retain the violet dye (and appear violet under the microscope). Other modifications of the original Gram staining technique are also used. Most of the bacteria pathogenic to fish are gram negative, however there are exceptions such as Corynebacterium (the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease).

Fingerling: A fish typically between approximately 10 and 40 grams. Often used up to 1 year of age for some species.

Fry: May be applied to any small fish, but generally fish are termed fry up to a size of 5-10grams.

 

[kevin007]

I've added everyone who have edited, or added definitions to the list and gave them credit...Lateral Line, The-Wolf and @ombomb basically.

I've typed these all out with MY definition, so Lateral Line, thank you for correcting the one's that are wrong.

I just thought that this was a great idea, and for now, we can just use this one as the glossary?

 

[Fishy411]

LFS- local fish shop

 

[Def]

"come here you little bugger, stop swimming away while I'm trying to catch you..."

Those are pretty common words when I'm dealing with fish, at least...

 

[Ed4567]

ANAEROBIC: Not requiring oxygen,

If a process is anaerobic IMO it is implied that it can only occur in the absence of molecular oxygen.

Maybe include vertebrate/ invertebrate?

Also I'd drop the 'plant' bit from the definition of algae, since they are not strictly speaking vascular (true) plants.

 

[kevin007]

If you look at a glossary at the back on a fish book..would you see LFS = local fish shop?

and dont spam if you have no input.

ED4567, i will consider your input.

thank you everyone.

 

[Fishy411]

i dont think you would see it in a book but it is something you use when dealing with fish and i have seen people ask what an LFs is more than once. i think it should be added.

also for anabantoid it should say also known as labrynth fish in the defination.

also mbuna should be in there. i would do it but i dont have an exact defination