Conversely, I prefer to use scientific names as common names are often misleading and can even apply to several entirely different species of fish.
An example is the Dragon Goby, a name applied to four different species of large goby from the Gobiodes genus, each with different habits and requirements and also to a tiny unrelated goby Rhinogobius Wui. Incidentely, I've seen Dragon Gobies labled as Dinosaur Eels as well which is a name often given to the Senagal Polypterus (neither of which are eels)
In addition to this, fish stores will sometimes invent names when their supplier didn't give them a common name. A prime example of this is the "Dwarf Stingray Plec" which is not a stingray and not a plec. It's not even a catfish. The name refers to several species of loach-like sucker fish from the genus Gastromyzon
I'll stick to the (mostly greek, sometimes arabic and occasionaly latin) scientific names, thank you. At least I know what I'm getting!
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Anyhoo... On to my TFF pet hates...
- txt spk - Is it really so hard just to add those extra couple of letters to turn this childish distortion of the language into something readable? And it doesn't look cool, it looks lazy, makes you look like an idiot (which most of you are not) and means that a great many people won't bother to read your post.
- Excessive formatting - Is there any sensible reason format everything you post in pink letters three feet high? No. Of course not.
- People who make no effort whatsoever to start their new thread in the right section. This evening I've had to move threads about plecs, snails, shrimps and photos out of Tropical Chit-Chat to their respective correct sections.
- Manners. They cost nothing and they make the world a nicer place to live and this board a nicer place to visit. If you wouldn't say it to your Boss's Grandmother then don't post it on here. Some 'Please' and 'Thank yous' wouldn't go amiss either.
- Trolls. 'Nuff said.
- People who feed trolls. Don't do it! Attention is all they want and they don't care if it's good or bad. Just ignore them and report the post to the Moderators.
- People who assume that every one lives in the same country as them and has the same cultural knowledge. There's no point in asking Does anyone know any good fish stores? if you don't tell us where in the world you are. And if asked, dont just say 'MN' or 'PA' whatever because that means nothing to most people outside of the states in the same way that 'The Black Country' would mean nothing to people outside of the UK.
- Thread titles - why do people insist on using titles that tell you NOTHING about the subject of discussion. If you have a question about your pleco's diet the thread title should be something like; 'Common Pleco - suitable diet' not just 'Pleco' or 'food' or the woefully common 'OMG!!11!!'.
I love you all really
its like those.. "you can keep a goldfish in a small tank or bowl because it wont grow bigger than the space its in."
