| In this report on tropical fish information you will | | | | botanist and zoologist (known as the father of |
| hear about the origins of tropical fish keeping, its | | | | modern taxonomy and considered to be one of |
| background and the scientific naming formula that | | | | the leading lights of modern ecology) who laid the |
| classifies the fish. | | | | building blocks for the naming of species system |
| Background | | | | called the binomial nomenclature scheme. |
| There are a growing number of people who keep | | | | A relationship amongst groups of animals & plants |
| tropical fish in an aquarium as it becomes more | | | | has been used for over 350 years and is identified |
| popular and the age of these aquarists varies | | | | and established by the binomial nomenclature |
| from youngsters to the more elderly. Tropical fish | | | | system. The subject of finding, describing and |
| need more looking after than cold water fish such | | | | ordering organisms has seven main sectors and is |
| as the goldfish and it is this additional caring factor | | | | known as Taxonomy, in this order, Kingdom |
| that I believe attracts folk to tropical fish. | | | | Phylum/Division/Class/Order/Family/Genus |
| Because tropical fish are smaller you can have | | | | Species. |
| more of them in your tank, they are more | | | | However, as its name suggests, the binomial |
| colorful in most cases, there are more species | | | | nomenclature process only uses the last two |
| around so you have a lot to choose from and | | | | identifiers, the genus and the species names. |
| you can easily purchase the fishes without them | | | | Although each term in the name is in Latin and it |
| having to be brought in from their original habitat | | | | could be known as the 'Latin name', biologists |
| as they are now mostly bred in captivity. | | | | have a preference for calling it the 'scientific |
| Because of the particular rearing that has been | | | | name'. |
| carried out over the years it is improbable that | | | | Two scientific names for a fish can happen now |
| the fish you have in your aquarium will be the | | | | and again due to the re-classification of a specific |
| same coloration, size and shape of the original fish | | | | fish. This is as a result of advances in Ichthyology |
| from, for example, Venezuela, where the | | | | (the study of fish) and the fact that this new |
| checkered dwarf cichlid originated, but where | | | | name is not universally taken up by all concerned. |
| breeding in captivity has been unsuccessful then | | | | In the event that there is no specific descriptor |
| you will have the authentic wild stock imported. | | | | for the fish of a known genus then the scientific |
| The Naming System | | | | name would be the generic name (the genus) |
| Pretty much every fish species has a common | | | | with species added on. In January 2010 |
| name (even several), which pet shops and | | | | information from a major fish database showed |
| aquarium keepers may employ on a regular basis, | | | | that fish species numbered over 31,000 and that |
| but if an correct description and identification is | | | | 250 new species are registered annually. Fish |
| needed then common names are not adequate. | | | | species outnumber all the remaining vertebrates |
| Carl Linnaeus was from Swedish and a physician, | | | | (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians). |