Buying a Fish, What's in a Name?

Now that you've bought you nice new fish tank, you're probably chomping at the bit to start filling it with your fish of choice. But you're likely to bump into problems if you are not sure of exactly what kind of fish you're looking for. Rather than purchasing a fish based solely on it's color and look, you'll have decide on a few more criteria.

Before you set out for the pet shop, one of the more useful things you can do is to do a bit of research before going to the store. The research should focus on determining exactly which kinds of fish species are best suited to your tank size, the quantity of fish that your aquarium will comfortably hold, without overcrowding, the species of fish that can safely live amongst each other in peace, and a number of additional conditions. But you may also find it useful to be aware of what some may consider a somewhat inconsequential fact about fish. Their scientific names of the fish you are thinking of buying.

All fish have what is known a common name, i.e., the name they are called by the people in the area where they are found. But all fish have a scientific name as well. A fish's scientific name is the name given to them by the scientific community. With a few exceptions, the scientific name is universal and standardized. This helps to avoid confusion when going into a pet store to buy your favorite fish.

For example, the Corydoras is one of the more popular fish chosen by aquarists. They're hardy and easy to care for as well as being readily available and not too hard to find. The Corydoras, when kept in a community pool, are also proficient at breeding. There are various species of Corydoras including Bronze cory with the scientific name of Corydoras adlofoi, Spotted cory with the scientific name of Corydoras ambiacus, Skunk cory with the scientific name of Corydoras arcuatuas, and many more. By giving the shop keeper the fish's scientific name, you can be sure that you're getting the fish that you intend.

Most pet shops will display their aquarium fish by their common names. In addition, to help identification, some will also display the corresponding scientific name beneath the common name. An additional problem with common names is that because they are inexact, many times different but similar looking species will be given the identical common name by folks in the surrounding area which can lead to confusion.  Adding even more to the confusion is that common names for the same fish can vary by country and region.

Scientific names are normally Latin based and hard to pronounce, one more reason why you rarely hear these names used. A fish's common name is usually the only one you need to know when shopping for your aquarium fish. But, while the common name is usually the more colorful name for a fish, if you want to be 100% sure that you get the right fish - use it's scientific name.