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Denotes a generally excellent starter fish |
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Peaceful - has not been known to bother any fish |
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Spirited -normally peaceful, but may chase slow species |
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Mildly aggressive - should not be kept with slow or timid fish |
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Aggressive - should be kept with larger active fish |
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Pugnacious - not acceptable in community tanks |
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Vulnerable - likely to be harassed, picked on, or fin nipped
by other fish, sometimes even by otherwise peaceful species |
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Changeable - may be mixed with other fish when young, but may
become more aggressive when older, and may eat smaller fish |
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Hardy - tolerant to various water conditions and not commonly
affected by hard to treat diseases |
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Disease prone - subject hard to treat diseases |
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Touchy - subject to water condition problems (extreme pH, hardness,
ammonia, etc.) |
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Subject to "Ich" - susceptible to the common, but very easily
controlled parasite, Ich |
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Livebearer - requires salt, up to a teaspoon per gallon, and
some vegetable diet (condition food). Livebearer babies will be
eaten if not separated |
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Warm water - requires water of 84-86 degrees F (29-30 degrees
C) to remain in top condition |
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Temperate - will tolerate or prefer cooler water, but will do
well at normal tropical temperatures - 76-80 degrees F (25-27
degrees C) |
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Cool water - should be kept in water 68-72 degrees F (20-22
degrees C) |
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Brackish - could be kept with more salt (sea salt) in water
than normal tropicals, although 1 TBS per 5 gallons is sufficient |
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Jumpers - tanks should be completely covered |
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Intolerance to malachite green - is weakened or dies when treated
with the otherwise very effective "Ich" medication, malachite
green. Ich medications range from useless (too slow or too weak)
to dangerous (killing tetras, catfish, etc.) The numerous Ich
medications on the market can be very confusing and can vary greatly
in quality. |
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Fast growth - may become much larger than purchased size |
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Plant eater - will probably destroy and / or eat most aquarium
plants |
|
Risky - notoriously weak from shipment and / or fluctuating
water properties - may be frustrating to attempt, but worthwhile
if successful |
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Special treatment - a clerk should be consulted to find out
the unique properties of these fish |
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Sensitive to well water - these fish may not like certain well
water - caution is advised and experimentation is necessary as
this sensitivity may vary from one well to another. |
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Algae eater - will eat unsightly algae off rocks, plants, glass,
etc. |
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Scavenger - will eat troublesome uneaten food particles that
will otherwise cloud and pollute water (at least two (2) scavengers/10
gal.) |
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Special food - may require a special diet to remain healthy |
