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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 |
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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 |
