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Un-official "Killifish" Glossary &
Trading
Practices
Just for fun;
below are simply some "nice to know" terms or jargon someone may run
across while being affiliated with a killifish hobbyist or hobby
related text, document or transaction. Towards the bottom of the
page are a few good Trading practices that might avoid "Sour Grapes"
preceding, during and after a transaction |
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Un-Official Hobby Glossary
- "WS"
="weeks spawn";
the seller has not counted eggs per se, but instead has
collected peat from a tank of reliable breeders. A good practice
is to mention the last or average hatch & number of fish contributing
to the spawn
- Hand
Collected:
usually this means the seller has bred the fish using mops or
other media and has manually harvested the eggs to a suitable
container & medium for hatching or shipping
- "Peat":
in this context has a analogous meaning to "weeks Spawn", but
few if any eggs were verified prior to transferring/selling
(the exact egg count is unknown)
- Pair:
in this context is always a verified male & female set. "pair"
does not necessarily equate to "mature" or reliable
breeders
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Trio:
almost always means: 1 male and 2 female. "Reverse Trio"
likewise means 2 males and 1 female (sometimes sold to get rid
of excess males or lower the risk of damage to a female...2nd
male acts either as a "dither" or "contributor")
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Juveniles:
fish which have passed the "fry stage" in size, but are not
necessarily showing all signs of sexual maturity (if
any)...Killies are sometimes, but not normally sold at this
stage (although schooling lampeyes, et might be)
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Sexable: (not a “official English word but…) the fishes sex
is determinable as either male or female
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Sub-Adult: sometime used as a synonym of "juvenile", but
usually means a fish that is almost physically an adult, the sex
can be determined, but the fish has not reached full size.
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Breeders: These are usually known egg producers, near or at
full size, but not "over the hill" in terms of life span,
physical condition or egg production
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Annual:
A killifish which has a reproductive morphology adapted to seasonal dry spells.
Usually annuals have a lifespan between 6-18 months. Almost all
annuals will lay eggs in peat, and "generally" have a longer
incubation period than other killifishes.
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Commonly used unofficial slang/abbreviations: Aphy=Aphyosemion;
FP = Fundulopanchax; simp = simpsonicthys; RIV = Rivulus
SA=South America
- Location or Code: for killifishes,
and in this context means the collection location or code unique
to this strain. The collection code may contain any of the
following: a year identifier, the collection parties name
abbreviations and/or the main geographical feature (town, river,
mile marker, whatever) that best describes that location. "CI"=
"commercial Import", and is usually followed by a 2 or 4 digit
year identifier, "AS" or no location = "Aquarium Strain" see
below
- "Aquarium Strain": in the killifish
world; Aquarium strain either means no location data is
available; the strain may/may not have been mixed with other
locations (same species), and/or this particular strain has
circulated so long the location data has been missing and the
strains genetic makeup is basically of domestic origin
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Un-Official Good Trading
Etiquette & Practices
Usually there are very
few "constants" when dealing with a large diverse group of people,
but one constant you can count on is when asking for information on
a fish you receive, you can always depend on the breeder to
provide you with breeding information (you will almost never be
refused breeding information as those types don't stick around long anyway) ...here
are some other cultural courtesies that will aid in keeping
the hobby fun and enjoyable and avoid "Sour grapes"
Courtesies/Etiquette when Selling or Trading Fish:
-The seller
should:
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Estimate or indicate shipping cost/box charges, pre-arrange box
return if required
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Indicate to the recipient: the transporter (UPS, FEdEx, USPS,
et.), the day the fish will be shipped,
estimated arrival time
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Clearly
mark/label species
and any known location codes
, especially females,
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Package the fish/eggs as if you are truly concerned about their
safe arrival
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Provide care/breeding info
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Unless for unavoidable reasons (like passing on annual breeders)
don't ship fish well past 50% of their expected lifespan, unless
indicated/previously agreed on
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Let the receiver know if you are not 100% certain you have
transferred a known pair
-The recipient should
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Inform the breeder/shipper about local weather, and take all
practical measures to reduce environmental influences on the
package (place a box outside w/note for carrier, be home to
receive package, et)
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Let the seller/breeder know when the fish arrive
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Pay or settle up promptly, return box if requested
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Indicate/inform breeder about the condition at arrival, if there
are any DOA's, and provide proof (photo's, bodies, et.)
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