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What exactly is a rummynose?

5K views 27 replies 7 participants last post by  jimscott 
#1 ·
Is it is a rasbora or a tetra? I've seen it classified as both.
 
#3 ·
Way back when, I saw them listed as both. That prompted me to Google it. The first 2 entries were Tetra & Rasbora. If I remember correctly. Hemigramus is the genus name for tetras. What makes a rasbora a rasbora?
 
#4 ·
Hemmigrammus is only one genus of fish that is commonly referred to as a tetra. Neons are in a different genus for example but are still called tetras.Black tetras are in a third genus and it goes on and on. There really aren't any rules for common names which can often lead to confusion.
 
#25 ·
LOL! It always bugged me that Cardinals, which come from the pretty much the same neck of the woods, as Neons, and look closely enough, have a totally different genus name.
 
#5 ·
Classifications are made by certain characteristics which sometimes fall on the borderline of 2 or more species.... it doesnt necessarily reflect behavior of the fish... in other words, not all tetras are alike even though they share common characteristics.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Fin structure is one of the primary means of identifying the family to which a fish belongs.

For example, tetras have an adipose fin between the dorsal and caudal fins, while cypranids do not. So whether it is a tetra or a rasbora is determined by the adipose fin, or lack thereof.

It's a tetra.
 
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#8 ·
That is incorrect.
 
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#11 ·
How about a link?
 
#12 · (Edited)
#14 ·
#16 · (Edited)
Yes because you are looking up a genus of tetra, not a rasbora.

Rasboras are cypranids. There is no debate.

Fish of the genus Hemigrammus have adipose dorsal fins, which as I said is a distinguishing factor of tetra species.
 
#18 ·
I agree that rummy nose are tetras - said it in my first post :)
 
#26 ·
Rummynose are tetras and rasboras because common names are stupid.
Common names, especially when it came to ordering salt water fish, from multiple suppliers, drove me nuts! Scientific names, at least, were consistent.

Oddly enough, I run into the same issues with carnivorous plants. :)
 
#22 ·
Glowlights are the same way - common name for both a tetra and a danio.
 
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#23 ·
I was dealing with this one in the profiles the other day. . . *bangshead*
I agree with BWG. Common names are stupid.
An *actual* rummy nose is a drunk person with a bright red schnoz. . . at least in this case, the common name sort of makes sense. ~.^
 
#24 ·
Chesh, I like your definition of rummynose the best. Lol

But seriously, i think 99% of us would agree that when someone mentions Rummynose that they are referring to the tetra. Hemigrammus Bleheri being the most common sold in shops.
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#27 ·
Scientific names are all well and good until the ichthyologists get bored and decide to change them - AGAIN. Which seems to happen entirely too often. I get this image in my head of crazy old men running around with microscopes, and paperwork shouting things like "I DECLARE THIS NAME INVALID!" And yes. . . this is EXACTLY how wars start. :p
 
#28 ·
Don't laugh, but I remember when guppies were Lebistes reticulatus and mollies had a genus name that was something like mollienesia. And then the livebearers just became Poecilia - poof! Oh yeah - Xiphophorus - was another one that became Xiphophorus.
 
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