Tanks for the Memories Trivia Quiz

The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) was first classified in 1859 by German explorer and naturalist Wilhelm Peters, but went through a few different designations by others before finally returning to the original binomial name. The name 'guppy' came from British naturalist Robert John Lechmere Guppy, who sent specimens to England from Trinidad during his journeys.

In their (original) natural habitat, guppies can be found in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. However they have been introduced to many other warm climes around the world since.

Also known as the Siamese fighting fish, the betta (Betta splendens) is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Bettas have been bred for over a thousand years and, with their wide variety of colours and finnage, have been called the 'designer fish of the aquatic world.'

Endemic to Thailand, bettas earned the name of 'Siamese fighting fish' due to their early breeding to be aggressive and their use in gambling matches fighting one another.

The neon tetra (Paracheirodon innesi) hails from the Amazon basin and, due to its bright colouring, is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish in the world.

Interestingly, neon tetras have the ability to change their colours based on the lighting. In darker lighting, they are more indigo, and at night when they are resting, the blue and red becomes gray and black.

Carassius auratus, known as the goldfish, is native to China and is a smaller member of the carp family of fish. Although named 'goldfish,' there are many colour variants, as the fish has been selectively bred for about a thousand years. It was during the Tang dynasty that breeding for the gold colouring began in earnest.

Despite its popularity, goldfish (released into the wild) have come to be considered invasive pests in parts of Australia and North America.

There are two common species of platy: the southern platyfish (Xiphophorus maculatus) and the variatus platy (Xiphophorus variatus). The two species have some distinctions between them, but interbreeding has become common, and the hybrid result is what is typically found in aquariums.

Both species hail from Central and (southern) North America, although the variatus platy has a smaller natural range than its counterpart.

Gouramis are a large group within the family Osphronemidae. With many sizes and colours in these many species, gouramis are a great addition to your freshwater aquarium, although at times some of them don't play well with others. They are found in Asia, from the the Indian subcontinent to Korea.

While there are more than this list here, among the more popular gourami choices for the aquarium are the blue gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus), chocolate gourami (Sphaerichthys osphormenoides), dwarf gourami (richgaster (Colisa) lalia), kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii), and moonlight gourami (Trichogaster microlepis).

Puntigrus tetrazona, commonly called the tiger barb, is named for the reason that you'd expect... it has quite prominent stripes. Native to Borneo and Malaysia, this freshwater aquarium favourite does not always do well in a community tank, as it has the tendency to nip at other fish, especially those with flowing fins.

There are three species of angelfish within the genus Pterophyllum, including Pterophyllum altum, Pterophyllum leopoldi, and Pterophyllum scalare. The three have distinct ranges, although all can be found in northern South America.

The most common of the three found in freshwater aquariums is Pterophyllum scalare.

Rainbowfish include a number of species within the Melanotaeniidae family, and they are generally well-behaved in community aquariums. Hailing from numerous locales (including Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia, Sulawesi, and Madagascar), these colourful fish are quite popular.

With many species available to choose from, here are a few of the most popular: Boesemani (or Boeseman's) rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani, the red neon blue eye rainbowfish Pseudomugil luminatus, and the rainbow maccullochi (or redfin rainbowfish) Melanotaenia maccullochi.

The zebra daino, or zebrafish (Danio rerio), like the tiger barb, is aptly named for its stripes. It is part of the minnow family (Cyprinidae) and hails from South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

These distinctive fish are a popular aquarium choice not only for their looks, but also for their ease of care. They are happy within a wide range of temperature, including unheated tanks, and do very well in community tanks.