Neocaridina glossary
The words that change a claim. This governed set contains 45 terms for moments when a guide, listing, test result or community reply sounds certain but the underlying term is unclear.
A definition is not a diagnosis or care target. These terms keep observations and claims comparable. Follow the linked guide for the method, evidence and decision boundary.
Jump to identity and breeding, anatomy and life stage, water measurements, husbandry, evidence and research
Identity and breeding
- Scientific name
- A taxonomic claim such as Neocaridina davidi. Its strength depends on the identification method and taxonomic treatment, not on italic type or seller confidence.
- Common name
- A public label such as cherry shrimp that helps people communicate. It does not uniquely establish species, ancestry or grade.
- Trade line or morph
- A commercial or breeder label for an appearance-associated population. It is not a formal taxonomic rank, genotype, pedigree or guarantee that two sellers share ancestry.
- Line
- A breeding population maintained with a stated source history, objective and records. A name alone does not prove that history.
- Grade
- An observed appearance classification under a named standard, method and date. Grade is not species, health, genetic purity or breeding value.
- Phenotype
- An observed trait or set of traits produced by genotype, development and environment. Similar appearance does not prove the same genotype.
- Genotype
- The genetic state at defined loci or across defined sequence data. It cannot be assigned from colour unless a validated phenotype-genotype method exists for that exact claim.
- Provenance
- The documented source, custody and transfer history of animals or a colony. Provenance records a claim trail; it does not independently verify every earlier claim.
- Colony
- A population maintained in a defined system. A colony is not automatically a pure line, family or genetically isolated population.
Continue with identity and provenance guide, selective-breeding guide.
Anatomy and life stage
- Carapace
- The hard dorsal and lateral covering of the cephalothorax. Carapace length is not total body length; a measurement must state its landmarks.
- Rostrum
- The forward-projecting part of the carapace between and ahead of the eyes. Shape and teeth may inform taxonomy, but one rostrum photograph rarely resolves species by itself.
- Pereiopod
- One of the thoracic appendages used in feeding or walking. The first, second, third and later pereiopods have different structures and cannot be called simply a leg when location matters.
- Pleopod
- One of the paired appendages under the abdomen, often called swimmerets. Male pleopod structures can be taxonomically important and usually require an appropriate adult view.
- Saddle
- Hobby shorthand for a visible ovary or developing oocytes through the carapace. It supports ovarian development; it does not prove mating, fertilization or a future hatch.
- Ovigerous or berried
- Carrying eggs attached beneath the abdomen. It does not by itself prove that the eggs are fertilized, viable or certain to hatch.
- Clutch
- The eggs associated with one reproductive event. Count attached eggs, hatched young and retained juveniles separately because they have different denominators.
- Exuvia
- The shed exoskeleton left after ecdysis. It is not a carcass, and seeing one does not establish whether the animal completed the molt without later problems.
- Molt
- The shedding event or, informally, the shed exoskeleton. State whether you mean the process, a live animal during ecdysis or an exuvia.
- Shrimplet
- An informal hobby term for a small young shrimp. It is not a standardized developmental stage; use hatch date, body measurement and anatomical stage when precision matters.
Continue with anatomy and photography guide, sex-confidence guide, molting guide.
Water measurements
- GH
- General hardness, a method-defined measure mainly responding to dissolved calcium and magnesium. GH does not reveal the separate calcium and magnesium concentrations or every dissolved mineral.
- KH or alkalinity
- Hobby KH tests approximate acid-neutralizing capacity, commonly expressed as carbonate hardness. The result is not a direct inventory of carbonate species and is not interchangeable with pH.
- Conductivity
- How well the water conducts electricity under a stated method and temperature basis. It responds to dissolved ions but does not identify them.
- TDS
- Total dissolved solids; many hobby meters estimate it from conductivity using a conversion factor. The display does not reveal composition, GH or a species requirement.
- pH
- A logarithmic measure related to hydrogen-ion activity. Record the method, time and temperature; one reading does not establish the daily range or buffering capacity.
- Total ammonia
- The combined ammonium and unionized-ammonia result under the method used. Preserve whether it is reported as nitrogen or as the chemical species.
- Unionized ammonia, NH3
- The unionized fraction of total ammonia. Its fraction changes with pH and temperature, so NH3 and total ammonia are not interchangeable numbers.
- Nitrite and nitrate
- Different oxidized nitrogen analytes. Preserve whether each result is reported as nitrogen or as the whole ion before comparing values.
- Not detected
- No signal was resolved above the stated method threshold. It does not mean the analyte is proven absent or exactly zero.
Continue with parameter guide, nitrogen-label guide, measurement-quality guide.
Husbandry
- Cycled or commissioned
- A system has demonstrated processing of a defined nitrogen challenge under stated conditions. Tank age, nitrate, bottled bacteria or clear water alone do not establish capacity.
- Biofilm
- A surface-associated community and matrix. A visible coating is not one organism, a guaranteed food quantity or proof of a complete diet.
- Acclimation
- A planned transition between source and receiving conditions. The method should respond to the actual differences and package state; there is no universal drip duration.
- Quarantine
- Separation of a source contact network with observation, dedicated equipment and a release decision. It reduces selected risks but cannot prove that animals are pathogen-free.
- Stocking density
- Animal number relative to a defined volume, area or other unit at a stated time. System capacity also depends on life stage, feeding, surface, filtration, oxygen and maintenance.
- House recipe
- A documented operating choice used by one keeper or facility. Reproducibility makes it auditable; it does not make the recipe a species optimum.
- No release
- Never place shrimp, eggs, plants, water, substrate or filter material where aquarium life can reach natural waters. A captive origin or local sighting does not make release safe.
Continue with commissioning guide, quarantine guide, responsible-placement guide.
Evidence and research
- Experimental unit
- The smallest independently assigned unit in a comparison, often a tank or vessel rather than every animal inside it. Subsamples do not create treatment replication.
- Biological replicate
- An independently sampled biological unit under the design. Repeated readings or PCR wells from the same biological material are technical replicates.
- Endpoint
- The outcome actually measured, such as survival, growth, attached eggs or gene expression. A molecular endpoint is not automatically health, welfare or reproductive success.
- Controlled experiment
- A design assigning a treatment or controlled comparison. Its species, unit, dose, duration and endpoint still limit the claim.
- Field observation
- A record from a natural or introduced population. Occurrence and association do not establish causation or a home-aquarium optimum.
- LC50
- A concentration estimated to kill half of the tested group during a defined exposure. It is not a safe concentration, chronic limit or treatment dose.
- NOEC
- The highest tested concentration with no statistically detected effect under that design and analysis. It is bounded by the tested concentrations, power and endpoints and does not mean zero risk.
- Optimum
- A condition that performs best for a defined objective across an adequate comparison. One successful condition, field reading or house recipe does not establish an optimum.
- Supports
- The nearest claim justified by the source methods and results. Support stays limited to the studied taxon, design, conditions, unit, duration and endpoint.
- Limits
- The nearest tempting claim the source cannot justify. A useful citation keeps both supports and limits attached.
Continue with structured research map, editorial and evidence method.
Use the term in a complete sentence
Prefer "sold as Blue Dream, grade not assessed, source recorded" over "pure Blue Dream." Prefer "total ammonia not detected by this kit at this reporting step" over "ammonia is zero." Prefer "one exuvia observed" over "the colony is molting normally." Precision does not make a reply less friendly. It makes the next keeper able to act on it.