This list contains acronyms and other terms commonly used in the hobby. It is sorted alphabetically.
Use Ctrl+F or ⌘+F to search.
A
ABF - African Butterfly Fish
ADF - African Dwarf Frog
AKA - Also known as
API - Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. an american company that manufactures aquarium products.
Aro - Arowana, a type of fish
ATO - Automatic Top Off system
B
BBA - Black Beard Algae
Betta - More commonly known as a Siamese Fighting Fish
BN/BNP - Bristle Nose Pleco
C
CAE - Chinese Algae Eater
Canister - type of filter
CB - Captive Bred
CFL - Compact Fluorescent Light
CL - Craigslist
CO2/C02 - Carbon Dioxide; Used to grow plants. Injected into the aquarium via a diffuser
CPO - Orange Dwarf Crayfish/Mexican Dwarf Crayfish
Cycle - The aquarium nitrogen cycle
D
DG - Dwarf Gourami
DGIV- Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus, a poorly understood and often fatal iridovirus that afflicts species of the genus Trichogaster
DIY - Do It Yourself
DT - Display Tank
E
EBJD - Electric Blue Jack Dempsey
EI - Estimative Index; a method of dosing fertilizers.
EOTD - End of tank dump; when a CO2 tank runs low on pressure, the regulator can't handle it and leaks the CO2 out into the tank.
F
F1, F2, etc. - First aquarium-bred generation, Second, etc...
Ferts - Fertilizers
FOWLR - Fish only with live rock (saltwater)
Fry - Baby fish
FTS - Full Tank Shot
FW - Freshwater
G
Gal, G - Gallon
GBR - German Blue Ram
GH - General Hardness; a measure of calcium, magnesium, and other ions
GSP - Green Spotted Puffer
H
HOB - Hang on Back filter (ex. Aquaclear 10)
HT - Hospital Tank
I
ICH - Type of fish disease
IMO - In My Opinion
Invert - Invertebrate
K
KH - Carbonate Hardness; a measure of the alkalinity of water
Kribs - Kribensis; type of dwarf cichlid
L
L - Litre
LED - Light-emitting diode
LFS - Local Fish Store
LPS - Local Pet Store
M
Macro - Nutrients that plants need in large doses, or macroalgae (seaweed).
MFK - Monster Fish Keepers
Micro - Nutrients that plants need in small doses
MSS - Mineralized Soil Substrate
MTS - Multiple Tank Syndrome, Malaysian Trumpet Snail, or Mineralized Topsoil Substrate
N
NH3 - Ammonia
NLS - New Life Spectrum
NO2 - Nitrite
NO3 - Nitrate
NTD - Neon Tetra Disease
NTS - New Tank Syndrome; see cycling.
O
Oscar - Large species of South American Cichlid.
Oto - Otocinclus; a small catfish
P
Params - Parameters of your water. Typically, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates
pH - the potential of hydrogen; the acidity or basicity of your water
Pleco - Plecostomus; common name of a freshwater catfish
PO4 - Phosphate
PPM - Parts Per Million
Python - A siphon that attaches to your tap
Q
Q - Quarantine
QT - Quarantine
R
Ram - Species of South American Cichlid
RCS - Red Cherry Shrimp
RES - Red-Eared Slider; type of turtle.
RO/DI - Reverse Osmosis Deionized; used for water purification.
RTGG - Red Tail Giant Gourami
S
SA or SAC - South American Cichlid
SAE - Siamese Algae Eater
Sp - Species
SW - Saltwater
T
TBH - To Be Honest
TDS - Total Dissolved Solids - you can get meters on Amazon for like $15.
TIL - Today I learned.
W
WC - Water Change or Wild Caught
Other
40b - a 40 gallon breeder; a type of aquarium