The proper name for them is Herotilapia multispinosa but most folks wouldn't remember that very far past their front door. Common names serve the purpose of being easier to remember. I got mine from my son who breeds them. They breed, even in my community tank, as easily as the typical livebearer. They tolerate a wide variety of water conditions and they are predominantly plant eaters so they give my other small fish a break by not trying to eat them. On the other hand, I have put a full cup of duckweed into their tank and found it gone in a couple of weeks. In case you have not used duckweed, that is enough for a 2 or 3 plants deep layer on the surface of my 6 foot long tank. When I cant find a single plant a couple of weeks later, I am impressed. Don't even think about these guys in a planted tank unless you have a ton of money for replacing plants.
