Tetra Mermaids

Tetra Mermaids
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Physical Description
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Tetra Mermaids are brightly colored mermaids with sleek streamlined bodies and long flowing fins. They grow to a maximum of a foot long. Males are distinguished by a tall dorsal fin that they erect to warn off competitors for territory and mates.

Habitat.
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Tetra Mermaids are confined naturallyto several tiny waterways deep within Bulvon Wood out of the way of larger mermaid species but have been found at other locations due to captive specimens being released. They prefer quiet still areas of water like pools to faster flowing streams and brooks but they insist on clear clean water and have been known to travel great distances overland to reach it. They love the pools beneath waterfalls because these areas tend to be well supplied with food.

Tetra Mermaids are unique among mermaids in that it is the male who does all the child care. The female only returning home to feed them leaving everything else up to the male who is an excellent father and very protective of his brood. Females tend to be larger and stronger than the males and thus are usually the dominant sex in their society.

Diet.
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Tetra Mermaids have an enormous appetite and will eat almost anything small enough to swallow. They in particular enjoy eating small minnows and crayfish. In some areas they are known to nip pieces out of the fins of larger fish.

Character
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Tetra Mermaids are extremely curious and will swim up to investigate anything strange or new to them entering their territory. This makes them rather easy to catch and some neko tribes living in Bulvon Wood make a variety of lures for just this purpose. However they do temper their curiosity with common sense as they grow older and gain experiance in life..Because they are so small they have many predators. Tetra mermaid sometimes befriend members of other species especially humans. They make very good pets which as led to a brisk trade in them to off world pet stores. Some neko tribes have Tetra mermaids as a main part of their diet and concoct lots of different sauces to dip them in.

Hehe. I like the whole bit with them being kept as pets in Negav. Though you might want to be careful if you invite any neko over.

Yes you don't want to find a neko in your fish tank.

There is a healthy trade for Tetra Mermaids in Negav. Not only do they make excellent pets but they also taste delicious! Especially with soy sauce and rice.

I find that some aspects of their general character are conflicting. You state outright that they have an inherent fear of larger species, yet at the same time they are apparently curious to the point of that caution being abandoned. While it might be a bit of a cliche for smaller things to be generally wary and cautious, it's fairly justified because when you're that small almost anything can prey upon you. As a species, it would be better for their survivability if they had an aversion to foreign things entirely. But that's just my two cents as far as that goes.

Other than that, I commend you on the effort and can honestly say it would be an interesting species if implemented.

I see what you mean. I have edited the post so that it makes mores sense. Tetra mermaids are very curious but they do have some common sense. Otherwise they would all be eaten up.I guess that it would be better to say that they are curious about things their own size or so entering their territory but they retain the instinctive fear of certain things like large fish or shadows falling on the water caused by birds.