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Mermaid Nerds Share The Differences Between Different Kinds Of Mermaids

Mermaid Nerds Share The Differences Between Different Kinds Of Mermaids

Mermaid Nerds Share The Differences Between Different Kinds Of Mermaids

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Mermaids are easily one of the most spellbinding fantasy creatures ever. They've held a place in people's imaginations for centuries and there really isn't any sign of that stopping any time soon. They inspire trends all over the place, like those mermaid pillows covered in reversible sequins or mermaid hair. There was a mermaid "documentary" not too long ago that talked about mermaids from a zoological perspective and people were really into it. Maybe that's what inspired this reddit user to ask:

What do you think would be the major differences between a freshwater mermaid and a saltwater mermaid?

Honestly, a lot of the answers were really insightful and well thought out! And a lot were... um ... not that. We grabbed 20 of our favorites for you guys to read.

A Lot Of Blubber

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Both would have to have a lot of blubber, like manatees, so forget Ariel. Freshwater would probably be very dark with spots to blend in with murky water (like trout), whereas salt water would probably be light/blue to blend in with the ocean (like whales).

Variance

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Saltwater mermaids would show more variance in color and fish shape do to the large habitat (think shark mermaids, clownfish mermaids, lion-fish mermaids, etc), better suited for combat on account of the oceans many predators, and have more worldly knowledge on account of having access to every major coastal city.

Freshwater mermaids would be a bit duller and look similar to other mermaids in the same lake but radically different from mermaids of other lakes. They'd suited for camouflage on account of having to survive in a small space in close to humans. They'd be much more timid that your saltwater mermaid.

If They Breathe Air...

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I wouldn't think there'd be any difference if mermaids breathe air. They wouldn't have to worry about the whole osmotic balance thing the way a critter with gills would. They'd be more like whales - could go from fresh to brackish to salt water without any real issues.

Amazonian Women

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Strength.

In the open ocean, a lot of the time you can just swim around an obstacle. In a river, you'd have to be able to scarvel up waterfalls or hold position against the current, unless you're in a pool or slower river.

Colour.

A lot of and lakes rivers are dark or murky. I'd imagine a freshwater mermaids would have a darker complexion, and a tail similar to that of a freshwater Arctic charr, a mottled black/brown back with a redder belly. They'd probably have brown or black hair.

Air Tolerant

Due to the nature of the water cycle and their size, a freshwater mermaid would need to be able to spend periods of time out of water, either looking for a new water body to live in, or in shallow or stagnant water.

Verdict

A freshwater mermaid would look something like an amazonian woman with an arapaima-like tail.

Different Hairstyles

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Saltwater mermaid is quick, lively, colorful, and mischievous. Her bright hair tangles around her and her scales are reflective. They are fascinated with the open sky. Can often be found playing on rocks at the surface of the water.

Freshwater mermaid is slow, reserved, monochromatic, and tends to go with the flow. Her dark hair rests at her shoulders and her scales are dull. They are uninterested in surface surroundings. Can often be found browsing for food along river bottoms.

Mississippi Mermaids

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I think there would be more diversity among freshwater mermaids. Like a Mississippi River mermaid is probably a little rough and jaded, while maybe a Lake Tahoe mermaid is not.

Billy Bass

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Well, there would be a freshwater mermaid version of the Billy Bass.

Pointy Fins

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Probably in their tails; a Freshwater mermaid would have gentle fins, not sharp or pointy. A saltwater mermaid would have pointy/sharp fins instead like for speed and agility.

Size Matters

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Salties generally have more room to swim in than freshies (the ocean opposed to a river or lake) so would probably end up much bigger!

Majestic Betta Fish

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Freshwater are majestic like beta fish, salt water look like the hell spawn that show up on Google images when you search for real mermaid pictures.

Catfish And Corvinas

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Catfish do not taste the same as corvinas, and you know it ma'am.

Brackish

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When Freshies act all Salty, they're called Brackish.

Beachy Curls

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Saltwater mermaid would definitely have the most amazing curly hair from all that salt. My Mam literally fills up a bottle with water from the sea to spray on her hair.

Like Salmon

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I've always seen freshwater mermaids as kind of like salmon, slow, a little ugly, and lays eggs. Saltwater mermaids would be much more predatory, vertical fin, maybe even a dorsal fin, and would probably breed like sharks where the eggs hatch inside the body of the mother.

Confederate Flag Bikinis

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I actually had an idea once for a TV show called River Mermaids where they'd all live on rivers in the Appalachian mountains.

Wine And Sea Food

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The flavor and wine pairing. I would go with a Chardonnay on fresh and a Riesling on salt.

Flipping Bodies

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Freshwater: person on top fish on bottom

Saltwater: fish on top person on bottom

Luring Cocky Hikers

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The existence of a freshwater mermaid is a common fallacy. It is actually a brackish-water mermaid that can adapt to both salt and fresh water environments. This species is smaller in size than the open-sea mermaid, and its skin is more pinkish in color, but otherwise share general characteristics and split from a common ancestor about 60,000 years ago.

Also, instead of luring tired sailors into shipwrecks, they lure cocky hikers and backpackers into rocky rivers with strong currents and unpredictable drops.

"Hates Chickens"

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Freshwater mermaid: Pretty, but in a slightly mildew-y way. She's into pranks like grabbing your leg as you swim through a bunch of pond seaweed. Freshwater mermaid is also into grunge pop, the shark tooth necklace you lost last summer, The Gilmore Girls revival and is a lowkey freak.

Saltwater Mermaid: Rides sharks for fun. Lures sailors to shipwreck for fun. Has a seaweed garden for fun. Tames seagulls for fun. Hates chickens.

H/T: Reddit

Women Explain Which Mistakes Dads Make Raising Daughters

Reddit user Bluemonday82 asked: 'Daughters of reddit: what's the biggest mistake dads make with their daughters?'

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Brittani Burns on Unsplash

"Daddy's Girl, Daddy's Girl, I'm the center of Daddy's world..." ~ "Daddy's Girl" by Red Sovine

A lot has been written about the bond between fathers and daughters.

But there's always room for improvement, right?

And who better to offer constructive criticism than daughters?

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woman making the shushing gesture

Bjorn Pierre on Unsplash

Full disclosure at all times with your significant other, right?

Yeah, good luck with that.

Let's get real—there are things we don't tell our partners for a lot of reasons.

Sometimes you just don't feel like having to explain something that doesn't really affect them.

Sometimes you're protecting them from something that will have a devastating effect on them.

These are probably going to be more that second one...

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We all have that moment where someone we know says something so completely absurd, the only response we think of is 'WTF is wrong with you?'

Sometimes, it's something woefully inaccurate that you can't wrap your head around the fact that someone believes that.

Othertimes, it's something completely offensive and you regret your association with that person.

My college roommate was a girl I knew from my high school. I didn't know her too well, but we had some big things in common, so I figured it'd be fun to live with her.

This girl was half-Korean and talked a lot about racist people. At first, I let her rant, figuring maybe she or someone in her family faced some racism. I faced some myself, and I agreed with most of the things she said about racists. Eventually, however, I realized she was equating the word 'racist' with the word 'white.'

I spoke to her once, telling her she can't use 'racist' and 'white' interchangeably. She agreed to stop doing that, but within a few days, she started doing it again. She was a very bright girl, so I was a little concerned about this, especially since her own dad was white and was possibly the nicest man in the world. Not to mention, this made her and her siblings half-white too. Did that mean they were all half-racist?

I stuck by her for a while, but when she started saying things about what she wanted to do to racist people (once again using the word 'white' instead of 'racist'), I realized I couldn't be around her anymore. She couldn't talk about anything else after a while, and every time she spoke, I wanted to say, 'WTF is wrong with you?'

We did not room together the next year.

Redditors have stories similar to mine (and some even crazier), and they are eager to share.

It all started when a Redditorasked:

"What did the person do/say that made you go "what the f**k is wrong with you?"

How To End A Friendship

"In college I used to kill time between classes hanging out with a guy who was from the same redneck county as myself. We didn’t really have much else in common, but he was nice enough and seemed eager to socialize so I figured why not. I wasn’t overly social myself and didn’t know a whole lot of people."

"One day we decided to go somewhere off-campus, and he drove us. While driving, on an interstate mind you, he proceeds to show me his handgun that he kept in his truck - not in a menacing way, but in a “Ain’t that cool?” way."

"I was not immediately frightened, but I respect firearms enough to recognize we are going like 60-70mph on an interstate in daylight, and nothing good can happen in this scenario. I calmly asked him to put it away because I was not comfortable in this situation at all. He then tells me “Oh it’s not loaded” and presses the gun to his head before pulling the trigger."

"Thank f**k he was right, but still it was a wild and frightening display of reckless disregard for his own life and mine for that matter in the event that he’d accidentally killed himself while driving us. I didn’t hang out with him much after that, certainly didn’t get in a car with him."

– omjf23

"“It’s not loaded” famous last words of many an idiot."

– GloInTheDarkUnicorn

The Worst Kind Of People

"When my dad was in the nursing home, they weren't running certain expenses, like ambulance rides, through his insurance. When I took over his financials, he was tens of thousands in medical debt that shouldn't have ever been charged to him in the first place. He was in numerous collections, and his credit score was tanked."

"When I complained to the nursing home director, he said, "Well, it's not like he's going to be buying a house or a car!" Then he laughed."

"My dad was paralyzed from the waist down and needed lifelong care, so he was never going to leave the nursing home. Even though he was technically correct, I gave him the "WTF is wrong with you look." Then I complained to HIS boss and he got canned a couple a weeks later. My dad's insurance was fixed pretty quick, too."

– MNWNM

"“Sorry, what was funny about that? Could you please explain.”"

– v3n0mat3

...Seriously?

"MIL told my wife she should divorce me bc I googled whether a lasagna should be covered with foil while cooking."

– Struggle-Silent

"This is my first laugh of the thread lmao wtf."

– koreantrvp

"It actually ruined this entire trip. It was at my BIL’s wedding, which was only close family (siblings + parents) and they had the caterer make a lasagna for an evening dinner."

"Father of the bride was gonna pop it in the oven and asked if it should be covered. I googled lasagna cooking instructions and said yes it should be covered and cooked at this temp. MIL said absolutely not!"

"Me and the father of the bride kinda gave each other a look and he covered it. MIL was furious and texted my wife that I was an a hole and she should divorce me before we had kids."

– Struggle-Silent

Hostile Work Environment

"Boss at old job told the team we needed to ‘get used to a healthy level of conflict, fear and anxiety in the workplace.’ I dipped so fast after that."

– Prestigious-Energy69

"Similarly, a boss told me that I owed him my loyalty because he was paying me."

– Kylearean

How To End A Relationship

"A girl I was with while we were still together just looked at me while I was driving to her house and said.” You know I would get over you faster than you’d get over me” I was like …… Tf did you just say?"

– omega91301

"Huh. And just like that I'm over you."

– Pineapple_Spenstar

"Honestly, that would absolutely do it for me. When I was younger, I would be stupid and hurt and argue. I'm past 50 and I got no time for that nonsense."

– Terpsichorean_Wombat

There Are Other Ways To Stave Off Boredom

"I was DD for some buddies who wanted to go to a particular dance club in Baltimore. They're all hammered, it's too loud and we've been there for several hours. Casually an older woman next to me chats me up and notices my eyes are nearly crossing from boredom. I explained what I was doing there and casually (stupidly) mentioned I'm a bit bored. This psycho BITES ME on the chest! Afterward says "Well ya ain't bored now, are ya??""

– Mike7676

"Well, were you bored after that?"

– DontWannaSayMyName

"I must say, I was not!"

– Mike7676

That Goes Both Ways!

"I'm a man who works with kids, and when I started this job, I was talking to one of my old coworkers about how every once in a while I'll get weird looks for being a man working with kids and my coworker said I deserved it because some men can't be trusted with kids. I was shocked and she went on to say that I did it to myself and deserve to be questioned about it. I immediately stopped talking to her."

– Dolhedew

"What? What in the actual f**k? Doesn’t she know there are women who can’t be trusted with kids?"

– Anonymoosehead123

That Escalated Quickly

"The lady that accused my kids of cutting the line. (They hadn't, I was watching). When I went to ask her what was wrong, she told me to go back to my own country with that sh*t. (I was born in Massachusetts.)"

"The line was to pet dogs at a Renaissance Fair."

– pasafa

Everything All At Once

"While alone with a coworker, he told me that "women in the work place will lead to the decay of the fabric of society" to me. A woman. He also asked me out, got an attitude when I didn't say yes and continues to walk around with huge incel energy. He always complains that he has no one to go home to yet refuses to look at himself as a possible reason."

– Nopeferatu31

"Sounds like they should learn something from the phrase, "if you meet one a**hole, they're the a**hole. If everyone you meet is an a**hole, you're the a**hole.""

– tmpope123

Ouch!

"I told a coworker my wife had died."

"Her response: "You're one of those bald middle aged guys with a dead wife.""

"Me: "Yeah.""

– WalrusCello

"I want to think this was a wholesome thought that came out wrong. An awkward attempt at dark humor."

– ThisUsernameIsTook

*Cringing*

"Had an otherwise normal co-worker who was completely convinced windmills will cause the earth to stop spinning."

– Shadowmant

"WINDMILLS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY! GOOD NIGHT!"

– Torvaun

These are all crazy 'WTF is wrong with you' stories, but that last one blew my mind in 'how is it possible people think that could be true' sort of way!

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Tekton on Unsplash

One of the possible wonders of adulthood is home ownership. But homes come with so many things that can break.

And the last thing you want is a nonfunctioning furnace when temperatures dip below zero or no water when you're covered in dirt and grime.

That's what routine maintenance is for—to make sure things work when you need them.

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