Cross-Breeding Fish.

Dmbandstef

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I'll start off by saying that I have no intentions to cross breed fish. But after reading some forums on the internet I have learned that people are extremely against it and I just want to know why. I personally do not see what the big deal is, but I do not know anything about it. Someone enlighten me!
 
First of all, most fish will not hybridise if they have mates of their own species available, so the appearance of hybrid fry indicates that the fish are not being kept in appropriate numbers and/or conditions.

Secondly, and most importantly, many of our tropical fish are relatively vulnerable in the wild (even common things, like cherry barbs). If anything happened to those wild populations, from pollution or drought, they could easily go extinct and only serious hobbyists would have and be breeding them. This was a very real risk for some fish; celestial pearl danios, for instance, until another wild source was discovered. If many hybrids are allowed into the hobby, there is a very real possibility those species could be lost altogether.

This is already happening with many species; Endlers (John Endler himself told me, when I met him at a talk a few years ago, that none of the Endlers in the aquarium trade are pure; they're all now Endler/guppy hybrids), Rift Valley cichlids and synodontis catfish.

There are, literally, thousands of fish species out there to choose from. Producing hybrids is unnecessary and damaging.
 
Wow. Thats serious and is obvious now that you mentioned all that. The thing about the endlers is sad and shameful. Its also amazing that if a breed in the wild was wiped out or endangered that aquarium hobbyists would be able to sustain and bring their numbers back up. That is amazing. Thank you for the info!
 
You're welcome
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along with all of the above, some hybrid fish come with health problems, the parrot fish has such a deformed jaw that many cannot eat normal sized foods. Some hybrid fish do not live as long either.
 
star4 said:
along with all of the above, some hybrid fish come with health problems, the parrot fish has such a deformed jaw that many cannot eat normal sized foods. Some hybrid fish do not live as long either.
Good point, star; thanks for picking that up; I hadn't thought about that 
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I ought to mention crossing different 'morphs' of one species as well.
 
For example, platies and guppies have been bred in many different colours and  crossing those, although not detrimental to the fish from a health or genetic point of view, is not a great idea. Breeders have spent a long time 'fixing' the genes that cause blue or red colouration. Mixing them together won't give you a purple fish; you'll just get poor quality reds or blues.
 
Good point FM, if you get onto "morphs" you then include balloon fish etc
 
Some colour morphs are so much more popular than the origional species that the origional species is rarely seen.  Take the kissing gourami, the pink is the colour morph, the origional is a dull green.
 
Does anyone have any thoughts on the effects of breeding extensively from one group who may have all been in the same batch, or even the same fry?
 
Does the blood line quickly become weakened by what is technically inter-breeding in a close family?
 
It would probably have the same negative effects as any breed of any type of animal that is inbred. Probably weakened immune system and way more prone to diseases.
 
other examples are albino cories, albino senegal bichirs, and albino bushy nose plecos.
 
But is there any scientific evidence about interbreeding fish as I've read a few books on fish breeding and no-one seems to mention any importance of sourcing parents especially.
 
coolie said:
But is there any scientific evidence about interbreeding fish as I've read a few books on fish breeding and no-one seems to mention any importance of sourcing parents especially.
Fish are very resistant to the effects of inbreeding.
 
There's a university somewhere (US, I think) that's had a strain of swordtails going since the sixties or seventies with no outcrossing, and one of the reasons science uses the zebra danio so much is that the laboratory strains are so inbred as to be practically clones.
 
The important thing is that the fry are examined for any defects and only the very healthiest individuals are allowed to breed (unless for a research project of course, but not in the main strain).
 
Having said all that, to preserve the gene pool of our 'domestic' hobby fish, it is best if you can use unrelated parents. You preserve the genetic variety of the species for future generations that way
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In a worst case scenario, where you can't get fish from a different source, you'd be better off having an inbred, but pure, population rather than mix fish of a similar species and getting a hybridised one. There's always the chance of being able to outcross in the future,with a pure strain, but once you've got a population of hybrids, there's nothing you can do to bring the original species back.
 
Dmbandstef said:
Wow. Thats serious and is obvious now that you mentioned all that. The thing about the endlers is sad and shameful. Its also amazing that if a breed in the wild was wiped out or endangered that aquarium hobbyists would be able to sustain and bring their numbers back up. That is amazing. Thank you for the info!
so it isnt just a hobby its a duty to nature he he he well others duty i couldnt breed a guppy
 
thefishnoob said:
Interesting. That sucks about the endlers!
Luckily there are dedicated breeders who do have stocks of pure Endlers still :)
 

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