I think the problem isn't with inbreeding as much as it is with "irresponsible breeding". I can't help but feel that near enough everyone here has, at some point or another, irresponsibly bred fish without thinking about what it means for the fish or the species in general. And this goes for all animals but especially fish as it is completely unregulated.
Personally, I think all or most livebearers imported out to be sterilised somehow to prevent breeding, it would make keeping them a lot easier and a lot less 'irresponsibly bred' bred fish as they probably count for about 90% of it.
But as I said, people don't stop to think about the ethics of just sticking two random fish in together and letting them get on with it, the potential health risks to both parties, the stress it causes to them and tank mates, the rearing of the babies (because neither sticking them in a net or letting them get eaten is 'letting nature take its course', not in a tank!) and the strain over crowding will put on the tank for other fish and the filtration and the over population of a species in general... often leading to people having to cull or 'dispose' of them in really appalling ways like releasing non native species into the wild or flushing them down the toilet. Fish keepers less than any other breeders seem to consider the ethics behind breeding.
I am going to base the rest of this post on a (really awfully written) article I wrote when I was 15 though shared again when I was 18 for a hamster forum on the ethics behind deciding to breed hamsters. The general idea is the same (even if the dire spelling and species is not!) either read it or not as its pretty much what I am about to write, thought I ought to cite myself
http
/hamster.etla.org/cgi-bin/topic_show.pl?tid=92
But (for those who can't be bothered to read it!), think about the ethics of breeding anything, beginning with what is meant by the term 'Ethics' which is a 'set theory or system of morals' and generally implies that you have considered all the pros and cons before deciding to breed anything.
The only real reason that can possibly hold any ground (and goes for any species out there and I would doubt any breeder that didn't state this as their aims!) is:
"To make a distinct improvement on the quality of the parents (e.g. colour, size, shape) following a standard that is appropriate for the species".
Most of the time if you ask someone why they are breeding their pets you get one of these answers:
*Because I love my
*insert species* and I want more like him/her/them.
*Because I want more
*insert species* of the same colour.
*Because I know people who want a *
insert species* too
*Because I want to make some money.
*Because I want some babies to look after.
*Because my
*insert species* were lonely and I thought it would only be fair/natural for them to have babies.
These, whilst being generally the most common reasons people state for breeding their pets are usually the most flawed reasons. Most people don't see or more likely understand the flaws and the other half the time, they just couldn't care less and probably shouldn't be responsible for keeping animals, let alone breeding them.
There is no reason for people to need to breed fish, there are so many fish out there that could do with homes, shops have an abundance of them and websites like ebay, gumtree and preloved etc have a never ending list of tanks with fish in just begging to be rescued.
Articles like this from the Environment Agency are regularly posted for all to see:
The Environment Agency is warning the public that ‘pet’ fish and non-native fish should not be placed into their local streams, rivers and lakes because they are breaking the law.
The reminder comes after fisheries officers were called to remove non-native fish found in a stream beside the Great Stour, Kent. The fish, including at least 50 goldfish, were found by a Mid Kent Fisheries bailiff and reported to the Environment Agency. It is likely that the fish were put into the river from a garden pond.
When ornamental fish are released into rivers they can spread disease and parasites to other fish. This is why it is imperative that the capture and release of fish into rivers and lakes is regulated by the Environment Agency. The public need to be aware that unauthorised release of non-native fish is against the law.
Under licence from the Environment Agency, Mid Kent Fisheries staff have now removed the introduced fish from the stream and have taken them to an ornamental fish farm.
Environment Agency fisheries officer Steve Smith said: “When people clean out their ponds, it is very important that the fish are only put into ornamental ponds and not rivers and lakes. Even healthy looking goldfish and koi carp can be carriers of disease that can kill fish species in rivers and lakes.”
For information about non-native fish, see the Environment Agency’s website:
http/www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/99055.aspx
If you see non-native fish or someone discarding fish into public waterways, please call the Environment Agency’s 24 hour Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60 to report the incident.
http/www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/142479.aspx
And not just in the country but world wide...
Fish enthusiasts and suppliers in Singapore are trying to breed new types of Flowerhorn cichlid and dumping their "rejects" and diseased fish into local rivers, according to a report in The Straits Times.
One breeder told the paper: "Some fish had bloated bodies and no humps on their heads; others were skinny and had no fins. What do you expect me to do with them?"
http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=144
And the above is the result of a lack of knowledge on the breeders part, poor consideration when choosing specimens to breed from and breeding from already deformed hybrids.
The other half of that blame lies with the people creating such a high demand for these fish.
Considering peoples' reasons for breeding at all, looking back at the previous list:
*Because I love my *insert species* and I want more like him/her/them.
This is NOT a good reason to breed! The babies are not clones of the parents! Who is to say they will look the same? Genetics don't always work like that. If you love your pet, take the time and effort to provide the best possible environment for them and enjoy watching them live a long, happy and healthy life.
*Because I want more *insert species* of the same colour.
Unless you have done a considerable amount or research into the genetics of your chosen species and understand the genetic coding for each colour, pattern, shape, and fur/skin/scale type, how can you hope to achieve any particular outcome? Without knowing the genetics of not only the breeding pair but also several generations on both sides of that pair, their is no way you can predict the outcome of the offspring, and even with that knowledge, there is the chance or recessive or hidden genetic traits cropping up down the line.
*Because I know people who want a *insert species* too
As has been mentioned already, there are plenty of shops importing these animals (and providing a livelihood for many people along the way) and breeders who have exceptional knowledge of their chosen species and of the genetics that enable them to make informed decisions. Not to mention the abundance of fish that need rescuing from less than desirable conditions.
*Because I want to make some money.
There is very rarely any profit in breeding anything unless done on a very large scale, larger than almost any 'pet keeper' can hope to achieve. By the time you add up the cost of the extra equipment needed, the time needed, the care involved, the vet fees if it all goes horribly wrong or cost of medications... the costs generally outweigh the total profit of selling the offspring, most small scale breeders end up running at a loss.
*Because I want some babies to look after.
This is quite a hard one to work around, it's understandable that everyone loves babies and wants to experience watching them growing up. But this should still be done with serious consideration to everything that has been mentioned. If you are so desperate to breed an animal despite all the potential problems, confront the potential issues before they happen, put money aside, do your research, talk to knowledgeable people, acquire stock from reputable knowledgeable breeders and more importantly, choose your species carefully.
*Because my *insert species* were lonely and I thought it would only be fair/natural for them to have babies.
The term 'anthropomorphism' is important here, or... 'attributing human feelings or emotions onto something that is not human'. Our pets don't think the way we do and whilst it might be 'cute' to think so, its very inaccurate and can lead to unhappy and stressed animals.
Whilst it is natural for animals to want to reproduce, that is almost entirely the sum of their lives, they don't feel happy or sad, lust or longing for children or any of those emotions, their entire reason in life is, essentially, to reproduce as prolifically as possible. Realistically, this is exactly the same for humans but with a far more complex array of emotions involved and being top of the food chain, there is nothing (other than disease) to control the population.
Keeping animals in captivity at all is already removing them from everything that is natural, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, many species no longer exist in the wild or have been bred in captivity for so many generations that they have lost all instincts to survive in the wild. But in removing them from the wild, we have chosen to domesticate these animals and take full responsibility for them, including their reproduction.
Animals don't need to reproduce to be happy if they are otherwise kept in the right environment.
No matter what species you decide to take responsibility for, if you do decide to take the responsibility of breeding them, at very least make sure that you know how many offspring could potentially be produced at that you have the ability to either cull them or house them into adulthood should you not be able to find homes for them.
