Livebearers...

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Thanks for the veiws and comments shared everyone, i found them realy interesting
I think from now on im going to stop advising people on how to save every last fry, because with livebearers you're bound to end up with more anyway and i do see the point of natural selection and how saving every last fry has probably contributed alot to the genetic problems guppys are showing, other fish too.

Im wasn't trying to have a go at people in this thread, only raise some of the issues and talk about them
Thanks for your time everyone

 

[Invader675]

That's ok, it's an interesting thread. Although like others it makes me feel defensive too.
pica_nuttalli I did find your logic offensive but accept your reasoning although by the same measure of not saving every last fry you could say it's ok to drive over a few pet cats since there are so many of those, or to shoot a few pet does b'cos there are too many and they don't all have homes. It's just as cruel in my opinion. If someone wants to save every fry to give it the best chance and can provide it with a good home or knows that they can give them to a careing LFS then why shouldn't they do so? I took great pains to rescue all of mine and care about them alot. I've spent hours today making sure they are ok and I don't think it's a bad thing.
I don't plan to allow for huge amounts of inbreeding in my tanks. I'll be keeping a select few and replacing ones that die with new genetics from various fish shops, although again if I'm wrong please tell me before I do it!

 

[NinjaSmurf]

Thing is, we already kill off other types of pets because there are so many of them. Those who find themselves in shelters, unless taken in, often find themselves facing a death sentence.

 

[annka5]

But...i still don't see the difference between the idea that breeding ANY animal with no thought to what you'll do with the offspring is inherently a hugely irresponsible thing to do. becuase live bearers are easier to breed maybe its more of a problem, but its the same basic issue, surely? Just becuase some people keep livebeareres becuase they want them to breed IF they have no idea what to do with the fry doesn't mean that every beginner who keeps livebearers is will do so.

I find it difficult to comment on the in-breeding argument simply becuase I've never noticed my neons (current) or guppies (don't keep them now) having been sensitive or disease prone, but admittedly that could be luck as much as anything else - certainly the cumulative experiences of people on the forum suggest that it is more normal to end up with in-bred neons - I've not noticed rthe same with guppies, but then I don't read the livebearers board.