Cross breeding

Ok, I agree on the cross species stuff, but what about the likes of fish of different strains?? I for instance am breeding Apistogramma Agassizi, of which there are many different variations, which have been line bred to produce brighter colours or longer finnage.

In terms of playing God, surely this must also register??

I myself have consider cross breeding some of these strains to see what other colour morphs can be achieved, but would you consider this wrong??

For instance, if i was to take an Agassizi 'Tefe Red Back' and cross it with an Agassizi 'White Seam', I will have produced a different colour morph. but is this acceptable??

I guess my point is at which point do we draw the line??

I also guess the debate goes on??

Regards
G!

 

You can not physically force a fish to breed. That to me is IMPOSSIBLE, however you
can engourage or 'bribe' them into doing so but forcing is out of the question.

Thus not being forced concludes that its not cruel IMO

 

To a certain degree. . .yes! Although it is arguably different. What that entails is more selective-, line- and inbreeding. That certainly does happen in Nature, although probably not to the same extend. As far as creating a 'new' strain is concerned it is way more complicated. Like I said, I am not a genetics expert, but some 'strains' are sold of as 'strains' when they are merely 'occurrances' of genetic crossing. Many unknowing aquarists will buy these with th hope of replicating it and they fail miserably, only because that specific example is not a strain as per say, but more an occurrance. A good example is found again in Discus where many 'strains' exist but in reproduction the fry do not resemble the parents, even when parents are from same strains. I'm a bit of topic now but I agree with you G, and like i said, crosses remain a grey area. What few people buying them know is that in 'producing' parrots and the more recent flower horn, vast unwanted and deformed fish during development stage were dumped in rivers and dams in Asia where the wreaked havoc on the finely balanced eco system of that region. Same with Discus. We must understand that often, to 'steady' a strain breeders do not sell offspring of fish until they have perfected that line. 1stly because in doing so would enable other breeders to pick up where they are and maybe improve quicker tham them. They therefore hand pick the ones that posess the qualities they are looking for and the rest are culled. That might happen 4 3 or 4 generations where vast numbers are disposed off. Yet discus lovers are all in waiting for the next strain. That in itself proves that all breeding comes with dilemma. . .

 

agreed......

 

correct me if I am wrong. but if any two animals were to interbreed, they not only need to be of the same family, but also of the same genus. Therefore mollies and guppies can interbreed. Platies and swords can interbreed. Mollies and swords ... NO, not the same genus. (but classification can be wrong and does change)

However, for most species, interbreeding doesnt happen due to different "mating behaviour" so if there are other fish of the opposite sex of the same species, that wil be #1 choice.

(yes, you also do get the rape scenario with the mallard ducks and the yellow billed ducks)

I remember from a old livebearer book i had that here are instances with the lifebearers where the species are female only, and it does need a male from a related
species to "initiate" the process, but there is no dna interchange.

and with regards o another post, no the female doesnt have to be virginal. even though the sperm might be kept for 7-8 broods of fry, it does run out. and it isnt a case either of using up all the old sperm, before new ones are used.