Re: [RML] bogus diet

Cary Hostrawser (caryho at ix.netcom.com_REMOVE_TO_REPLY)
Mon, 17 Feb 1997 23:40:58 GMT

In The Dawn of the Third Age "Christopher Philip Benes"
<beneschr at pilot.msu.edu> woke me from my contemplation by writing:
>basic fact is that a lot aren't, at least here. I once heard a story about
>someone who is generally accepted by those who know this person to be quite
>knowledgeble, a real 'professional' aquarist. Back when female praecox were
>seemingly impossible to find in the U.S., this person was going to cross male
>praceox with some other female rainbow fish because heck, hopefully the
>'praceox' gene was dominant and you'd get some female praceox out of this mix.
>Obviously, genetics doesn't work like this. So, things are not always as they
>seem, and you can never be too sure...

If this is the person I think you're talking about (at least they're
located your way), they did make this cross. When I were offered the
opportunity to get real praecox they jumped at the chance and sent the
crosses out to a pond to live until winter hit. A condition of sale
was the crosses would be destroyed. But they are also a commercial
establishment, although they do belong to a local aquarium society.
This leads to the old problem of paying the bills and a rationalizing
away the ethics in fish keeping. Granted you're still much better off
getting your fish from a breeder you know and trust rather than an
auction.

Cary Hostrawser

Minnesota Aquarium Society
http://www.mn-aquarium.org/

Rainbowfish Study Group of North America
http://home.earthlink.net/~sbuckel/index.html