Re: [RML] Newcomer to rainbows
Michael Eckardt (mike at odg.com)
Wed, 2 Sep 1998 09:11:50 -0400
It appears from the consensus on this list that the fish I asked about are
M. herbertaxelrodi. Since most pictures show this fish in its "wild"
colouration, it took me a little by surprise how washed out the colours are
in the inbred, hobby version of the fish.
I assume this is due to the limited number of wild specimen that made up the
original genetic pool. Rampant inbreeding would have resulted in the
dilution of the colours.
The obvious question is this: what's the possibility of introducing fresh
genes into the hobby? AFAIK, Rainbow eggs can be mailed reasonably well. So
the introduction and distribution of new fish should be fairly easy. Why is
it not done though?
Michael Eckardt
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"Whatever you do or dream you can do -- begin it.
Boldness has genius and power and magic in it."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe