If we want to talk genetics, it is safe to assume all of the varieties of
Tris share some common DNA. Also, in the environment all living creatures
go through some "changes" with time. As a result we find NEW species all
the time in nature. So speaking NOT as an advocate but as a curious fish
keeper Why are we so afraid of crosses or hybrids?
If I was a store owner and I had a bunch of freshwater fish with color and
some very plain looking Bows, which fish will be sold to the COMMON
HOBBYIST first? So, this is my point, if we want to make the Rainbow
fishes common we should consider crosses and hybrids, or if we wish Bows to
be a more "boutique" niche in the hobby we should frown on crossing.
I for one love to know that the Bows I keep are as close to what is found
in nature as can be expected from the dealers I get my fish. I have seen
some Bows crosses at the local stores and I may not be buying them but I do
look at them with curiosity, and they sell from what I am told. Just this
after noon I saw G. Incisus that looked like none I had ever seen before.
It was not prettier than what nature already made , so maybe using that
species was not a good choice for that breeder. But then I have seen the
"red Boesmani" and I do think that is a pretty fish (even If I do not own
one), I just bet though the owners of those fish love them and think of
them as REAL bows, and those keepers why is that BAD? Those keepers will
probably never join a fish club or group and just have fish for the sheer
enjoyment of trying to keep them alive or in many cases just to have as a
wall decoration.
Again, I am not advocating anything I just thought another point of view
was needed.
Besides there will come a day when Roy will not be able to get his "walker"
and "cane" up to his armpits in a creek, and Dr. Bruce has almost reached
that point....
At 12:01 AM 2/2/1998 +1000, you wrote:
>I pose a question for the first time in months and then don't get the time
>to participate. Who would have kids? Why did I have a second one? Anybody
>have a sharp knife?
>
>My reason for posing the question of hybrid rainbowfish was to reassure
>myself regarding certain decisions I made w.r.t. the management of my
>companies farm. And I guess I was not just referring to hybrids (that is:
>offspring arising from adults that you define as genetically distinct -
>species, subspecies or tribes, etc), but also to selectively bred animals
>(for example a long finned M. praecox).
>
>I'm not really in favour of hybrid rainbowfish, however they are marketed. I
>support Harro and the IRG actions regarding the illegal and immoral naming
>of hybrid bows to enhance their marketability. (And yes Harro I was very
>aware of your expertise in livebearers and other areas)
>
>Yet I will not be convinced by anybody that the F1 to Fx generations of true
>species bred in aquarium (or farm - no particularly farm) situations are
>true representatives of that species. Their behaviour appears to change.
>They forget how to forage for wild foods. Perhaps they forget what defines
>an ideal natural breeding location, and even an appropriate spawning season.
>They may loose alleles with successive generations (ie loose genetic
>diversity). This is very likely unless we start with at least 4 females and
>4 males and we manage these fish so that each individual mates which all
>individuals of the opposite sex and that each contributes equally to the
>next generation. And so on for each generation. This is bloody difficult to
>organise and achieve.
>
>What I am implying is that aquarium bred fish are potentially as untrue
>examples of the "real thing" as are hybrids. It is also the reason that I am
>placing greater emphasis in maintaining red-finned blue-eyes in the wild
>than in supporting captive populations.
>
>Having said that I am also a realist. I believe that humans are destined to
>manage the entire biosphere in order to survive. Although it is unlikely I
>will ever have the resources to prove it, I believe that human activities
>have already modified the behaviour of red-finned blue-eyes in their natural
>environment.
>
>So we do the best with what we've got. We try and breed true species because
>it suits us to do so. We do the best that circumstances allow, even if it is
>only one bow breeder for every twenty keepers. We breed and select colour
>varieties of fishes and of animals because it suits us to do so, or it is
>profitable, or they are pleasing to us.
>
>Back to our farm. If we breed rainbowfish we would probably select for a
>fish that has an overstated colour and large fins, eats a lot and excretes
>little, has no brain, spawns like praecox, and is as tough as a junk yard
>dog. I'm sure the mug fish keepers would love it, but I'm not yet sure I
>could live with myself if I did so. So we decided to breed colour varieties
>of swordtails (and sometimes hybridise them with other livebearers to gain
>different traits) because we don't really care about them (Sorry Harro,
>Rhonda and others). We decided not to breed rainbowfish for the aquarium
>trade because we do care about them.
>
>Thanks for listening - birth really is a moving experience. Oh and I think
>each of your opinions are worth far more than two cents :-)
>
>Byee
>
>Rob
>
>
>