Rainbows and Blue-eyes lay very adhesive eggs and these are very
unlikely(probably to the degree of negligible risk) to ever be sucked into
an overflow, or make it past a prefilter etc in a central filtration unit.
You could lower the rish even further by instituting a regular 4 daily
prefilter clean and chlorinate to kill any viable eggs that made it there.
As far as sperm are concerned, although I am unaware of any published
longevity studies my gut feeling is that the risk of inadvertent crosses by
this mechanism is even lower than for eggs.
Careful design of overflow screens and a filter or two in the system should
make the set-up as secure as necessary.
I would recommend to you that you have at least a couple of quarantine tanks
totally separate from your set-up so that any new fish brought in can be
thoroughly tested before placing the whole "kit and caboodle" at risk.
Regards,
Bruce.
Bruce Hansen, A.N.G.F.A., Advancing Australian Aquatics.
Bruce Hansen, ANGFA, caring for our aquatic ecosystems.
Please visit us at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~fisher/angfa.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: Simon, Dan <dan.simon at attws.com>
To: 'RSG mail' <rainbowfish at pcug.org.au>
Date: Friday, 13 November 1998 3:56
Subject: [RML] Set up
>I want to set up a bank of 10 & 20 gallon tanks for the purpose of
>breeding various 'bows. To keep expenses down I would like to utilize
>a central filter and drill overflows in each tank. However, I am
>wondering if it is possible for different types to cross fertilize
>with this sort of set up ? (i.e. If the eggs or sperm were to get
>drawn into the overflow and into the central filter and then back into
>a different tank. Is this 1) possible and 2) likely ?
>
>Your thoughts are appreciate.
>
>Dan Simon
>