Hybrid eels?

OTp1144

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Oct 7, 2013
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Asked this is general too, but here might be more fitting.

From my minor understanding of genetics, tire track eels and fire eels should be able to hybridize because they're both of the Mastacembelus genus, but I've not seen any. Is it just too hard to do? Has anyone even tried? I don't know about anyone else, but I'd personally pay some very good money for a tire track/fire hybrid.

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Firewitch

Exodon
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Mar 6, 2015
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Afaik there´s no succesfully breeding of Mast. erythrotaenia or Mast. armatus in tanks. I found one study, where a team particularly succeeded in spawning because they used hormonal treatment. Smaller spiny eels seem to be more simple to breed, but the large ones are quite difficult. It's not sure, which opportunity makes them spawn:
- a group in a tank
- "good" feeding (what means "good"?)
- "good" water contidions
- or hormonal treatment

I think, when there are such difficulties to breed these guys it´s much harder to hybridize them - so no one tried until now.

Why would you be interested in a hybrid? 'cause of the expected combination of size and pattern?
 

Firewitch

Exodon
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Mar 6, 2015
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oops - please take "partially" instead of "particularly"...
 

Firewitch

Exodon
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Mar 6, 2015
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Sure - that would really be interesting! I think, if cross-breeding would be possible it would take many trials to get this result. It always is a lot of work to get a specific look - and with fishes in that size you also need a lot of space to let them grow. And the time it takes 'till they are fully grown so you can see is the result what you wanted or not...

Phew! Don´t think anyone will ever start trying it - too sophisticated and not enough request.
(But if it would work... *dreaming* ;) )
 

Drstrangelove

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Oct 21, 2012
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Asked this is general too, but here might be more fitting.

From my minor understanding of genetics, tire track eels and fire eels should be able to hybridize because they're both of the Mastacembelus genus, but I've not seen any.
Being in the same genus does not mean two different species can breed. They might or might not depending on how much genetic differentiation and precisely what genetic change has occurred since the last common ancestor.

The definition of genus does not include "inbreeding works." That's part of the definition of species.
 
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Joecool44

Gambusia
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Mar 16, 2015
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I tried it and it didn't work out my tire track are my fire eel and I gave up on tht, then I tried to breed both my tire tracks and the one tried to butcher the other one lol.
 
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