All natural vs. selective bred phenotypes... do you have a preferece and why?

[Cohazard]

Many hobbyists dislike selective bred strains, such as albino/leucistic/long-fin, etc... I love them.

These selectively bred traits are discovered by man, and propagated in captivity as a result of the farming process.

When done correctly, farming fish takes pressure off of the wild caught poulation, and the fish are more adapted to life in a tank which is better for them, than suddenly caging a big wild caught specimen.

So, if this farming process produces a favorable environment for natural and random genetic variations to survive, what's not to like?


Please discuss respectfully.

 

[gigas12]

Hi,I like all natural bred fishes because their beauty lies in endless years of evolution,making them part of a perfect ecological system,one thing that man made fishes will never be.

 

[Cohazard]

Hi,I like all natural bred fishes because their beauty lies in endless years of evolution,making them part of a perfect ecological system,one thing that man made fishes will never be.

I like your point, but a major driving force behind evolution is the random mutation of genetic information, such as color or pattern change.

If there were a white sandy river, then the leucistic trait could be beneficial, and then the 'platinum' bichirs would have a place to survive in nature. But, because that hypothetical river doesn't exist in the natural range of polypterids, the trait isn't successful and remains recessive.

The point behind that hypothetical river is that there is potentiality there for these recessive traits to become beneficial, but currently they aren't. That doesnt mean that in a few million years there wont exist an environment where they could be.

I disagree with the assertion that these fish are man made, but rather, I consider them 'man protected', but that is probably because we are defining the term 'man-made' differently.

These colors and physical traits are part of the genes of the wild fish. It is only in captivity that they are able to survive. There is no difference between an albino animal spotted in nature to one that appears in captivity. Man proliferates that trait through captive/selective breeding, but he does not create it, nature does.

 

[Cohazard]

So lets talk about a hypothetical situation. Lets say that some natural geological action created a tributary river of white sand, within the natural range of the senegalus, and biologists later found that a population of leucistic senegalus established themselves there, since the trait was beneficial, and the normal colored ones could not get as well established.

Would you then be open to keeping a leucistic senegalus in your collection?

 

[FishGoneWild]

To me this question is like asking do I like silicone implants or all natural. I prefer them natural as nature intended. And yes, when it's man engineer correctly it can be just as natural. I do agree that these selectively bred traits are discovered by man, and propagated in captivity as a result of the great engineering process. I really don't care if it's man engineer or natural as long as the fish are not harmed and do not go extinct.

 

[beblondie]

I happen to like longfins,I can tolerate leucistic.However i am not a big fan of albinos
and short bodies whoever dreamt up that nightmare should be shot.That said I'm not sure how i feel about farming these fish untill i look up some things -Anne
P.S.but to each their own

 

[Cohazard]

To me this question is like asking do I like silicone implants or all natural. I prefer them natural as nature intended. And yes, when it's man engineer correctly it can be just as natural. I do agree that these selectively bred traits are discovered by man, and propagated in captivity as a result of the great engineering process. I really don't care if it's man engineer or natural as long as the fish are not harmed and do not go extinct.

I don't see the correlation there at all buddy lol

In your example, man IS physically altering nature through his engineering, but in selective breeding, nothing is engineered by man other than the aquarium the fish are bred in.

 

[Cohazard]

I happen to like longfins,I can tolerate leucistic.However i am not a big fan of albinos
and short bodies whoever dreamt up that nightmare should be shot.That said I'm not sure how i feel about farming these fish untill i look up some things -Anne
P.S.but to each their own

May I ask why you can tolerate leucistic more than albino? They are both a form of naturally occuring albinism, which have been documented in many animals.

I'm betting that you are looking up the secrets behind short bodies, is that right? I get the feeling there is something else going on behind that one. I've read a rumor online that some chemical is added to their water to create the 'super' short body trait, aside from normal length variation.

If that's true, I'm completely against it.

 

[FishGoneWild]

In your example, man IS physically altering nature through his engineering, but in selective breeding, nothing is engineered by man other than the aquarium the fish are bred in.

Selective breeding is a form of biological engineer. That's how they got the Octuplets! I do think selective breeding do alter the evolution process.

 

[flamenco-t]

As long as there's demand, ppl will do what ever it takes to make money.

Look at jelly bean parrots..

I am okay with WC or selective breed...as long as the fish weren't harmed in the process.