Hi all I have a Starry Night cichlid and a Frontosa both at about 4-5 inches I was just curious if it would be at all possible to breed them assuming they are opposite genders.
Can I breed Starry Night and Frontosa?
- Thread starter Cfremont23
- Start date
Frontosa are mouthbrooders that have a very unique spawning ritual, with a very limited number of eggs. Google it.
Paratilapis produce large grape like clusters of many tiny eggs that they hang on roots of plants and other structures, and do not mouth brood.
The likely hood of a successful mating, and subsequent viable spawn are highly remote.
Paratilapis produce large grape like clusters of many tiny eggs that they hang on roots of plants and other structures, and do not mouth brood.
The likely hood of a successful mating, and subsequent viable spawn are highly remote.
Plus geographic isolation.
Also, welcome to MFK!
I must say
duanes
, you have been extremely diplomatic there with your answer. It is tantamount to cichlid sacrilege in your purist eyes. I bet you had a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp writing that. Lol.
This is true, I do consider any attempt at hybridization as heresy punishable with extreme predudice.I must say
But even worse, with the fragile state of many Madagascan species, the attempt at mutt-izing them, is even more ridiculous
I must be getting soft in my old age, trying to use facts. As with every other aspect of life, science and facts seems of little use these days.
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Alot of people dislike the intermingling of species. That sounds like it's just not possible. I've not found many hybrids I like other then some of the polypterids.
Thanks for the answers. I was just curious since i am relatively new to cichlids
Being new, over time I believe you will find there are two political cichlid camps in the hobby (not counting those that specialize in geographic types).
Thanks for the answers. I was just curious since i am relatively new to cichlids
There are those who like hybrids (what I perceive as mutts)
and those that try to maintain the integrity a cichlid, as a legitimate species.
To me....any time you cross breed a species, you will produce a mutt, that can no longer be used for breeding purposes, or even given a legitimate name, and in reality, you will never know what their eventual progeny will look like. So to a purist like me, they become useless.
Although I am not speaking about simple looks here alone, some hybrids may look striking, but to me that is not the point.
When I acquire a cichlid, I expect it to be a certain species, not a combination.
Similar to those dog breeders who want an Akita as opposed to a mongrel, or cat people set on Persian cat, as opposed to a standard house cat.
I suppose it could be a non-issue, if hybrids were culled and not allowed to leave the owners aquarium.
The problem comes in when mutts are turned in to LFSs as one species or another, or the LFS thinks because this or that mutt looks similar to a Parachromis managuense or a Vieja melanura, sells it as such, and the unsuspecting buyer sees as it grows, in is not that and has been ripped off.
You will find many posts here on MFK of buyers who bought a species, but it grows up to be not what they expected, and want an ID, but in reality cannot get one.
For some this may not be a big deal, but to serious legitimate cichlid keepers this is quite annoying, and makes the time they spent raising a mutt a waste of time.
That's a brilliant summary. And yes, the amount of threads started by hobbyists who want an ID on a drab little juvenile are numerous. It's not until they develop and colour up that you can usually get a positive ID. And in some cases, like you allude to, they don't develop into anything like they were supposed to do, because they are indeed mutts. It's hardly surprising purists such as yourself pour scorn upon such breeding activity.
I bought a 2" chocolate cichlid recently, very drab and a million miles away from the spectacular adult he/she will develop into....that's assuming i've got a true bred chocolate cichlid! All you can do is hope your LFS have a reputable supplier.
The only hybrid I might keep is one of the parachromis family or polys maybeeee a flower horn but not to keen on hybrids
