Is Hybridization A Problem?

[johno27]

I agree keeping or selling hybrids as hybrids is cool for people who like that kind of thing. It is when they are not labeled properly that it becomes problematic.

 

[Jason_S]

Jason_S wrote:

Well, that, and the rest of your post, is what I thought I've been saying, but maybe somewhere it was taken out of context. I've had hybrids happen in my tanks when I was newer in the hobby myself. I never said that anyone should be "put up against the wall and shot" for having hybrids. From your post it does not look like you agree with the "Nothing wrong with hybrids" comment though. It was that person's comment that I found to be reckless and unprofessional due to that person's status. I have never said that people who keep nor those who happen to have hybrids are reckless and unprofessional. If I did belittle someone for an honest hybridization in their tank then I would apologize. For someone to come and ask for advice, be given it, and then flare up I think would make them the problem and not someone like myself, not being all pc. I think we are in agreement that it's not a problem until they spread them in the hobby, which has been happening at increasing rates. The old saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is my philosophy, and I think that when most "casual" members of the hobby read threads like this they will do the right thing. That was a good post and most of it was "hitting the nail on the head".

the post I made was in direct reference to the post I quoted. It was late last night when I was reading this thread and I actually hadn't read the initial post yet so I did misinterpret some of what you had said in that specific post that I had quoted. In particular:

M/L you also wrote :
Quote:
Nothing wrong with hybrids. Most of commonly available african cichlids are hybrids anyway, so chances are your fish are mixed regardless.

That is you yourself giving your opinion in what many of us regard as reckless and unprofessional.

I misunderstood your intention...I thought you were saying that "keeping hybrids" was what you and others considered reckless and unprofessional. Now, after rereading that post and going back to the original post I see that you were referring to the practice of the lfs selling the hybrids and not some random fishkeeper keeping a hybrid. That was my fault for not taking more time to throughly read the entire thread and for that I apologize.

When I said

however, I disagree with taking the route of chastising them for allowing a hybrid spawn in one of their tanks.

this was again due to my misinterpretation, however there are those out there who are so die hard against hybrids that that is what they would do. I've seen many people on another forum being downright flamed for simply keeping a hybrid and that is not acceptable imo.

 

[guppy]

Malawinut, I think that this was a well spoken and nicely thought out statement at the opening of this thread. It is a subject that tends to raise emotional responses and you stated you opinion clearly and without rancor, while also giving your reasons and simply asking people not to pass on hybrids to unknowing fishkeepers.
I don't care for hybrids myself and would be a bit upset if I found a hard to acquire specimen was not what it was sold to be.
There are many fans who just want colorful fish that breed and don't care if the species is a mix, as long as they know what they are getting and don't defraud anybody else, well it is their tank.
Anyway, nicely presented.

 

[Malawinut]

Jason_S wrote:

there are those out there who are so die hard against hybrids that that is what they would do. I've seen many people on another forum being downright flamed for simply keeping a hybrid and that is not acceptable imo.

Hey we agree again We all often take things the wrong way in these forums. Sometimes its wrote wrong sometimes read wrong. I have been on many forums and know exactly what you are saying about some of the more "fanatical" ones. Heck, there are those who think all of us fishkeepers are "evil". I got all shot down by some "saltwater nerds" who proved to me that some of their hybrids occurred in nature and were highly prized I've kept my "hybrid" statements focused on africans since then. Many times all the Flowerhorn, parrotfish, whatevers like to run their gills when they see someone talking about hybridization in africans since they think they are being attacked. I personally have about as much liking or opinions for their fish as I do for piranhas or new world cichlids...I just don't care. My thing is africans and I try to better myself, my fellow african keepers, and have some hope for future generations. I've been in the hobby enough years to have seen the massive extinction of Victoria and how it has affected the hobby.
I had to go to a Petdumb store today, for cat stuff, and just was sick to look at the specimens that they had in their tanks (I had to look ). Just what every newbie needs a brown plaid mbuna hybrid
I believe most of us care to one degree or another about our fish and when our education/experience grows we see things differently than when we first enter the hobby. Of course, you will never be able to talk with some fish owners about hybridization since they still can't figure out what pH is or why everyone tells them that their Oscar "spongebob" is not happy in the ten gallon tank he came in a year ago

 

[bob_tom]

well done