In a somewhat sudden but by no means regretted move I have found myself the keeper of a small group of Frontosas. I love them so far, but they got me thinking about something. Mine are from the collection point Nangu. This is important in the Frontosa world as each collection point carries with it subtle differences and the interbreeding of these points is considered taboo. As I said, I like my Nangus, but now it seems that finding other Fronts of the same collection point will be a challenge. This is the first fish I've encountered where the region it comes from holds a sizable stigma within one species. I'm aware that in Frontosas the differences are indeed noticeable, to a degree anyway, but is this not the case in other fish? How many species do we have in the hobby among which regional differences are significant? I began this train of thought because the Frontosa owners I've talked to hold the same aversion to interbreeding collection points as many do to interbreeding species. The arguments against the practice seem to be quite similar on both counts. I understand the sentiment. In such a hobby as ours, good practice must be maintained to insure we know what we are dealing with. To sell a mislabeled fish is to damage the hobby as a whole. But here the real issue seems to be with honesty and knowledge, not the act of interbreeding. I don't care to engage the merits of interspecies breeding, it's a touchy subject. I am though quite curious about these regional boundaries and how much they do, or should, affect our breeding and labeling practices. To cite something other than a Frontosa, I own a Mbu puffer. I've noticed he has a striped pattern not found on all Mbus. This could just be a common morph of natural patterning, but it could also be related to a point of collection. Should this matter? I don't have a pointed question in all of this, more of a meditation on the subject. How much control do we have? Can we have? Where do we draw boundaries and how do we maintain a healthy hobby with so many variations of perspective? I know there are a lot of good minds here, I'm hoping to pick a few.
The importance of collection points
- Thread starter Aribenlaw
- Start date
I do belong to a cichlid club and they do have their own particular strict standards just like a pedigree dog/cat club. The locality insistence applies especially to african cichlids since they are so easy to interbreed and some of the locality variations are so slight. This applies to many African cichlids from all of the 3 major lakes as well as Frontosa. Most clubs encourage selective breeding within any given locality to highlight desireable traits but would actively discourage this practice between localities even if they are all the same species.
Whether the standards they expect have real merit or not doesnt really matter at the end of the day. IF you wish to belong to that club or have any association then you do need to obey their rules to fit in. If you just like keeping a fish on your own then your free to do whatever you want.
Whether the standards they expect have real merit or not doesnt really matter at the end of the day. IF you wish to belong to that club or have any association then you do need to obey their rules to fit in. If you just like keeping a fish on your own then your free to do whatever you want.
Same with plecos for sure, differences within species, and also to be able to tell species apart, sometimes the only way to whittle down what species it is is to know the collection point. Very important in the Loricariid world.
I'm sure there are others it applies to, maybe bichirs, I believe you can tell where some locales are from. Stingrays is probably a definate, unless they are all a different species... look at motoro's, there are many different looks in motoros, for example. Locales can be just as important as species in my eyes... I guess if you believe in evolution, it is even more interesting.
I'm sure there are others it applies to, maybe bichirs, I believe you can tell where some locales are from. Stingrays is probably a definate, unless they are all a different species... look at motoro's, there are many different looks in motoros, for example. Locales can be just as important as species in my eyes... I guess if you believe in evolution, it is even more interesting.
It's important for Frontosa and Discus as well. Where they're collected affects color, behavior, and sometimes breeding conditions as well.
I imagine it's important for about every fish out there, only some have seen more emphasis. Why then is this information not a higher priority? The only time I've been able to find a collection point is with my Frontsas.
Aribenlaw;1094948; said:
A great deal of emphasis in exact locality of collection is also expressed in the Killifish, Livebearer and North American Native fish communities and hobbyists as well. In my personal collection (Just as an example) I have over 7 Gambusia holbrooki locations alone and all of these fish are kept in isolation of one another. The individual genetic and behavioral differences in these fish is astonishing. One single population does not act like or look like all of them.
I'm not going to say in any way that all hobbyists need to concern themselves with specific locational variants..In general they do not..What they should never do under any circumstance however is mix populations purposely and falsely say they are a specific population or strain..People who do this deserve to be drawn and quartered very slowly and very painfully.
I mix my different fronts will little problems, but I do not breed them. As they all mature sexully I will have comps and other fish as such to keep those little buggers in line... I do a few from the same points that I plan to breed, but they will be taken to a seperate tank in the fish room for that... and yes I can tell them apart...
also fronts seem not to breed well with other fish in the tank... if anything I will have trouble gettting the likes types to breed later... but If it did work it would be for fun not counting on it... I just want to see al the different types in one tank...
I have a kilipi, three Brundi, three zaire blues... goin to add one 7 stripe to finish it off...
also fronts seem not to breed well with other fish in the tank... if anything I will have trouble gettting the likes types to breed later... but If it did work it would be for fun not counting on it... I just want to see al the different types in one tank...
I have a kilipi, three Brundi, three zaire blues... goin to add one 7 stripe to finish it off...
Is there anywhere online that shows pictures of each type, and the differences between them? I'm interested in fronts, but don't wanna just rush in and buy the first ones I see at the LFS....I like to do as much research as I can on my fish, and to tell the truth all this collection point stuff has got me pretty intrigued...
not trying to hijack your thread, I seem to be wondering the same thing....
not trying to hijack your thread, I seem to be wondering the same thing....