Why hybrids?

[kamikaziechameleon]

What I want to say, but was to lazy to type lol. FYI, those are "Perlmutt" not "Pearl mutt", they're actually a real mbuna species.

I know there is a real Pearl mutt but 9/10 times something labeled Pearl mutt at a LFS by me means mixed malawie cross breeds. I like the actual fish I had one for a while but the common name is heavily misused to move assorted cross breeds that are donated to the LFS.

 

[SimonL]

Really? Huh I've never seen that before...usually we just put 'em in the "Assorted African" tanks

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

I guess Im referring to hybrids where the two fish mate on their own when introduced to each other, which is the vast majority of hybrid scenarios in the hobby. If nature did not want them to breed, they couldnt.

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

Really? Huh I've never seen that before...usually we just put 'em in the "Assorted African" tanks

HA, lol yeah I've seen that when I was at school. Near my parents place pearl mutt is the how thy cover it up.

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

I guess Im referring to hybrids where the two fish mate on their own when introduced to each other, which is the vast majority of hybrid scenarios in the hobby. If nature did not want them to breed, they couldnt.

I would ask you this question then why do so many of these south american hybrids not already exist in nature since many of these fish already do share the same river system? I think that comparing breeding in a glass aquarium to nature isn't a entirely fair comparison. L

ots of unnatural things happen to animals in captivity, look at Oscars in ten gallon tanks for example. Nature must have made them so they can fit in there otherwise they wouldn't be born so small and cute and with the ability to control there growth hormone and only grow to the size of the tank?

Just because an animal doesn't die or because they breed doesn't mean that its "natural". Take a bunch of fish that are usually hybridized if you put 20-30 of each natural strain in a large pond they would most likely never hybridize and if they did once in a while it would probably not happen in a fashion that effected the parent strain because of its infrequent occurrence.

The same can be said of africans they want to breed with like fish but because of the way they are programed they will do with whatever they can get and in the aquarium, we make them hybridize.

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

Also many aquarist believe it is our job first and foremost to be stewards of our world.

I think this is an arrogant position. The vast majority of fishkeepers are hobbyists who enjoy keeping pet fish, nothing more.

 

[Pharaoh]

I cleaned up the thread. Any more insults or jabs will result in infractions. You can actually have a discussion without insulting people. Try it. It works.

 

[Zfishies]

Some hybrids help us In daily lives (aside from fish) mules for example and pig-goats. You shave it have wool and have bacon. Go Google it pretty awesome. I was also thinking of dwarfed animals artificially made. Example an elephant once it gets to desired size take out the growing glans and it still developes but stays small. And people couple experience the wild at there front door. But you wouldn't just give it to anyone ... You'd have to be checked by an inspector and see if ou can keep the animal then get an Ok,I doubt its possible tho

 

[ScatMan]

i like hybrids because i am amazed by the seemingly limitless possibility of genetic expression. it's interesting to see what "can be", it quenches my curiosity. they're not always aesthetically pleasing but sometimes they are.

on the other hand, i like, and usually prefer, wild type fish because i am amazed by all the different forms that have been sculpted by different environmental factors. they're not always aesthetically pleasing but sometimes they are.

if you look at mans will to produce a certain fish with certain traits as an environmental factor, you can even find the, dare i say it... "natural beauty" in a hybrid. fish that didn't exist, now exist, evolved into existence, to fill a niche created by man.

 

[EntoCraig]

Oh yay. This topic again.

Im pro hybrids for personal use. As a self proclaim Biologist/scientist, I enjoy 'experimenting' in my fish room, in hopes of coming up with a better looking fish. I don't sell them. I don't like seeing Hybrids in stores, especially if they have the ability to reproduce again. I see this with a ton of Pocelia sp. in stores all the time.

So again, I experiment with my own, for my personal enjoyment. That is all.