Is that why my ears where ringing?
I agree with R.D. some of the perceived animosity, on MFK at least is because of hybrid threads winding up in the naturally occurring species sections. In the interest of making information easily accessible a degree of order is required. One that is upset by improperly placed threads. Beyond that there are two sides to every argument and I personally see both in this case and what follows is my opinions on the situation and it's causes, etc.
Between pollution, habitat encroachment, the food trade, pet industry and the list goes on there are some serious threats to naturally occurring species. There's something inherently beautiful in nature's ability to adapt and the culmination of centuries of evolution. The nearly infinite intricacies of behavior, coloration, body shape, intelligence, etc that goes into a animal finding it's niche within it's environment. A beauty that deserves to be preserved. One which may rely on hobbyist in the near future. As such hybrids pose a further risk to the extinction of these species. Especially when one considers how responsible or lack there of many hobbyists chose to be. As such their mere existence presents a danger that some hobbyists would prefer to see extinguished.
Then there's the quality of life aspect to consider. A controversial point since none of us can truly say what a fish feels at any given time. The view points on this can range from the moderate to the extreme. Such as the case wit PETA and it's views on keeping animals as pets in of itself being cruel. Which one might argue at least in the case of Dogs ad Cats which have been domesticated and tailored so extremely that many of them may have no place or ability to adapt back to nature. Many would need to become blights to society to survive. Their niche in the environment long go taken by other animals or ruined by human habitation. Forced to invade the cities to feed on scraps, creating groups of hungry aggressive dogs while causing the extinction of many breeds but I digress. With Parrots specifically it's their body shape and mouth structure that call in to question their quality of life for many. A round squat body one might assume their ability to move would be hampered. Assume that they lack agility and speed. Combine that with their deformed mouth which in many cases can't be closed and many would say their very survival would be a daily struggle. Handicaps that seem to elude the BP's notice as they thrive even when mixed with naturally occurring species. Asserting themselves well to most situations. Still one has to ask oneself. Is it truly moral to bend and twist a creature so far from it's natural form? Goldfish often escape such persecution because the fancy body styles have been the status quo for almost as long as there's been hobbyists. Still there are also those who look at goldfish much like they look at BP's.
Finally there are those who are in favor of BP's. Those who appreciate the aspects of their personality and intelligence that is a reflection of the wild fish they where born from. Those who appreciate the very things others detest about them, their squat round body shape. It being reminiscent of the charm that those who might like bulldogs feel. An appreciation for something that is beautiful in it's own ugliness. The look of clumsiness that belies their true abilities. Despite these things hampering them there is an appeal none the less. Bulldog owners have to deal with breathing issues, eyelid problems and cesarean section yet love the breed. Others appreciate the fact that BP's can dole out the aggression without marring their tankmates due to that deformed mouth. Plus their attractive coloring mean they have qualities that might be appreciated by many people. Factor that in with many people's need to improve upon things or to exert control and then marvel at our ingenuity and one can see the hybrid scene in general has it's own appeal. And while it has it's drawbacks it also has it's benefits. BP's bring in a unique crowd to the hobby and extend it's appeal to a more diverse group of people. We can see this in their cost. BP's are fairly common and demand a higher premium then many of the other commonly available species. Why? One could assume because they appeal to a wider audience and therefore the demand is higher for them hence the higher price. That price also creating an appeal for would be entrepreneur's who see quick rich schemes but at times become avid hobbyists after the plan doesn't pan out. With that appeal causing more people to delve into the hobby and hopefully become more educated about the existing state of affairs which could possible inspire more people to take on a proactive role in sustaining wild species. Then there's the knowledge of genetics that one must have to explore hybrids. While it may not be so prevalent here, in the ball python world natural variation and breeding for certain characteristics has caused many who might never have had an interest in genetics to become some what educated in that very subject. Perhaps even inspiring them, the young and the old to further that education or open up an area of interest that otherwise would have been left untapped otherwise.
TLDR; Nothing is truly black and white and to think so only limits your perspective. The case of the Blood Parrot is no different. It has things to recommend it and things to discourage. Always keep an open mind and you'll find it'll serve you well more often then it leads you astray. Other then what can be drawn from my response is that it's obvious that I like listening to myself talk or write as the case maybe.
