where do you stand on hybrids?

[Harlow]

As a novice in fish keeping who is constantly learning by experience and shared knowledge, I have found that there is a fence in this hobby by which some folks are divided. Some folks keep biotopes, some combine the most attractive fish. Some wish to keep fish with the most striking beauty while some are in search of reproducing a natural environment-- which may be the most beautiful in its own respect. This question could be interpreted as a question of ethics or of preference. which do you keep. the most natural fish in the closest to natural environment as you can create, or the most eye popping visually appealing fish, regardless of origin or natural habitat? your thoughts?

 

[dalto]

For me, the most amazing fishes are the ones found in nature. I would argue that for every hybridized abomination of a fish there is something far nicer that could be found naturally.

Does that mean that every tank I keep is a pure biotope? Nope, they aren't. However, you will not find any blood parrots which can barely swim and open their mouths to eat in my tanks. There are even some line bred fish which I find quite cruel. Almost all the "balloon" fish are simply regular fish which have been specifically line-bred to have a spinal deformity. These fish will almost always be weaker than their wild brethren and it seems quite cruel to deliberately breed a deformity into a fish.

For me, the most fascinating thing about fish keeping is watching their behavior. There is nothing like observing the wide variety of spawning behaviors and parenting. For example, watching a female Apistogramma signal her fry that there is danger and seeing them instantly disappear into the gravel or seeing two females stealing each others fry so they can raise them.

I could spend hours watching earth eaters sift through the sand searching for food while vying for their spot in the group hierarchy.

Just my opinion.

 

[severum mama]

For me, the most amazing fishes are the ones found in nature. I would argue that for every hybridized abomination of a fish there is something far nicer that could be found naturally.

Does that mean that every tank I keep is a pure biotope? Nope, they aren't. However, you will not find any blood parrots which can barely swim and open their mouths to eat in my tanks. There are even some line bred fish which I find quite cruel. Almost all the "balloon" fish are simply regular fish which have been specifically line-bred to have a spinal deformity. These fish will almost always be weaker than their wild brethren and it seems quite cruel to deliberately breed a deformity into a fish.

For me, the most fascinating thing about fish keeping is watching their behavior. There is nothing like observing the wide variety of spawning behaviors and parenting. For example, watching a female Apistogramma signal her fry that there is danger and seeing them instantly disappear into the gravel or seeing two females stealing each others fry so they can raise them.

I could spend hours watching earth eaters sift through the sand searching for food while vying for their spot in the group hierarchy.

Just my opinion.

This explains my position as well, and probably more eloquently than I could explain it. Well said.

 

[jetajockey]

These fish will almost always be weaker than their wild brethren and it seems quite cruel to deliberately breed a deformity into a fish.

The crazy thing is the most common and popular fish in fishkeeping is one of the biggest examples of this. But I guess they are so commonplace that people overlook them.

 

[dalto]

The crazy thing is the most common and popular fish in fishkeeping is one of the biggest examples of this. But I guess they are so commonplace that people overlook them.

Probably because people don't know what they are supposed to look like. They assume the normal kind are a different breed.

 

[Fishy Smell]

For the moment I just keep the fish I like which are compatible with each other, but longer term I intend creating biotope tanks based around my favourites. I generally already try to keep American fish more than others as much as possible, and all my cichlids are American, either Central or South.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Freakgecko91]

A true biotope aquarium in a home setting is nearly impossible. What most people don't realize is that a true biotope consists of the plants, natural debris, and the fish/invert species, set up exactly like it is in the area the tank is trying to recreate. Then there is the fact that rivers change dramatically from one stretch to another quite often, so one must pick an exact stretch of one specific river/lake. Saying that I have a Tanganyikan biotope would be wrong, as I have the wrong species of vallisneria, I use holey rock, I use Mexican turbo shells instead of neothauma shells, and I keep fish that are from different parts of the lake. They may all me Tanganyikan (minus a BNP and some nerites) but it's not a true biotope. I prefer to use "theme" over biotope.

With that being said, I agree completely with Dalto. 100% spot on. In my tank, I have no line bred morphs or hybrids (although you could argue the BNP is, but I have been meaning to remove it anyway).

I like a naturalistic setup simply because the fish behave "better". You see much more natural behaviors from them. To build on what Dalto said with his fish, I can sit and watch my multifasciatus battle with eachother and squabble all day. Watching female's try and bury the other female's shells is super interesting, or watching my goby cichlids court.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[bettaowner]

I prefer the natural look of fish( with the exception of some guppies) simply because I feel that it's what makes the fish a true species. What I mean by this is I highly doubt you would come across a large population of calico or longfin bristlenose plecos in the wild. The natural or wild variation of fish appeals to me because I feel like I'm actually keeping an observing fish rather than some mass produced man made creatures.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[sinibotia]

I can't stand hybrids. Partly because I like the natural form of fish, and partly because I like breeding, and what's the fun when most hybrids are either sterile or have serious issues breeding?

 

[severum mama]

The problem with hybrids is that most of them are NOT sterile.

 

[Andy Sager]

While I am not a huge fan of hybrids, some have made this hobby quite enjoyable. Consider the red swordtail for example. It's origin is from mixing a red platy with a green swordtail. A pleasant mix for sure. But then you have fish like the Parrot, and Flowerhorns that defy the logic of the need ( for us purists ) for these fish in the hobby. Yet they bring the same joy to some as the naturally colored fish do to us. So who's to say they are a bad thing?
The real question, I guess, is how well these hybrids can survive? Is it cruel to shape a fish to have a distorted beak for a mouth when it still can eat some types of food? Ballooning fish, while not true hybrids ( just line bred for the deformity) raises my eyebrows in a questionable scowl as it really creates a hardship on the fish to swim and in some cases, reproduce. Add to it that it makes diagnosing a genetic malformation in a " normal" fish darn near impossible as it's almost impossible to know if the fish is the offspring of a ballooned fish unless it's a wild fish. This is important to a breeder ( such as myself.)
So, as I said earlier, hybrids have been around for quite a while and to eliminate all hybrids from the trade would eliminate a huge selection of fish that have hybrid lineage. Would the hobby still be as interesting without them? Yes to some people, No for others. Kinda sounds like a comparison to cars. Is a Ford better than a Chevy? Is a Chevy better than a Chrysler? Is a hybrid ( gas/ electric) better than an all electric or all gas car? To each his/her own?

Just my take