temperment and breeding

[rubysoho]

Do any of you take into consideration the "personality" of the fish when you are breeding like they do with dogs and other animals?

 

[PsiPro]

Selectvie breeding based on who is more friendly would be intresting. I want a fish that will greet me at the surface when I feed it But I dont konw, i'm having a hard time getting mine to breed period.

 

[Jchillin]

I know from some breeder's at my Aquarium club that they do exactly that. But, they are in business to get "the best of the best". I wouldn't consider undertaking that route in home aquaria.

 

[rubysoho]

why not? I would think anyone interested in breeding fish should do the research and breed responsibly... am I asking too much?

 

[cdawson]

I just let them have a go at it when I spawn my fish, I want to keep their genes as pure as they came to me. I'm not in favour of this selective breeding, because that's how alot of manmade and problem breeds of animals came to light in the first place. See the pitbull, rotweiler, parrot cichlid, flowerhorn, etc.

 

[Jchillin]

why not? I would think anyone interested in breeding fish should do the research and breed responsibly... am I asking too much?

What I meant was...the breeder has access to more fish of exact spawning age/compatibility, etc. than the home aquarist. We as home aquarists don't have this advantage. Since we would be "selecting" our fish from the same sources, it wouldn't make a difference.

It is possible for the home aquarist to "choose" which fish they would like to breed. That would be personal choice. So, if you have an overly aggressive fish, you would have the choice of whether you wanted it to breed.

If you decide not to, then you have to decice what to do with the fish.

 

[rubysoho]

I'm not in favour of this selective breeding, because that's how alot of manmade and problem breeds of animals came to light in the first place.

I believe a lot of those problems came from irresponsible breeding because people would breed females to their uncles. With fish it is much worse in my opinion because from what I've read, most breeders will breed up to 6 generations within the family for color and other "desirable" traits.

Jchillin, I understand what you are talking about now. Wish I had those resources. I know when I am able to get serious in breeding rams I'll be trying to increase the genepool and having healthy/strong rams rather than breeding brothers and sisters for color.

 

[cdawson]

I'm not in favour of this selective breeding, because that's how alot of manmade and problem breeds of animals came to light in the first place.

I believe a lot of those problems came from irresponsible breeding because people would breed females to their uncles. With fish it is much worse in my opinion because from what I've read, most breeders will breed up to 6 generations within the family for color and other "desirable" traits.

Jchillin, I understand what you are talking about now. Wish I had those resources. I know when I am able to get serious in breeding rams I'll be trying to increase the genepool and having healthy/strong rams rather than breeding brothers and sisters for color.

The best way to stay a quality breed is to introduce a new wild gene every few generations. Always keep it 'out' of the family though, not only does it degenerate the gene pool, most of the fry will come out with stunted fins and problem growth.