aaron
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Post by aaron on Feb 11, 2012 0:18:26 GMT -6
So... after years of breeding anything I can get to reproduce I have decided to try and see how far mother nature will let me push back.
I have a large selection of guppies, mollies, platies, endlers, etc. I'm basically taking specific color combos and repeating until I find what I enjoy. I'm looking for the wow factor on colorization of my guppy hybrids.
Why you may ask... It's is simple, I want to breed a cross between a Molly and a guppy... YES they are sterile... but I want to see if it's possible to breed a non sterile mix. Yeah it will take me years, so what... gotta have some fun.
Has anyone tried anything like this, on this site?
I've bred species that are really odd... but nothing that reproduced. I'm wanting to find what % of which species will create a reproducing Molly mix. My downfall is it has to be interesting, color pattern or something that will make it stand out.
So ... has anyone tried or with other kinds of fish?
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Post by jon carman on Feb 11, 2012 12:17:57 GMT -6
Not a fan of parrot fish, weird goldfish, or your stated goal. Nothing personal, and i am not anti hybrid in all instances, but your goal seems to be to create some f#d up fish.
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Post by crazydaz on Feb 11, 2012 12:40:14 GMT -6
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Post by fishguy on Feb 11, 2012 12:42:10 GMT -6
It cuts both ways. I love my Golden Retriever, but nature didn't make him. Dog breeders did that a long time ago. Cross breeding doesn't always make things that are screwed up, it can make them better, too. (Parrot fish are messed up, though.)
I'm curious about your project, but my genetics knowledge stopped with blue-eyed fruit flies. How you can you ever get a non-sterile fish if the first gen offspring are sterile? How do you get past that hurdle?
BTW, I think this would make a very interesting thread as you go forward. If you posted results and pics of each generation along with your strategy for the next, that would be cool. I'd geek out on that.
Do you keep some sort of giant cross-breeding spreadsheet or have some computer software that helps you track the genetic traits you are trying to work on?
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aaron
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Posts: 96
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Post by aaron on Feb 11, 2012 17:31:04 GMT -6
I haven't started my main project yet. I've been building a tank collection for this project. I'm trying to get everything prepped before I start down this path full fledged.
As for software nope, however I'm a report analyst, so creating it wont be difficult. I'm going to start off with some pure strains of Endler's, Guppies, etc. Each will have their own colony in a 55g that I wont cross breed. These will be my back track colonies. Meaning once I start making hybrids first and second gens can be recross bred with a primary colony breed again to re-add specific traits. This attempt will allow me to breed out traits I do not want.
Yes a Golly/Muppy is sterile. I've bred them before. But I want to see what happens if the Molly was bred with a Platy first, then back to a Guppy. Would they be sterile? Then continue until I find the combo that works. I have platy/molly hybrids that reproduce. So it's a matter of trying to find the perfect combo match.
I'll be making it very open and detailed thread once I start. I need to convert my extra bedroom into a fish room. Just a matter of getting some more tools and wood.
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Post by jon carman on Feb 11, 2012 18:56:38 GMT -6
Dog variants are not hybrids, they are selectively bred. That is why two pit bulls can reproduce. As far as the ethics go, there are way bigger issues in the world than a dude trying to create mutant fish in his basement. It just isn't a thing most fish clubs support.
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Post by bnoel210 on Feb 11, 2012 19:32:50 GMT -6
+1 i really like trying to get everything i have close to wild caught as i can except for the few ob peacocks and dragon blood peacocks. Im just trying to wrap my very small brain around why you would be putting in all the time money and whatever else into this. Are you trying to produce something new that a profit can be made from, are you just doing it to gain the knowledge or just something fun to do?
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Post by jon carman on Feb 11, 2012 20:31:05 GMT -6
My main to problems with hybrids are deformities and creating something no one wants. While I don't encourage it, from fish I found pics of this doesn't seem to be the case. So good luck and if they do look messed up, JD and I have some fish that would love to snack on them.
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fuzzylogic
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tankoutlaws.com
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Post by fuzzylogic on Feb 11, 2012 21:30:45 GMT -6
These are the only Hybrids I can get behind  |
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aaron
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Post by aaron on Feb 12, 2012 14:01:26 GMT -6
Well, I'm mostly doing it for fun. I have no urge to make profit from it. Hence why it's part of a hobby and not a job.
I breed my guppies as feeder's... lol... so any mutated or anything that would seem unappealing would just become a snack. A prime example, fish can have a crooked spine... these are instantly fish food once I spot them.
I'm all for keeping species as pure as possible. Hence why I would keep colonies that are pure strains. For instance, why would anyone want to breed Endler's with guppies, if it will eliminate a pure endler strain? I think that is very unethical.
How I breed selective is quite simple. I breed 1-2 gen's with the primary mates. At which time they go back to their respective colony. To do this, 3 weeks after the female produces gen 1 the male is removed. Three weeks later female produces gen 2. She is kept in a female only tank of the same trait until I determine if the combo is worth keeping. I keep the gen's separated until male/female can be determined. I bunch those together. Repeat until I create what I'm looking for. This is a long process. I do have to admit, some of the color strains for guppies I've produced are quite appealing to me. If they don't fit in they go to my feeder tank until it's time for feeding. IE if they continue breeding that is fine. I have pulled some nice looking combo's out of the feeder tank before (male/female identical coloration).
I think it would be great to have a molly/guppy/X bred fish that can reproduce. Just keep in mind, if it's not appealing then feeder tank it goes. I'm curious of seeing a fish that has a sail fin, colors of Endler's and Guppies. I dunno we'll see. For me it's all about fun and having different colorful type fishes. I enjoy it.
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