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Do you like hybrids

  • Hybrids are the best

    Votes: 3 18.8%
  • Hybrids are okay

    Votes: 2 12.5%
  • Dont really care

    Votes: 4 25.0%
  • Don't like hybrids

    Votes: 6 37.5%
  • Hybrids are wrong and should all be destroyed!

    Votes: 1 6.3%

Hybrids, yes or no?

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  FishFreak95 
#1 ·
Do yall like hybrids?
 
#2 · (Edited)
Personally, I do like them.

We have blood parrot cichlids and they are among our favorite fish. We will soon be getting a short body flowerhorn, too, for a solitary tank.

I don't think there's anything wrong with hybrids as long as people know what they are getting (vs. thinking they've bought a pure fish and then being disappointed later). Our parrots have no trouble living the life they were made to live -- life in an aquarium. They eat easily, swim very well (better than any tetra ever has!), and have the most pet like personalities. If we didn't own these fish, I'd never have realized how smart and people oriented fish could be. They are unlike any of the other fish we keep and we adore them.

One of my hobbies is breeding horses and it's something I've put lots of years and time into. I am so aware of good conformation and breeding only the best of the best (not just the best of what you can aquire). I feel function follows form. Just very aware of what should be considered when breeding an animal and the ones I breed may be in this world for 30 or so years. My perspective is that the blood parrot fish, while "funny looking" to some, do not have any handicaps that prevent them from living good quality lives and serving their intended purpose (to bring happiness to their owners).

Jill :)
 
#3 ·
I picked "don't care" as it was the most neutral response although this is far from what I actually believe.

It really depends on the hybrid, if you ask me. Certain hybrid strains do result in fish that lead lives that are unnecessarily difficult (the eating problems and swim bladder issues faced by blood parrots is a notable example) so I can't endorse the breeding of these animals. As long as the hybridization has no negative effects on the fish, I don't see a problem with it.

Another issue when it comes to cichlid hybridization is that, due to hybridization, it can be difficult to attain pure strains of particular species. This is often the case with a number of African species. It would be one thing if hybrids were always clearly labeled as such but another thing entirely if fish are incorrectly labeled.
 
#4 ·
I voted "don't like"

For central americans it's not as big a deal. Blood parrots obviously have thier problems but they are easy to distinguish and most people label them properly. Other central american hybrids like flowerhorns i don't mind again because people usually know how to distinguish them.

On the other hand. there is a HUGE problem with african cichlid hybrids. So many species can hybridise and beginners often don't know. They often give thier fish to the pet store which more people buy and it gets out of hand. Some hybrids you can't even tell thier hybrids until they reach adult hood. And often thier much more aggressive and much less colorful than the original strain. I mean just imagine if you walk into a store to buy a beautiful yellow lab. you take it home later and after a few months it develops these ugly brownish purple markings. It's very frushtrating. Again this pertains mostly to africans. I saw somewhere that "the only thing hybrids are good for are feeders" and I totally agree.
 
#5 ·
I just dont like africans cichlids or any other oldworld cichlids.
I like bps just not the ones that cannot swim. Some BPs have better genetics than others. There are BPs that can complety close there mouths now. Just dont have the money to afford one.
 
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