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Livebearer Hybrids

6K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  adiumroot 
#1 ·
Platyfish and Swordtails are known to hybridize frequently. What are the pros and cons of hybridized livebearers?

I find it very interesting that livebearers tend to interbreed. I am not doing it purposely right now, but there's a chance my blue platy is the father of my tuxedo high-fin swordtail's fry. Just curious if there are any problems with this happening.

Any information of hybrid livebearers would be great. Maybe this topic should be pinned if enough info is posted!
 
#2 ·
I don't see anything wrong with hybridization. In fact what we know as "platies" and "swordtails" are most probably mixes of different Xiphophorus species. Selective breeding has led to the varieties we know today. You can get very random results. Most of the time, they aren't beautiful.

My orange swordtail male produced fry with my mickey mouse platy female. Some look like regular mickey mouse, some turned out plain orange. Quite a lot, though, were gray with random patches of red or yellow. Not good to look at. I gave them away as feeders.

In my experience, hybrids between black and silver mollies tend to have the same fate. Some become dalmatian or marbled, but most turn out as drab gray.
 
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