[ledsrevenge4]

Ok, I'll get right to the point...

What is a strain?

How do you create a strain?

How do you know if you've created a strain?

What make a strain a unique strain?

 

[The-Wolf]

Strain is another term for species.

With animals and plants a cross between different varieties(genus), or between individuals of the same variety(genus) but of another strain(species), gives vigor and fertility to the offspring. Darwin[/i]

creating a strain is just breeding two different types of the same genus
for instance breed a male horse to a female donkey and you get a mule.
the mule is the new strain.

you'll know if you have a new strain as the offsring will contain charatistics from both parents.

unique, implys that no-one else has done this before.
in the case of fish, crossing a neon tetra with a cardinal tetra would be unique. at least I've never heard of one and they are both in the same genus (paracheridon)

I won't get into the morality of creating hybrids (new strains)
as that can be a very touchy subject for some.
if you wish to create new strains of fish, good luck to you.
you may wish to keep in mind that the offspring from two different species in the same genus are 99.9% infertile and therfor you won't get past an F1 hybrid.

HTH

 

[fish_4_all]

Something else about the "hybrid" and actually creating a new "strain". In the case of the mule it is right there, the two animals breed and you have a new species or strain. In the case of fish however, there are very few that are pure so creating a "strain" can be very difficult. It can take many generation and many years to create a specific charcateristic that is always gotten after every breeding of the parents. A mix of characterisitcs like we got with platties, swords, mollies and other fish is just crossbreeding and not a strain.

I hope that helps to explain it a little. It is really in depth and if you really want to know all the symantics I will try to find my genetics research book and explain all the boring details.

As for the morality, it is simple. A new strain or hybridization is frowned apon by most. The actual hybridizing of a fish into something that can survive, is not deformed, and is easily kept in our aquariums, I have no problem with. The genetic abhorations is where you find the most discension in the hobby. Fish that are deformed is the biggest one. I don't remember the full name but I think it is a parrot that is so deformed from hybridization that it can't completely close it's mouth and can't eat like a normal fish. This is where the negativity comes from and most won't even care if you intend to do it right. At least most initial reactions come across that way.

Is a little like a hairless dog or cat. The breeder knows that the animal will never sirvive outside on it's own but they breed them anyway. People who buy them know they will never survive outside on their own but they buy them anyway. Where morailty comes in and it becomes truely wrong, I don't know because hybrids are aquarium animals and bred to be just that. Hairless pets are bred to be pets and never returned to the wild.

All I can say is do your research if you want to try it and even if you don't and form your own opinion. An educated decision even if based on biased information is at least educated.

BTW, Welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy the club and have a little fun at the same time. Oh and maybe learn something :wink:

 

[jones57742]

I got a little lost in F4A's 1st paragraph.

A mule is a hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

"In my brain" first generation members of a species produce offspring which have the characteristics of their parents and not their grandparents (and I believe that this a portion of F4A's post).

A mule is an atypical example as mules are generally sterile.

TR

 

[fish_4_all]

Well I didn't say I understood genetics completely, lol. But I agree and you put it much simpler than I could.

 

[jones57742]

Well I didn't say I understood genetics completely, lol.

Well: I believe that my state of knowledge of genetics is what is refereed to as dangerous (lol).

TR

 

[ledsrevenge4]

I was just wondering, I can't find that anywhere. Some idiat on some site I found once on guppy breeding said it takes 2-3 years to create a strain. They didn't even say what, how, why, or the definition. I do know what a strain is though, and know store0bought guppies are mixed. But they really are beautiful...

 

[fish_4_all]

2 to 3 years is feasible if you know what you are starting with. I think it is something like 25 generations to be considered for testing them the next 5 generations have to be pure to be considered a new "strain". It coud be done but very strict isolation has to occur and you need a breeding stock to eliminate genetic mutaitn and deformities.

I was actually hoping to try this with my dad when he was farmer and we raised pigs. We had 1-2 piglets per litter that were "different" and we wanted to breed the trait. After finding out it can take 15 years we decided not to.

I am glad you asked the question, gives us something to think about. I get a lot of questions about making money on the hobby and that would definately be the way to do it. Pure bred fancy guppies with zebra stripes could bring a pretty penny. 8)