Hot topic...genetic quality of "fad" clownfish?

[traveller7]

Maroons are notorious for infighting at an extremely young age, mouth deformities are inferred from such activity, but sure seem to follow that concept consistently.

Deformaties can absolutely be created through environment.

 

[jdreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11392615#post11392615 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by traveller7


Even though my freshwater breeding days have completely ruined my desire for "fad" markings, I can appreciate a perfect shaped mis-bar more then most ;>) I find such a specimen, a feat of magic, alas I rarely see prime examples CB :>( When I do, I always have space available

:mad2: So am I to infer that you think my clowns are mutts? You better watch it buddy, if the day comes when you stick your hand down a dark, deserted hole in the back of the tank and it gets bit by some random Picasso, you will now know who it was. My fish are now on the lookout for you...:lol:

In all seriousness though, I think this is an important topic. We will use myself as an example. I have kept fish for over half my life, have bred (either on purpose or on accident) many different freshwater fish, worked in a fish store for several years, and I have a pair of regular occelaris and a pair of B&W occs that regularly lay eggs. To date I have just been too lazy to try to raise any fry. My pair of Picassos are now showing signs that, from my personal history, tell me that they will eventually start laying eggs. I would love to try my hand at raising them should that happen, but I am guessing that there would be a chance that these offspring shouldn't be making it into the hobby for potentially several reasons (inbreeding, defects, etc).

I have just enough experience to be dangerous but not the dedication (or experience) to be a hardcore breeder. Someone like myself could end up passing fish that shouldn't be finding their way into the hobby on to others just cause we didn't know any better.

 

[phender]

I have raised many clutches of clowns, from three different species, ocellaris, percula and sandaracinos. IME, all the deformities that we see (flared gills, missing fins, pug noses and under markings) are caused mostly be poor husbandry and not inbreeding.

In my first attempt at raising ocellaris (in the early 90's) almost all of the babies were under marked, had flaired gills and pug noses. As I became better at keeping the water clean and providing good food, I was able to eliminate those problems in almost 100% of my babies. When I started to get a little tired of the effort I was putting into raising the babies, guess what started to happen. I started to see the same deformities again. The parents didn't change, just the husbandry.

The reason you don't see those deformities in wild caught fish is the same reason you don't see them from meticulous breeders. Its not because the malformed fry don't make it, its becasue they aren't exposed to the conditions that cause it.

Overmarking (snowflakes, picassos, etc.) seems to be genetic. IME, the majority of undermarking is environmental.

To the original poster, your fish have what I would describe as a pug nose. Compared to a wild fish, the noses on yours do not extend far enough out to meet the lower jaw properly. Is that a problem for the fish? It doesn't seem to be, but for me, it is not asthetically pleasing. But they are not my fish. I can't tell if your fish have flared gills. When viewed for head on a normal clown should look like this ( ). A fish with flared gill has more of a triangle shape when view from the front because the gill plates go like this / \.

 

[MJI]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11394401#post11394401 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phender
I have raised many clutches of clowns, from three different species, ocellaris, percula and sandaracinos. IME, all the deformities that we see (flared gills, missing fins, pug noses and under markings) are caused mostly be poor husbandry and not inbreeding.


Overmarking (snowflakes, picassos, etc.) seems to be genetic. IME, the majority of undermarking is environmental.

Phil,

From the info I've gleaned over here, I'm with you on these points

 

[GSMguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11396589#post11396589 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MJI
Phil,

From the info I've gleaned over here, I'm with you on these points

+1

Phil said what I was trying to say, only coming from a position of much more knowledge he was able to get it out much more eloquently.

 

[phender]

jdreefer,

Since the slight pug noses on your picassos are not a genetic problem, they should be able to produce normal babies as long as the babies are cared for properly.

 

[ILLiDaN]

Now with all the information that has been out and the release of Platinum clownish does that change the facts?