Selective breeding ideas

[ichthyogeek]

So....how long approximately would it take to selectively breed fish to become smaller? A tiny marine betta sounds like a very cool fish to have. I'm just thinking hypothetically here, but what are some ideas that y'all have on selective breeding besides color morphs?

 

[hotelbravo]

Ive read on someone with an idea to breed seahorses with small horns to create a unicorn seahorse. Dont think the idea went anywhere

 

[GreshamH]

Ive read on someone with an idea to breed seahorses with small horns to create a unicorn seahorse. Dont think the idea went anywhere

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2489557

no, and it won't, not for a very long time

 

[Spinelessspade]

Maybe an extra small hippo tang for smaller aquariums, or other large fish bread to be smaller

 

[GreshamH]

Maybe an extra small hippo tang for smaller aquariums, or other large fish bread to be smaller

Hippo tangs would first need to be CB in any numbers that could do this. Right now, not possible.

bred
bread

 

[Spinelessspade]

Hippo tangs would first need to be CB in any numbers that could do this. Right now, not possible.



bred

bread

Maybe some extra large bangaiis or mini annularis Angels, like dwarf size

Sorry about my spelling French is my first language

 

[GreshamH]

Maybe some extra large bangaiis or mini annularis Angels, like dwarf size

Sorry about my spelling French is my first language

:lol: no worries. Its one of the most common spelling mistakes when dealing with breeding. At least you didn't say captive bread fish, that would make me hungry for fish and chips

 

[Spinelessspade]

Mmm fish and chips

 

[GreshamH]

see, now you're hungry :lol:

 

[Spinelessspade]

I still think making big fish small or medium size would be a good idea, let us keep them I smaller tanks

 

[Anna LR]

Do you know if size differences are genetic or not? I think it's more to do with nutrition. I don't think you can select for it and have it reproduce. In my opinion, not gonna happen.

 

[Spinelessspade]

I'm pretty sure size is a genetic trait, but you're right nutrition is just as important for any animal to grow

 

[ichthyogeek]

Do you know if size differences are genetic or not? I think it's more to do with nutrition. I don't think you can select for it and have it reproduce. In my opinion, not gonna happen.

You're both right. Not feeding a fish can stunt it, but some fish will never grow very big, just like with people. Some size differences are genetic. Take for example pygmy elephants from Crete and Sicily, compared with the woolly mammoth. Smaller elephants were initially selected for due to less food on an island. Kind of how if we take all the big fish in the sea, there will eventually be only small-medium fish, and if we take all the small fish in the sea, there will eventually be medium-large fish.

Now that we're talking size...what if we made bigger fish, like taking nano fish, and breeding them to be bigger.

 

[Anna LR]

OK, size range of a whole species is genetic, granted, but sizes of individuals within the species may be wholely due to nutrition or water quality, or other environmental aspect. If so, and I think it is likely, you are not going to be able to breed that by selective pairings.

 

[ichthyogeek]

and therefore you select against the largest fish, and for the smallest fish. If you feed two similar fish to adulthood with the same diet, then chances are that one of them is most likely going to be smaller, maybe not by much, but definitely smaller. It's by selecting for these progressively smaller organisms that can selectively create smaller breeds, such as falabella horses or chihuahuas. Unless a random mutation occurs where the fish suddenly has a smaller body size.

 

[Spinelessspade]

Itchy geek has said what I wanted to explain perfectly, Thx

 

[ichthyogeek]

hmm... "itchy geek", that one's new.

 

[cbm369]

hmm... "itchy geek", that one's new.

Ya know there treatments for that....
:lmao:

 

[Spinelessspade]

hmm... "itchy geek", that one's new.

Sorry auto correct can be a pain sometimes

 

[billsreef]

So....how long approximately would it take to selectively breed fish to become smaller? A tiny marine betta sounds like a very cool fish to have. I'm just thinking hypothetically here, but what are some ideas that y'all have on selective breeding besides color morphs?

5 generations, based on a study I was involved in that examined that question in relationship to size selection and fishing pressure. I should also note that there was a drastic reduction in fecundity (numbers of eggs) and survival of the larvae from the small fish populations.