425nm Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 I don't intend to be breeding flowerhorns however I find myself rather curious about how they are bred. I was told that the lifespan of flowerhorns has been decreasing since the 90ies due to intensive inbreeding. Does anyone know how often Flowerhorns are outcrossed to other cichilids for the sake of their genetic health, (as opposed to crossed for the sake of attempting to breed in new colour/patterning/etc) Realistically vs Ideally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 If you are referring to fish bred in Asia, then the answer would be almost never. Breeders of flowerhorn do not focus on disease resistance or overall vigor when attempting to wow the world with their latest greatest new strain of fish. The same could be said for a number of designer fish where the latest new colors, patterns, fin length, nuchal hump size, etc. are what is driving the market. Realistically, disease resistance is most likely at the bottom of some breeders priority list, if it's even considered at all. Nature has it's own way of taking care of genetically weak specimens, humans will take those same fish & breed them for profit. In flowerhorns this has caused a major decline in overall vigor, and lifespan, where now a days you're lucky if an Asian bred fish from Thailand, Taiwan, or Vietnam will live past 3 or 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
425nm Posted June 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Capitalism at work. This would be comparable to blood parrots? How different is husbandry in North America/Canada? Does anyone to your knowledge cross their flowerhorns to hardier cichilids. If you are referring to fish bred in Asia, then the answer would be almost never. Breeders of flowerhorn do not focus on disease resistance or overall vigor when attempting to wow the world with their latest greatest new strain of fish. The same could be said for a number of designer fish where the latest new colors, patterns, fin length, nuchal hump size, etc. are what is driving the market. Realistically, disease resistance is most likely at the bottom of some breeders priority list, if it's even considered at all. Nature has it's own way of taking care of genetically weak specimens, humans will take those same fish & breed them for profit. In flowerhorns this has caused a major decline in overall vigor, and lifespan, where now a days you're lucky if an Asian bred fish from Thailand, Taiwan, or Vietnam will live past 3 or 4 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RD. Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 There are a lot of FH breeders here in NA that cross their fish with various CA species, but for the most part it's not being done for genetic diversity. From what I've seen it's either an accident that's taken place in a community tank, or kids seeing what kind of "new" look they can create. This is not to say that all FH are genetic weaklings, you can still find locally bred fish that produce some very nice looking, and genetically sound offspring. Ones best bet is to buy a large group of fry/juvies, then grow them out & keep the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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