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Originally Posted by meandean45 Hello All!
I've been struggling with some thoughts, observations and questions about tank BRED (as opposed to "raised") FISH (NOT corals). I'm wondering if anyone else has concerns as well.
I don't mean to start an arguement, although I'm fairly sure that some strong opinions will be voiced, but I'm not entirely sure that tank bred fish are truly "good" for our hobby. (I can hear the pistols being cocked already, but please don't shoot me just yet!)
I've noticed that tank bred Clownfish don't seem to host in Anemones nearly as easily as wild caught Clowns do. From what information I can gather, Tank bred Clowns are not exposed to Anemones as EGGS or as FRY. I've seen the pictures and read the text that Clowns nip at the Anemone to keep it from "Stinging" the Eggs, but I find that my Clowns only nip the Anemone back until their eggs are laid, and then they allow the Anemone to cover the eggs.(YES, their eggs DO hatch) Does anyone else out there think (as I do) that the lack of Anemones in Commercial breeders tanks could be the cause of this problem?
My other question involving tank breeding involves "Selective Breeding". Already I'm begining to see un-natural "Morphs" in tank bred Clowns (All of you people with "Black Perculas" please forgive me), different colors, abnormal color patterns, and mis-shapen fish. This type of breeding has given the freshwater hobby many different types of fish, but it has also caused some VERY hardy fish (wild Carp can practically live in a "mudpuddle") to become very delicate and hard to keep. My question is "do we want to do this in the Marine Reef hobby?"
AGAIN, I don't want to start an arguement, but I would really enjoy some THOUGHTFUL DEBATE on these questions. Thanks for any and all thoughts on the matter |
Well as always there are many sides to this issue. First the majority of folks that purchase clownfish IME do not keep anemones, or at least do not have the equipment nor the experience to house anemones. Does this mean they should be excluded from keeping clownfish? I find tank raised clowns to be the ideal fish for my customers as they are generally very hardy and easy to feed, and the larger clowns such as tomatoes and marroon clowns are ideal fish only tank canidates as they mix well with most other fish either in a reef or aggresive tank. Also housing anemones in brood tanks at a place like ORA or cquest would drasitcally increase the costs involved with raising these fish and thus increase the price tag of the fish. They are already competeing with dirt cheap wild caught fish.
The second point you raise is very interesting. I bred Angels, and dwarf cichlids for a long time, and have many friends that breed livebearers and discus. Your point that selective breeding makes fish less hardy can also go the other way. Most of my tank raised angels are extremely hardy compared to their wild captured cousins. They do fine in neutral pH, eat flake food, etc. Where as the wild caught need to be feed frozen, need a low pH etc.
However your point is true that selective breeding can lead to an extremely difficult to keep fish. Inbreeding is also a concern as it can lead to all kinds of problems in the genetic diversity in the brood stock.