[Kirblit]

I think that the culling is an important part of the breeders responsibility, that said I certainly don't like to think about it either. I think that in nature these fish that are malformed don't generally make it anyway because they don't have all of the tools to survive in the wild, and they would only exist in our aquariums because we have kept them alive. There was natural selection with humans as well, but we have found a way around that problem, technology. I can see both sides of this debate and believe that they are both somewhat correct, but there has to be a middle ground. Kathywithbirds I know how you feel about the culling, my wife is the same way with here freshwater tanks. She is always on the look out for the "gimpy" fish, and once she see's one she has to have it. So needless to say we have a housefull of "gimpy" fish that all seem to get around fine, but never really appear happy to me. I happen to be one of those people that put myself in their shoes and if I were like that, well, I wouldn't want to be like that.

I think that everyone has their own opinion on the subject of captive breeding. I think that it's a great thing for the hobby, and for the reef in general. I think it's a matter of time before most fish in the hobby are captive bread and that will be great. I also believe that it will get out of control with all kinds of morphs just like the freshwater hobby, and it's up to us to choose whether to buy those fish or not. I just don't think that I would want some artificial breed in one of my tanks, it's not what we are trying to recreate in this hobby.