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Cross-breeding Vs Inbreeding



Don't get mad at me! The following is only my opinion and if I'm wrong it's
probably because of  my limited 
knowledge in taxonomy and genetics.

A dog is a dog and a human is a human. Cross-breeding exists for the human
race and I think it gives
positive results. On the other hand, inbreeding brings more "problems" than
advantages. Dogs were cross-bred 
for centuries to create what we now call "pure bred". To keep that pure bred
we have to inbreed them sometimes. 
You end up with a pure bred with weak and strong points. Don't try to send a
poodle to the wild, but it will do fine 
(?) in your house! I see a big ethical problem with inbreeding if you
eventually end up with sterile animals. Hitler 
philosophy (or sickness ?!) was against cross-breeding ...

Going back to fish ...

I have nothing against cross-breeding fish if they are kept in an aquarium;
sending the cross-bred to the wild is different (don't send your poodle to
the jungle)! The biggest problem I see with keeping a "pure line" is that
the fertility goes down a lot after a few generation because of inbreeding.
How can you avoid inbreeding with a few couples of fish found in the wild 15
years ago? How do you keep them fertile for 15 years? Cross-breeding would
be a solution to bring "new blood" in the line (don't hit me!). 

I have many question regarding classification of species:

1- The confusion between Aphyosemion and Fundulopanchax

2- Why 2 genetically compatible species (or sub-species or whatever) are not
considered a unique fish with just
    different coloration ?

3- Is it possible that very similar species from close location in the wild
are the result of natural cross-breeding?

4- What fish are considered to be part of the "Gardneri group" and why?


Daniel Carle
Montreal 


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