Egg Eating Thoughts

[Jota Melgar <jsmelgar@compuserve.com>]

> Even if it's not a learned
>characteristic, if you have enough generations where you take them away
from
>their parents and raise them yourself, it would be possible for a genetic
>mutation to limit or eradicate the parenting aspects. 

Here's the problem I have believing that mutations could be responsible.
Consider the probability of the same mutation occurring at the same place
(locus) in the fishes genome (probably quite large) over and over in
several different fish. Infinitesimally small and for all practical
purposes, impossible. Now consider the same things above happening over and
over in several different fish belonging to several different species. Not
a chance. So, we are left with the possibility that it is learned behavior
or something else (IMHO environmental stress). Hobbyists experiences like
John W., Mike J., Kathy, etc. do not support the learned behavior theory. 

How about rams being a lot more discriminating when assessing risk? This
might be the reason why rams are more notorious egg eaters.

One more thing, kudos to the list. We need more of this.

Julio


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the apistogramma mailing list, apisto@listbox.com.
For instructions on how to subscribe or unsubscribe or get help,
email apisto-request@listbox.com.
Search http://altavista.digital.com for "Apistogramma Mailing List Archives"!