Re: Evolutionary advantages

[Chad Attlesey <davinci@uswest.net>]

In my recent experience with 'German' (commercial line bred) Rams, I have
found that the number of viable eggs increases as pH and hardness decreases.
At a pH at or below 6 and GH and KH below 80-100 I used to get hatch rates
approaching 100%.  Well, I would get these hatch results If I pulled the
slate with the eggs on it out of the breeding tank and placed it into a
separate, empty tank with the same water conditions.  If I left the eggs
with the parents, invariably, the parents or other fish in the tank would
eat the eggs or wrigglers.  I have to admit that I did get a large number of
spinal and other deformities with these fish.  Maybe the parents can sense
that their offspring aren't quite right before they hatch?  I attribute the
deformities to excessive inbreeding by the commercial source.

My experience with the wild-caught fish I had years ago in college was very
different.  Kept in similar conditions, I remember that they were great
parents - to the point of being brutal to other Rams and non-Ram fish in the
tank.  It was the memory of my experiences with these Rams that brought me
back to dwarves 10 years later.

I recently had hoped to experiment with crossing my new wild-caught Rams
with my line-bred Rams and select for the offspring with the best attributes
from both stock.  I would really like to know if there is speciation of
commercial line-bred stock to the point were they won't produce offspring
with wild-caught stock.  This was before the 'plague' nearly wiped out the
stock in 3 of my tanks.  I have 1 wild female and 1 very tiny but colorful
and quickly growing line bred fry left.  I hope to get more stock and resume
this effort after I get a fish room established next month.


My 2 cents worth (at least it is list related this time)...

- Chad

> From: "gkadar" <gkadar@idirect.ca>
> Reply-To: apisto@majordomo.pobox.com
> Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 09:27:21 -0400
> To: apisto@majordomo.pobox.com
> Subject: Re: Evolutionary advantages
> 
> 
> My blue rams, regardless of temp, pH, water hardness, you name it.....spawn
> after spawn of fungused eggs.  They didn't even seem to consume these with
> any enjoyment.  Their behaviour while consuming the eggs was as though they
> had an obligation to do so and nothing more.
> 
> Gabriella



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