Hybrids in the hobby.

Hybrids generally aren't particularly attractive, and only in rare cases (and even then, arguably) are the hybrid offspring worth rearing. In almost all cases, hybrid eggs should be destroyed!

Hybrids are bad. Producing hybrid fish is one of the most thoughtless and harmful things hobbyists can do. Please be carful when breeding. We want to keep breeds strong and good looking! Hyrbrids weakn and damage the fish.... Mentally and physically.


Here is a video of some fry I got from a German red peacock that Terry brought over. She was holding about 30. He told me he had no clue what she breed with so .....This was the right thing to do.

Properly disposed of!!!
well done bro!

Yup that's what I do, those and my culling's I let them get a little big and toss them to Fred.

crazy kory man that sucks but hey u said it u gotta do what u gotta do i couldnt do it

We Aint Be Needin Any Mixing In This Hobby!!!!
good Job K!!!!

Hybrids mess stuff up unless you are 100 percent sure that no one else will have any of them. If they are staying in your tank, fine. If not, they gotta go!

My hybrids (Red Devil/Red Terror=accident) are turning out absolutely gorgeous. I will be keeping some and the rest will be fish food. At the rate the parents are breeding I will never have to buy feeders again. As long as you dont give them to other people I dont see the problem.

They do make good starter fish for kids though.......

Fern wrote:

They do make good starter fish for kids though.......

lol I agree. My Aunt home schools my three cousins (11,8,6) and I told her that she could use them as a science project or something if she wanted

My 7 year old son wants a tank... I think I will have him do brine shrimp first then give him a 20g with a few fish... And possibly a bamboo shrimp, he told me he really wanted one, I don't even have bamboo shrimp! I don't know where he got the info on them

Hybrids will occur as long as we keep anything but species only tanks. It's the intentional hybridization for purposes of profit and status symbol (Flowerhorns, etc) that I take issue with. There are so many great species out there. Why does anyone need to create new ones? I would rather see the tank space diverted to keeping naturally occurring species and try to make those specimens as nice as possible within the accepted species description. Below I'm going to quote a post that I made during a big online debate concerning the ACA that sums up the way I feel. I post it here because the topic is near and dear to my heart and I think it bears more respectful and well thought out discussion.

Quote :

I have been reading the threads on the ACA Forum concerning hybrids and their possible inclusion in this year’s show. I would like to address this issue with my own perspective. I think I will always be a hobbyist first. Yes, I own a shop. But if I ever lost my taste for fishkeeping I am quite certain that I would give up the shop and go back to something that is frankly more lucrative and less work. I also consider myself to be a conservationist/naturalist in the traditional sense. I say these things to give some perspective on my opinions.

First, let me address what I am going to be referring to as “hybrids”. There is no sense in talking about the line breeding of livebearers or the color manipulation of Discus, just as two examples, because they are not relevant to the issue. The issue is Flowerhorns, Parrot cichlids and the like. Bringing up line breeding, whatever your feeling may be on the subject, is simply, in my opinion, obfuscating the issue.

The ACA, in my opinion, is, and should be, an organization that exists for the preservation and, perhaps more importantly, the promotion of cichlids as exist in the natural environment. It accomplishes such goals by both direct and indirect action. Its policies should, in every way, be made and directed with such goals in mind. Membership is not a goal in and of itself, but is a means toward more effectively achieving the more lofty basic goals of the organization. Membership is best served by attempting to bring in like minded individuals who can be true to the purpose of the ACA. The ACA should not compromise its principles simply for the sake of membership. I am quite certain that much of the membership would rather give of themselves more, both financially and personally, rather than compromise the core priciples of the organization.

The hybrid issue as it affects the ACA is part of a larger issue within the hobby itself. It is as much a cultural issue as it is anything else. The majority of the hybrids are created in the far east. The majority of those proponents of hybrids who further their keeping and status are asian. If they have chosen to make this a part of their culture that is certainly not something I am qualified to take issue with, nor will I. Now I know some people are likely to jump on me at this point and call me names. But the truth of the matter is that different cultures have different customs. Look at the issue of cockfighting, for example, or maybe pitbulls. The Flowerhorn is as much of a status symbol with asians as are pitbulls with other cultures. That I am pointing out that the issues concerning us with hybrids is cultural is purely for educational purposes. It should not affect how the ACA views the hybrid issue. However, these things having been said, please do remember that many of the fish you see in shops come from the far east.

Though I find the practices quite reprehensible, I also understand that it is still human nature for the producers in the far east to produce things which are going to attract the attention. This includes, but is not limited to, dyeing, tattoing, removal of fin(s), genetic manipulation, and hybridization. We are indeed guilty of these sorts of things ourselves in this country. The GloFish was created here. The hobby is, and will always be, driven by money. The only way that we change the way the hobby is being driven is to affect the money, that is, to change policies and practices with our spending habits.

Do we as hobbyists and conservationists have enough financial power to affect change? I don’t know. What we can do is educate new hobbyists. We can share our knowledge and our passion where cichlids are concerned. Not only can we do this, but it is, I feel, our responsibility. If we are truly serious about our goals we will take steps to make them happen. We can influence and educate new hobbyists and old alike. If we do this, we can surely give ourselves the financial power to make the industry change. If we are simply concerned about number of members and money, and education and conservation is not our goal, then embrace the hybrids. But why stop there? There are so many things available from the far east that will further the goals of membership and money. At the end of this I have included a list of some of the dubious fish that are available from the far east.

In conclusion, let me be quite clear. The ACA will lose far more members in embracing the hybrid cichlids than it will in maintaining its message and purpose of furthering the conservation and promotion of more naturally occurring cichlids. This issue needs to be discussed, ad nauseum if necessary, and should not be confined to private messages and personal emails. The ACA Forum was and is an excellent and most appropriate place to have such a discussion. The board administrator who locked the threads concerning this issue should be ashamed of himself for doing so. I would perhaps not feel so strongly about this had he himself not weighed in on the issue publicly. If there is a bandwidth issue I can understand, but the shutdown of dialogue, even though I do realize it was on several threads, just seems like it was designed to quiet dissention on the issue. All the threads should not have been shut down. All of it should have remained public.

If the ACA wants to have these hybrid fish at its show then so be it. It is not the appearance that, I would think, its core membership would want to give to the fishkeeping world. But, then again, since everything can be had for a price, maybe someone will make a Flowerhorn whose nuchal hump takes up seventy five percent of its body, has trouble swimming, and has an ACA logo tattooed on its side. Let’s be true to our principles. If those principles are right then, good or ill, we will have done the right thing.

THE FOLLOWING LIST IS SOMETHING THAT I TOOK A LITTLE TIME AND CUT AND PASTED FROM THE TRANSSHIP LIST FROM THE FAR EAST. THERE ARE THINGS ON THIS LIST THAT REALLY MAKES MY SKIN CRAWL. IT IS ALL CUT AND PASTE (SO THE SPELLING ISSUES ARE NOT MY OWN) MINUS THE PRICES, QUANTITIES, ETC.

BIG HEAD FLOWER HORN 3"
BIG HEAD FLOWER HORN 3.5"
BIG HEAD FLOWER HORN 4"
BIG HEAD FLOWER HORN 5"
SHORT BODY FLOWER HORN 2.5"
CARA BONITA CICHLID
COLOR TETRA ML
COLOR TETRA L
COLOR SPOTTED BALLOON MOLLY
COLOR TIGER BALLOON MOLLY
COLOR HEART BALLON MOLLY
COLOR NUMBER BALLOON MOLLY
COLORED MOLLY
COLOR ALBINO RAINBOW SHARK 2"
ALBINO SHARK GREEN COLOR 2"
ALBINO SHARK ORANGE COLOR 2"
ALBINO SHARK PINK COLOR 2"
ALBINO SHARK PURPLE COLOR 2"
ALBINO SHARK RED COLOR 2"
ALBINO SHARK BLUE COLOR
RED ALBINO BLACK SHARK 2"
BLUE ALBINO BLACK SHARK
COLOR SILVER SHARK

BLUE COLOR TINFOIL BARB
RED REDTAIL TINFOIL BARB 2"
BLUE REDTAIL TINFOIL BARB 2"
MIX-REDTAIL TINFOIL BARB 1.5"
COLOR GLASS TINFOIL BARB 2"
MIX-COLOR GLASS TINFOIL BARB 2"
BLUE ALBINO IRRIDESCENT SHARK 2"
TATTOO TIN FOIL BARB 5-6.
RED ALBINO IRRIDESCENT SHARK 2"
BLUE ALBINO IRRIDESCENT SHARK 3"
RED ALBINO IRRIDESCENT SHARK 3"
RED ALBINO REDTAIL TINFOIL BARB 2"
ORANGE ALBINO TINFOI L BARB 2"
GREEN ALBINO TINFOIL BARB 2"
MIX COLOR ALBINO TINFOIL BARB
PURPLE OMPOK L.
BLUE OMPOK L.
RED TIGER BARB 1-1.5"
MIX-COLOR OMPOK L.
GREEN OMPOK L.
BLUE TIGER BARB 1-1.5"
ORANGE TIGER BARB 1-1.5"
PURPLE TIGER BARB 1-1.5"
MIX COLOR TIGER BARB
ORANGE REDTAIL BOTIA 3"
MIX COLOR REDTAIL BOTIA 3"
REDTAIL BOTIA 4-5"
BLUE REDTAIL BOTIA 4-5"
MIX REDTAIL BOTIA
BLUEBERRY RASBORA 3-3.5"
RASBERRY RASBORA 3-3.5"
MIX-YELLOWTAIL RASBORA 3-3.5"
ORANGE YELLOW RASBORA 3-3.5"
PINK YELLOW RASBORA 3-3.5"
PURPLE YELLOW RASBORA 3-3.5"
YELLOW RASBORA 3-3.5"
MIX COLOR MOONLIGHT 3"
PINK KISSERING 2"
RED MOONLIGHT GOURAMI 3"
TATTOO PINK KISSING GOURAMI 2"
BLUE MOONLIGHT GOURAMI 3"
PURPLE MOONLIGHT GOURAMI
BLUEBERRY HONEY GOURAMI
RED FRUIT TETRA 1.5"
BLUE FRUIT TETRA 1.5"
GREEN FRUIT TETRA 1.5"
ORANGE FRUIT TETRA 1.5"
MIX-FRUIT COLOR TETRA 1.5"
BLACK&ORANGE TETRA 1.5"
RED&GREEN TETRA 1.5"
PINK TETRA 1.5"
MIX-COLOR TETRA JUMBO
TATTOO WHITE TETRA
BLUE COLOR PACU 2"
MIX COLOR RED CHEEK GOLD BARB
MIX-COLOR SILVER TETRA L.
RED-SILVER TETRA L.
BLUE-SILVER TETRA L.
GREEN -SILVER TETRA L.
ORANGE-SILVER TETRA
BLUEBERRY OSCAR 2"
RASSBERRY OSCAR 2"
RASSBERRY OSCAR 2.5"
BLUEBERRY OSCAR 2.5"
RASSBERRY OSCAR 3"
BLUEBERRY OSCAR 3"
PAINTED TOFFEE FISH M.
RED TOFFEE FISH M.
BLUE TOFFEE FISH M.
GREEN TOFFEE FISH M.
BLACK TOFFEET FISH M.
ORANGE TOFFEE FISH M.
YELLOW TOFFEE FISH M.
PURPLE TOFFEE FISH M.
PAINTED TOFFEE FISH L.
PAINTED TOFFEE FISH XL.
TATTOO TOFFEE FISH
TATTOO SILVER MOLLY 1.5"
TATTOO BALLOON MOLLY 1.5"
HEART TATTOO BALLOON MOLLY 1.5"
HEART TATTOO SILVER MOLLY
CHERRY PLECOSTOMUS 2.5"
BLUEBERRY PLECOSTOMUS 2.5"
MIX COLOR PLECOSTOMUS 2.5"
GREEN PLECOSTOMUS 2.5"
PURPLE PLECOSTOMUS 2.5"
CHERRY PLECOSTOMUS 3"
BLUEBERRY PLECOSTOMUS 3"
MIX COLOR PLECOSTOMUS 3"
PURPLE-COLOR/TIGER BABR XXL.
GREEN PLECOSTOMUS 3"
LOVE/O.B. PEACOCK
PURPLE PLECOSTOMUS
COLOR HUMPHEAD GLASS FISH
TATTOO PINK PEACOCK CICHLID
Cichlasoma nigrofasiatus albino (Colored convict(round))
Cichlasoma nigrofasiatus albino (Colored convict(round) )
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blue parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart blue parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma syns(heart blue)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Colored parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Colored parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart colored parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Panda parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (lavender parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart lavender)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Green parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart green)
citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart pink parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Pink parrot)
citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Red head parrot)
citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Red & white parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Red heart parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (White parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blood parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Yellow parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Heart yellow)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Rose queen)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Blue parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Colored parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (lavender parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Green parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Purple parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Yellow parrot(B grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Kilin fish)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (flowerhorn parrot)
Cichlasoma festae*Cichlasoma synspilus (Flower horn(A grade))
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Black parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Kingcong parrot)
citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Kincong purple parrot)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus(round) (round parrot)
Aequidens rivulatus(round) (Round green terror)
Haplochromis obliquidens(round,zebra) (Round zebra sunshine)
Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum var. (Round convict cichlid)
Cichlasoma citrinellum*Cichlasoma synspilus (Round red parrot(A grade))
Aequidens rivulatus(round)hump head (Round green terror)
Barb - COLOUR TINFOLL
Barb - ASST COLOUR TIGER BARB BABRUS TETRAZONA
Barb - RED TIGER BARB BABRUS TETRAZONA
Barb - PURPLE TIGER BARB BABRUS TETRAZONA
Barb - PURPLE TIGER BARB BABRUS TETRAZONA
Barb - BLUE BERRY TIGER BARB
Horn - GOLD BEAUTY HORN(A) CICHLASOMA SP.
Horn - PEARL SPOT HORN (B) CICHLASOMA SP.
Cichlid Parrot I "Lov"U

I have seen some of those tattooed fish and its quite sick. I fully agree that we need to boycott hybrids. Every time I see glowfish or any other mutants in my LFS I fuss at the owner.

I am guilty of owning 2 flowerhorns but they were a gift and I did not buy them.

Dude iv seen a LIME GREEN Pleco!!!!!!
man it sucked!!! just to see its UN-NATURAL color messes it all up for me!!
i hate it! (kolored fish!)

I do agree we should stop mix-breeding with some types of fish, but to actually kill the eggs? Hmmm, not in my book, but people differ. It's like killing a dogs babies because it's mixed breed. A life is a life

u sound like my wife!!!

Call them feeders if it makes you feel better.

Fern wrote:

Call them feeders if it makes you feel better.

Haha thats exactly what I did. I have a tank full of goldfish and rosy reds that were supposed to go to the flowerhorn but are fully grown.

Someone inevitably brings up dogs...and I'm not picking on you for it. But please understand that mixed breed dogs are not hybrids. Dogs are all the same species. If your dog bred with a red fox, for example, that's a hybrid.

makes a persuasive argument!

marauder_77868 wrote:

Someone inevitably brings up dogs...and I'm not picking on you for it. But please understand that mixed breed dogs are not hybrids. Dogs are all the same species. If your dog bred with a red fox, for example, that's a hybrid.

Well said.

My hybrids are fed to my musk turtle. He has an endless supply of live foods...loves it!!

Kory I found some more feeders In one of my tanks. You can have them for feeders if you need them.

Hybrids are not my thing, took me a while to purchase from a couple lfs between tattooed fish, hybrids and such (kind of like the glo fish would like to put some in one of my stained glass tanks with a black light but that's another subject) anyways if not for need of food for the fish, bickerkeets or tarantula they didn't get any other business. Which was fun to have them show me all the cool stuff knowing that it would be something I'd be interested in only to buy the basic essentials and walk out!!

I admit both stores have backed off a lil' on some of the stuff, thus have made some fish purchases in the last few months (some out of need others had to have it!) but it took a long time!!