# Wild Caught



## kingpoiuy (Jun 9, 2008)

So why does it seem that wild caught is preferred? Is it just because they are more "authentic"? Or less of a chance of hybrids and steroids?

I would think bred fish would be more desireable as long as the above problems aren't present. We are trying to conserve the lakes and the fish are more adapted to tank life anyway.

Opinions wanted :wink:


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Conservation isn't an issue with rift lake cichlids. WC fish produce great progeny!


----------



## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

I think what Darkside means is that cichlids can handle some harvesting in the rift lakes and not actually that conservation is not an issue... I can assure everyone that it is an issue and some variants/ species are in danger. 
http://www.jstor.org/pss/2386702

I personally favor larger groups of F1 fry to obtain healthy breeders than WC fish... I can't think of many reasons to buy WC fish for breeding unless you are the first to bring in that particular species or variant and have no choice. Personally I leave that up to the folks with bigger wallets than I have.

12 F1 fry... $120 to $240...

12 WC cichlids? $480 to $800 or more...

:thumb:


----------



## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

Number6 said:


> I think what Darkside means is that cichlids can handle some harvesting in the rift lakes and not actually that conservation is not an issue... I can assure everyone that it is an issue and some variants/ species are in danger.
> http://www.jstor.org/pss/2386702
> 
> I personally favor larger groups of F1 fry to obtain healthy breeders than WC fish... I can't think of many reasons to buy WC fish for breeding unless you are the first to bring in that particular species or variant and have no choice. Personally I leave that up to the folks with bigger wallets than I have.
> ...


Yep, I guess that came off a bit harsh, what I meant is that we in the hobby have little impact on the fish population (compared to those who harvest fish from the lake for food).

Personally, most of my own fish are F1 as well, I only pick up WC fish when I have no other option. I have WC gobies (who made some F1 gobies) and a couple WC L. Ornatipinnis, the rest of my fish are all F1. Sometimes when you're looking for fish that are rare WC is the only way to go. I used to have WC Haplotaxodon and I've never seen TR alternatives advertised. I'm also considering working with some of Tanganyika's lepidophages, which will be WC (maybe coming from Poland...) because I can't for the life of me find any, on this continent. That being said people love buying F1 fish, it seems to offer some sort of certificate of authenticity, and that requires the breeder to have WC parents.


----------



## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Wild Caught fish are less likely to be hybridizedâ€¦ they are much less likely to be effected by steroids/hormones/ etcâ€¦ and they have been subject to survival of the fittest since the beginning of timeâ€¦

In my opinion this last part is the biggest differenceâ€¦

With aquarium bred strains we often use less than the strongest fish of a brood to spawnâ€¦ and all too often spawn these less than the best fish with their less than the best sistersâ€¦ producing inbred less than bestâ€¦

I know line breeding/inbreeding can be used constructively, but over using it for personal convenience is all too commonâ€¦ and has a negative impactâ€¦

Iâ€™m not a huge fan of removing fish from the wildâ€¦ So I would prefer to see Wild Caught fish used as breedersâ€¦ to supply F1 fish to hobbyistsâ€¦


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I prefer F1 for breeding stock, and only buy wild ones when I can't get them any other way and it's a species I've been lusting after! :thumb:


----------



## Eb0la11 (Feb 29, 2008)

I've only got an F1 Frontosa. Maybe I should try to find another of the opposite sex.

I dont think any of the rest of my fish are F1...


----------



## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

Eb0la11 said:


> I've only got an F1 Frontosa. Maybe I should try to find another of the opposite sex.
> 
> I dont think any of the rest of my fish are F1...


 purchasing two fish is NOT a wise option if you wish to breed your fish... please consider buying a much larger group to obtain healthy breeding stock. My fave is 12 individuals, sometimes from 2 different sources though that is NOT that important.

Numbers are far wiser than any number of sources and fewer individuals...


----------



## Eb0la11 (Feb 29, 2008)

Good call. No guarantee they'll like each other lol... I wasnt planning on breeding my frontosa yet anyways. If at all...

Also, I read somewhere they take like 3 years to sexually mature to a nice breeding level, isnt that true?


----------

