# HRP/Con Hybrid Fry!



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

So I was doing a water change today on my 20 long (HRP Male, pristellas) and found about 30 wrigglers in the cichlid stone that my male has been hiding in much more often than normal. I was baffled because 4 days ago I removed the female "baby" 1" convict from the tank because one morning I woke up to the HRP with tattered pectoral fins. Turns out they were a pair and bred!!

I know they'll be hybrids, but the question becomes, should I reunite the pair? or no?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

No. This is exactly how pure strains get tainted.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Okay cool, I was going to just feed the fry to my 55 gallon. No intention to keep or ever sell any.


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## Aquatic Aggression (Sep 26, 2011)

Not at all tempted to grow any to see what they look like? As long as they are not passed on as pure species or released into the will I don't see any harm in it.


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## CiChLiD LoVeR128 (Mar 22, 2006)

TheFishGuy said:


> No. This is exactly how pure strains get tainted.


Agreed! :thumb:

Keep them separated. This is what happens in community setups. That's why I keep all of my fish in species only tanks.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I figured they wouldn't breed since the female con was only 1" long, I guess I've been proven wrong. No worries, I don't plan on letting any of these fry survive, they will be food for my tiger barbs and texas in the 55 once I can syphon them out.


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Aquatic Aggression said:


> Not at all tempted to grow any to see what they look like? As long as they are not passed on as pure species or released into the will I don't see any harm in it.


Probably similar to my pair that I grew out.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... highlight=

....Bill


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

That was what I was thinking, was hoping you'd throw your .02 in there Bill. I think I'm going to keep them separate because I'm turning the 20 long into a planted tank, and am hoping for a peaceful atmosphere. Having that pair I think will make it a little stressful on the tetras. Though it is very tempting to grow a couple out if there's a possibility of a brute like this...



MonteSS said:


> Mate


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Dad with his 30 kids that are going to by syphoned out soon


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## irondan (Nov 22, 2007)

my hrp female spawned with my male spilurus. i have 50-60 fry that will be feeders for my jd juvies. i am tempted to grow out a couple out of curiosity


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## Bruce Haynes (Sep 8, 2010)

Best to just feed them to the others and be done with it. Curiosity is not necessarily a good thing when it comes to hybrids.


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi *Chubbs the Jellybean*,

Do you have any other pictures of your HRP? He looks so blue in that picture; very cool.

Thanks,
Matt


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Yeah


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Nice Chubster!

...Bill


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

MonteSS said:


> Nice Chubster!
> 
> ...Bill


Thanks Bill, means a lot!


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

I had 3 HRP left that were small so I didnt sell them. Thought that they were all male, but one is a female and they paired up. With out the competition from siblings they are growing nicely now.

Probably sell them after they are proven spawners. They look alot like your male.










...Bill


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

I was at my LFS yesterday and there was a HRP/Convict male cross that was about 3", looks a lot like your male Monte.


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## Cich150 (Oct 12, 2011)

Very nice!


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Melanochromis said:


> I was at my LFS yesterday and there was a HRP/Convict male cross that was about 3", looks a lot like your male Monte.


At a pet store eh... So disapointing...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Gorgeous HRP Bill - looks so much like mine! opcorn:


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## MonteSS (Dec 8, 2008)

Mine lose the red fins when guarding fry. Yours too?

....Bill


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Yes sir! That picture I posted just before was while he was guarding one fry that was left in the tank after I sucked most of them out. He is just getting his red fins back, such an interesting color change


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## bwestgsx06 (Sep 21, 2011)

I want a HRP now. Looks pretty sweet.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Yeah, they're definitely worthwhile to keep, very rewarding. Mine always comes up to see me when I come into the room or walk up to the tank


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

I'll have a trio of HRPs this weekend!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Melanochromis said:


> I'll have a trio of HRPs this weekend!


I expect pictures! opcorn:


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

They will only be small I'm putting them in a small tank to grow them out, will try and get some pics for you. :thumb:


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Awesome - do you know the collection point?


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## Melanochromis (Mar 30, 2005)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> Awesome - do you know the collection point?


Yeah my mate's 70 gallon tank. :lol:

Joking aside, I don't know the collection point of his adults. I think he bought them from a local breeder, but I'll ask tomorrow when I collect them. :thumb:


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

Beautiful fish! 
I am getting a pair of HRP next month to "branch out" into Central American cichlids.
I have a 36X13X20 high heavily planted tank all ready for them. Only inhabitants now is a lone 
small BN and some snails.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks!

Here's an updated pic for you guys!


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## shenglu (Nov 10, 2011)

That they are men, but a female, they are paired. With the competition out of the brothers and sisters, they are now more and more beautiful.


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## amymac (Oct 29, 2011)

okay with this whole hybrid thing I know it happens both on accident and purposefully but to think that this thing never occurs in nature is silly there are so many evolutionary varieties of cichlids how do you think that happened I have an OB I like very much hes a great fish beautiful and a silly personality I also have a parrot both man made fish but I'm happy they are swimming around in my tank. I find cichlid genetics and evolution absolutely fascinating.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

*amymac*
The only thing that's proven to be hybridizing in the wild in the new world are herichthys bartoni and herichthys labridens. And that's simply because man allowed it to happen through irrigation canals and the draining of a specific lake....

At any rate, hybridizing is fine if you're conducting mad scientist experiments in your fish room and you've got some sort of mad mean eating machine to feed the fry to. The problem is when people start selling hybrids like these into the market and eventually down the line they will taint pure strains...

Cichlids in the wild are the single most adaptive creature on the planet, they don't hybridize in the wild, they change, sometime physically in order to survive. It's proven in the waters of the southern half of the US. People that have released cichlids into the wild thinking they will eventually die were dead wrong, they are thriving and destroying natural habitats and other fish. They're spawing in colder and colder water each year slowly moving north. The irresponsibility of some fish keepers is very sad...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks TFG, I'd like to let everyone know that all the fry from this "mistake" were fed to my 55 and were subsequently eaten by my tiger barbs. Also the female died shortly after, which made me decide to change my 20 long over into a planted tank, featuring the HRP. Just wanted to clear that up :zz: :zz: :zz:


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

UGH, sorry Chubbs.... That's a bummer...

I guess I'm considered a purist with curiosity, I've had some hybrids in my fish room and even created some... I just never let them leave... The vieja paratheraps complex is great example of what happens to aquarium stock.... Good luck trying to find a solid black red and white black belt anymore...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

It's okay TFG - If I'm going to be a mad scientist I've got much better hybrids in mind (that will NEVER be sold), so I'm hopeful that in the future things work out a little better.


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