# Petsmart convict deformed



## Jeffmbunakeeper (Apr 25, 2019)

So i bought a beautiful convict male from my lfs. I decided to run out to petsmart and buy him a female a few days later from petsmart...smh... So i notice the female is very attractive over all lot of orange on her belly and orange and blue on her fins, but her side fins are deformed like angled down. Makes her very unattractive. I didnt study the fish before i bought her. Does any know if she will pass those traits to her offspring? Very disappointed with petsmart im sure its dure to inbreeding. But finding it hard to find info online you guys and girls are awesome.... Regards jeff Will post some pics when the female decides to pose for my camera lol


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Jeffmbunakeeper said:


> Does any know if she will pass those traits to her offspring?


I would think there is a good chance the deformity would be passed to future generations. I've seen this deformity in the past, or at least something very similar to what you describe. A simple way to make sure this deformity is not passed on is to use a different female for breeding purposes.


Jeffmbunakeeper said:


> Very disappointed with petsmart im sure its dure to inbreeding.


In breeding isn't necessarily a problem with most fishes. Out crossing has probably greater chance of producing mutations or strange deformities.
Convicts are known to carry huge variety with in the same spawn. Lot's of people have noted that even wild caught convicts will produce a lot of variety in the first f1 spawns, so it's already carrying a wider range of genetics. Many fish that are kept in captivity owe there origins to only a few fish, and do not have high rates of deformity (eg. the common aquarium strain yellow lab population is thought to primarily originate from only 2 fish!)
I inbred convicts for close to 25 years with out adding any new genetics. Since I got them from another aquarist, they may have been inbred for many years previous. I had some deformities in some batches to begin with......but after 20+ years of inbreeding, there were zero deformities in any batches of fry. Then i finally decided to out cross them to 2 different box store males. Both resulting batches were FULL of deformities. My second generation spawning: same thing, full of deformities. I've since purchased another box store male and female to out cross again and may scrap my line of convicts altogether, and start over fresh!


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