Re: NANFA-L-- Amazon Mollies

Joshua L. Wiegert (JLW-in-dune.net)
Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:02:43 -0500

Breeder's have selectively bred for smaller fish. Any fish which has been
domesticated for a long period of time is now smaller. This shows up not
only in livebearers (anyone seen a swordtail-in-6"? I've seen photos of
them that size and bigger from the 20's and 30s.), but also with other
long-term domestic fish, such as cichlids. I remember seeing a mated pair
of wild caught Convicts. They must've been over a foot long.... I've never
seen convicts that large since.

This is not purposeful selective breeding (at least, I don't think so. :)
They're not trying to produce fish for our desktop aquariums. :) Because
of the mass production of fish, commercial breeders ("Fish Farms") need to
produce these fish fast to stay in business. THe ones that breed earliest
are the ones that breed the most, and are therefore represented more in the
next generation. They're selecting for fish that mature faster than others.
This, unfortunately, results in smaller fish.

JW.

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Joshua L. Wiegert
AIM UID: JoshuaWiegert                                                ICQ 
UIN: 276060292
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Due to budget cuts, the light-in-the end of the tunnel has been discontinued. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Bock" <bockhouse-in-earthlink.net> To: <nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org>; <nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 9:11 AM Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Amazon Mollies

> What you bought were probably hybrids of P. velifera and P. latipinna, and > maybe even P. petensis. Those are the three sailfin species, and they've > been crossed a lot by breeders. (Latipinia is the species we have here in > the U.S. and range from the South Atlantic Coast on along the Gulf Coast > in to Mexico. Velifera picks up around the Yucatan and of the two is > probably the larger and prettier species. Petensis is an inland salifin > species no longer seen in the hobby, but crossed with domestic stock to > bring many years ago to bring about greater freshwater tolerance.) > > Sailfins you buy in the store are probably hybrids of those three species, > and may have some sphenops or mexicana genes as well. (These latter two > are short fin freshwater species from Mexico.) > > Why the storebought mollies aren't as large as they were many years ago, I > don't know. What I do is check the stores regularly for exceptionally > large breeder fish. A good male will come in to my local area about only > about once or twice a year. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Moontanman-in-aol.com > Sent: Feb 7, 2005 2:58 PM > To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org > Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- Amazon Mollies > > Ok, which Mollie is the prettiest? Largest in size with the biggest fins? > I used to buy these enormous black mollies with huge dorsal fins that had > red trim. what ever happened to them and what species were they? > > Moon > /----------------------------------------------------------------------- / > This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes / > Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily / > reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA, / > visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are / > consistent with the guidelines as per / > http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/guidelines.html To subscribe, / > unsubscribe, or get help, visit the NANFA email list home page and / > archive-in-http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/

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/----------------------------------------------------------------------- / This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes / Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily / reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA, / visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are / consistent with the guidelines as per / http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/guidelines.html To subscribe, / unsubscribe, or get help, visit the NANFA email list home page and / archive-in-http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/