Deformed Endlers - Inbreeding

[aaronnorth]

hi, i have these endlers for about 2yrs now and all of the new fry are deformed, i dont know what to do with them? i wanted to get rid of them anyway. Any help?

thanks.

 

[helterskelter]

Must be breeding from poor stock or poor food, i know people who are still breeding from the 1975 collection with no problems.

Feed more live foods and the best flake food u can get, i like tetra pro personally

 

[aaronnorth]

what and they have added no 'new blood'?

i feed mine tetramin crisps, JBL krill, algae tablets, frozen bloodworm.

 

[helterskelter]

Nope you don't need to add new blood, as only the worst fish are removed from breeding, so the gene's are well spread still.
When working with known gene pool's you don't want to go mixing even with other known true endlers or any species, this allows for the history to be truly known and not guessed.

Even if your just breeding from 1 or 2 males you still ok if you select good strong fish.

 

[aaronnorth]

so what do you suggest i do?

 

[helterskelter]

you got a good selcetion of foods, sounds like your just breeding from poor stock.

If they are htat bad i would get rid of then and get some good stock.
Just noticed ur in notts, next week is the guppy show and auction, ur defo get good quality guppies their.

 

[aaronnorth]

guppies dont interest me! how am i supossed to get rid of them if they are deformed

 

[helterskelter]

it's not just guppies, if u like endlers they will be plenty for sale and other unusualy livebeares you never seen before

 

[Honeythorn]

How deformed are they? If they have a poor quality of life and cannot feed or swim properly, then it may be best to euthanise them . If they are doing ok despite their deformity, then do you know anyone who will take pity and keep them as pets at all?

 

[aaronnorth]

i like the colours of endlers, but thats it, they make my tank look messy, i prefer shoaling fish thanks though. wouldnt mind going to something like that where there is more of a variety like the festival of fishkeeping.

there are a mixture od deformities, if that makes sense, they can feed, they look to be struggling to swim, not too bad though but i would imagine it would only get worse

 

[WILDER]

Get a jug of very coldwater and add some ice cubes till its freezing cold, place the deformed fry in there it should take about thirty seconds, but leave the fish awhile to make sure they have passed on.

 

[drobbyb]

Wilder is right. That's the best way to handle euthenasia for fish. It's quick and relatively painless. The cold is so cold to a fish that their skin goes completely numb on contact and they feel very little. It's humane and inexpensive.

 

[jourdy288]

Do you have any predatory fish? I have a juvi South American Leaf fish, he would prob take deformed fry. Perhaps something lke a banjo catfish, or something like that, but you need to ensure good water.

 

[OldMan47]

If you have healthy but deformed endlers, it's time to feed your larger fish. The fry will be small enough for even a platy to help you out. I love my endlers but there is no way I would keep a deformed and sickly lot of them. They are certainly small enough to be fish food for your larger fish. If you don't have predatory fish, the feeder tank at the LFS always needs refilling.

 

[aaronnorth]

i only have cichlids which would kill them rather than eat them!

how about the clove oil method? better or worse than ice?

anyone want to do it for me.......