Guppy Genetics

[guppymonkey]

I have been breeding guppies for almost a year and have been trying to figure out some of the genetics for them. I don't really remember my high school biology lessons that well though. I am trying to figure out which traits are dominant and which are recessive, such as coloration and tail shape. Has anyone had experience with this?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

If you go to the library, you should be able to find a book on it. I found one on fish, but it was very boring and extremely hard to understand, what with all the descendants interbreeding and all that.

Some of it's guesswork, though. You have to find one trait and find out if it's dominant or recessive. It's hard work and you need to purify the strains and get healthy and plentiful stock.

Good luck.

 

[tstenback]

This link may help or at least begin to confuse you further

 

[GuppyDude]

genetics isnt the easyist thing to understand. but iv got a question. if guppys are continuaously bred with thir brothers sisters mothers daughters u know, relitives/family, will the develope problems or complecations due to this?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Definitely. That's why expert breeders add new strains of fish.

 

[GuppyDude]

ok thanx, i didnt know lol

 

[guppymonkey]

All fancy breeds of guppies involve many many generations of inbreeding. If they are too inbred they can become sterile or have physical defects. When the breeds get to that stage the breeders usually go back one pair and add a similar looking guppy that isn't related to strengthen the genetic line.