Hybridizing corycats

[Giggles115]

So I'm a huge fan of messing with genetics and was wondering if it's possible to breed emerald green corys with panda corys and produce a green, black, and white Cory? Need to know if it's been done, if it's possible, and if so how to do it.

 

[Giggles115]

Should also mention I'm a total noob at fish but my girlfriend is great with them

 

[Byron]

This is something that loricariid ichthyologists do not condone. Most members on this forum agree. I certainly do.

 

[Giggles115]

This is something that loricariid ichthyologists do not condone. Most members on this forum agree. I certainly do.

So it's ok for people to cross breed dogs and other animals but cross breeding fish to produce a new species is a no go

 

[NickAu]

I also think its a bad idea we do not want or need deformities in fish.

Like this.

 

[Giggles115]

Since it isn't inbreeding how would these two produce deformities, seeing as these two are similar in size and shape, I don't see how they would have deformities as severe as those balloon bellies

 

[Demeter32]

Strictly speaking, both of those corydoras more than likely have different breeding habits, such as different temperature ranges. Then there's the fact that many species of fish prefer to breed with their own species (excluding guppies, mollies etc, they're worse than a young male dog). The problem here is, fish are not like dogs. Dogs are all under the same scientific name, whereas the two corydoras are not.

You are trying to breed for a specific set of colors, but unfortunately colors don't always come through, especially in the first generation of offspring. That means you need to get the first generation of fry to breeding age and then spawn them with either the parents or each other, which greatly increases the chance of physical deformities.

I myself dabbled with cross-breeding African cichlids (profile pic is one of said hybrids) and it was purely by accident. I've been continuing the line of these hybrids (yep, that means they are inbreeding and yes I have come across a couple tail deformities).

To put it simply, I do not recommend trying to create a crossbreed in the hopes of introducing this "new species" and selling the fish. New species of fish are not bred, they are found in the wild, collected, and then breed to their own species. Different color forms are found usually when so much inbreeding occurs that you get something different, such as the albino.

 

[Giggles115]

The whole point of this for me was to experiment. Try something I've never done before, I wasn't planing on selling the babies I just wanted to see what would happen if I bred the two together

 

[Essjay]

So it's ok for people to cross breed dogs and other animals but cross breeding fish to produce a new species is a no go

It's not the same thing. All dogs are the same species, they have just been selectively bred to get different sizes, shapes and colours like Betta splendens has been selectively bred to get different tail types and colour patterns. Emerald green cories and panda cories are different species.

 

[Byron]

As other members have pointed out, natural fish species are not the same as domesticated breeds of dogs, so no point in belabouring that obvious fact. It is not possible with fish to produce a "new species." For example, the Blue Gourami, Gold Gourami, Cosby Gourami, Three-Spot Gourami, Marble Gourami, and others I cannot now remember are all selectively bred from the same distinct species, Trichogaster trichopterus. These varieties are just that, varieties, not distinct species. And the same has occurred with the various colour forms of livebearers, some characins, etc.

As for possibly "succeeding" with a cross-breeding, you could end up with dozens if not hundreds of fry. You say you won't sell them, but unless you killed them all very early, you would find yourself having to do something to get rid of them, and they would likely end up in the hobby. This is something all responsible aquarists oppose, as do ichthyologists, because a "corruption of the gene pool" results. The fry might tend to exhibit the external characteristics of one or other species, to the extent that distinguishing them as something different is impossible except by DNA analysis.

We are dealing with natural species, and in more than one situation, aquarium bred fish may be the only extant members of a species, or may be used to repopulate the natural habitats. This opens up all sorts of issues for the ecosystems, something that all of us should be very concerned about in these days of environmental problems.

There are species that have different geographical populations where specific external characteristics have evolved over thousands of years that can identify those geographic populations. One example is the Marble Hatchetfish, Carnegiella strigata. All known species in this genus are polytipic (Gery, 1977), meaning that two (or more) distinct populations can be recognized within the species concept. In one watercourse, both populations of C. strigata can be found, but studies to date have shown that they never cross-breed, but remain true to their distinct population. It is wise to conclude that nature has its own reasons for this, and we are best leaving it alone.

Aquarists have to undertake a degree of responsibility, or they should not be in the hobby.

 

[FroFro]

The whole point of this for me was to experiment. Try something I've never done before, I wasn't planing on selling the babies I just wanted to see what would happen if I bred the two together

The thing i you are not some sort of scientist, just a guy wanting to tamper with the natural behaviors of fish. Your girlfriend should not let you near her tank, you viewing these fish as nothing but "experiment" material to HOPEFULLY get some sort of odd colored offspring tells me you are not suitable to the hobby. Everyone here was polite about it, but I'm going to be blunt with you. Those who want to toy with an animal's natural behaviors, which involve controlling its environment to a degree that it may become unhealthy or stressful to this animal to obtain the desired result. should not be allowed anywhere near these animals. These fish are your girlfriends pets, Fish are OUR PETS. We care for them and do our best to make sure they are happy, healthy, and thriving under our care. Byron and multple others have explained to you in detail how your idea is a bad one and unethical to every facet of the hobby. I suggest you take their advice.