Hypothetical Breeding Question

[Jozlyn]

I have a pregnant Dalmation Molly! She is the only Molly in the tank ..... at the moment!

I'm planning on keeping some of the fry.

Now comes the hypothetical part.......what happens if I accidently keep a male (I DO know how to tell them apart), and then he bred with his mother or sisters? Now I DO realise that this is inbreeding, but would the resulting fry be ok or would they be inbred little freaks?

 

[sarena_rye]

Inbreeding happens just as much in the wild as in an uncontrolled tank (though it's much more likely in a tank). Inbreeding generally takes a few generations to have any real detrimental effects except in odd cases. As long as your female isn't already inbred by a few generations, then the fry would likely be ok, though I wouldn't suggest it as the chances of bad traits becoming stronger as opposed to good traits is not something I would personally want to undertake without serious consideration first. No one likes to have to play the flushing or freezing game with a fish and that could be the result with the fry if it turned out badly.

 

[theotheragentm]

Inbreeding is how you get the different colors and different varieties.

 

[helterskelter]

It's no harm guppies and swords have been inbreed for their colour for many 100's of generations now.

This dose weaken them yes as i kept with lines of these fish and their much eaiser to keep.