Platy Breeding Question

[dizzied]

Probably a dumb question, but..

I always see all these different varieties of platies at the LFS - red tux, red wag, coral, mickey mouse, so forth. What would happen if two from different varieties mated? Does it keep one of the parents' patterns, or mix them up, or something else?

 

[theotheragentm]

I don't believe the genetics are purely dominant vs. recessive. You'll get a mix of the parents, some looking more like one parent than the other, but still a mix. I have a Gold Molly giving birth to black fry.

 

[dizzied]

So let's say.. if I have a red tuxedo and a mickey mouse, I'll end up with fry that look like both?

 

[theotheragentm]

Since we can't tell the slight difference in things like facial features on a fish, we can only go by color pattern. You are going to get a whole slew of different looking fry I think. There's no guarantee.

 

[helterskelter]

their is a genetic pattern and if u research you can lurn patterns. But belive me with shop fish the breeders cross the females with other strains befor they sell.
So even if u think you got a nice cross you donr know that she's been breed with, as the female can store sperm for 6 months or longer.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Just to give an example: I bred an orange wagtail female with a pink Mickey Mouse male. I got a number of pure-looking orange wagtails, a couple of orange wagtails with black spots on the body, a few pink Mickey Mouses with the odd black spot, one or two orange Micky Mouses and a couple of pink Micky Mouses with orange dorsal fins. All in all a bit of a mixed basket. Not a good idea if you are breeding for sale, but I was breeding for domestic purposes without planning to breed the offspring on, so there was no problem.

 

[dizzied]

Interesting. This is merely my curiosity.

Ty all for the help.