# Sad but True Data on Hybrid Fish (Parrot Cichlid)



## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

As responsible aquarists, we are sometimes faced with difficult issues, and one such is certain hybrid fish. The Balloon variety of the Ram, Molly, and others comes to mind, and of course the Parrot Cichlid. 

These fish are "manufactured" sometimes by selective breeding, sometimes by crossing non-compatibnle species, sometimes genetic manipulation, etc, to achieve their unusual shapes, colours, or whatever. But unseen to the aquarist is the internal damage done to the fish. This has certain consequences for the fish, such as a shorter lifespan, more suceptibility to disease along the way, and who can say what other effect on the fish's stress and thought processes.

Such deformed fish should *never* be purchased, as buying them will only encourage others to create them. Stores that carry them should be told that we do not approve, and business taken elsewhere.

This article on the Parrot Cichlid should open some eyes.

What have we done? The Parrot cichlid | Blog | Practical Fishkeeping

Byron.


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## nicolaas (Jan 15, 2012)

I am with you Byron I become very sad when I see any abnormal fish that were created by man, like bubble eyed goldfish and I feel like I can do nothing to stop people from buying them. 

Most people I know would buy parrot fish and balloon mollys(rams) and not for one second think about the fish.

The blood parrot is a big thing in south africa in every fish store I have ever been in have them in stock 24/7 I feel like I want to explode when people say that they are a natural species that come from ''africa''.

Sorry for the long post I'm just blowing of some steam.


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## jentralala (Oct 5, 2012)

It's a bit ironic how a few days after reading this I went to my LFS and she was complaining about how nobody has bought the Parrot Cichlids, that they've been there for months. I'm really hoping it stays that way.


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## pop (Aug 29, 2012)

Hello;
I don’t get it, I read the link posted and I did not read anything that suggested there are any internal defects other than reproduction and the suggestion that hybrid fish will not be able to survive in nature. In fact I would be surprised if any of the mass produced tropical fish that we breed will survive in their natural environment at all.

"manufactured" sometimes by selective breeding, sometimes by crossing non-compatibnle species, sometimes genetic manipulation, etc, to achieve their unusual shapes, colours, or whatever. But unseen to the aquarist is the internal damage done to the fish. This has certain consequences for the fish, such as a shorter lifespan, more suceptibility to disease along the way, and who can say what other effect on the fish's stress and thought processes. 

What is the internal damage that is done and how long should be the natural life span? Is there actually an increased susceptibility to disease or is this increased susceptibility an assumption and not a fact. These issues are not addressed in the link. I did not know that fish had thought processes but more likely have unconditioned responses that can be conditioned. In a state of nature stress is a valuable adaption that leads to survival and reproduction through unconditioned response to internal and external stimuli.

I am not suggesting that genetic manipulation is the way to do things but it is still a fact of life ….. all corn is genetic manipulated and corn will not grow without intervention by humans meaning it can not naturally reproduce. Consider mules all male mules are sterile therefore the species can not reproduce either yet mules exist due to human interference.

For manufactured fish to survive there has to be a certain amount of internal & consistent integrity with the organs & internal processes. I guess this issue rests on the concept of survival vs. thriving.

Personally I do not like the appearance of the parrot cichlid and will not purchase them or other apparently manufactured fish though I will still eat corn and ride a mule.

pop


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