[cvillanueva21]

How can you tell if a fish is a hybrid?
Is there anything wrong with them?
Any firm rules on what not to stock together?
If they have a different Genus name is that okay?
(Wondering about a "red zebra" and an electric yellow lab)

 

[Dave]

How can you tell if a fish is a hybrid?

Sometimes you can and sometimes you cannot. It really depends, but typically the fish resembles two unrelated species. There are some known hybrids that make identifying some of these more easily, like red zebra x yellow lab. Honestly, it is a case by case basis though.

Is there anything wrong with them?

Some say they exhibt higher levels of aggression. There is a known issue with a red tail cat x shovel nose cat that causes the vertebrae to be formed in a manner that could affect the fishes movement and comfort. If distributed they can have a negative impact on the hobby by making it difficult to find pure specimens, again the red zebra x yellow lab cross is a good example. Another example of this is the M. cyaneorhabdos x M. johannii or M. interruptus mixes.
Depending on the filial generation they may or may not breed true. F1 hybrids do not breed true, but something like the OB peacock tends to breed true (though there are continued hybridizations occuring in this breed).

Any firm rules on what not to stock together?

As far as hybrids? It is really difficult to predict what would and would not work in a setup.

If they have a different Genus name is that okay?
(Wondering about a "red zebra" and an electric yellow lab)

Okay for them to be a hybrid, or okay to not worry about hybridization?

 

[cvillanueva21]

If in their binomial nomenclature, they have different genus names would it be okay to stock them together and not worry about them breeding and causing hybrids. I'm guessing if they have the same genus name but different species it's not advisable to keep them together?

You mentioned red zebra and electric yellow labs having hybrids. Do you know how those look like? The juvis I got came from a tank with those two species.

 

[Dave]

If in their binomial nomenclature, they have different genus names would it be okay to stock them together and not worry about them breeding and causing hybrids.

This helps, but with Malawi species it is not a guarantee, again, Metriaclima estherae x Labidochromis caeruleus cross is an example. Keeping fish with proper ratios (1M/3-4F) also helps to avoid hybridizations. The only way to guarantee is to have single species setups. Avoiding fish with similar males/females is helpful as well.

I'm guessing if they have the same genus name but different species it's not advisable to keep them together?

Correct, this can, but not always, have the highest hybridization chance.

You mentioned red zebra and electric yellow labs having hybrids. Do you know how those look like? The juvis I got came from a tank with those two species.

Yes, depending on the line, they either look like red zebras with blue markings in the face and a more pointed mouth, or they are the "All Yellow" breed that looks like a yellow lab with no black marking in the fins.[/quote]

If you are in doubt, post profile shots of the fish and we see if they appear pure or hybrid.

 

[cichlidaholic]

Just to add to the confusion, I had a breeding group of what appeared to be very nice yellow labs that produced a clutch of very questionable fry - half the clutch looked like typical red zebra fry, the other half looked like typical yellow lab fry. The only other fish in the tank with the Yellow labs were a group of F1 demasoni. :-?

There was no outward indication that the adults weren't pure Yellow lab, other than a hyper aggressive personality with the dominant male, but even then, it wasn't enough to make me question it until that clutch of fry came along.

It's not always possible to tell by looking, so just keep that in mind. I don't think anyone could have told me these parents weren't pure...

Kim

 

[Dave]

There is always an exception.

 

[cichlidaholic]

There is always an exception.

Yes, and leave it to me to be the one to buy it and take it home! :lol:

Kim