new method of madness...would you consider it?

[evoIX]

with recent posts and news of hurting the ecosystem. for us hobbyists would you be willing to go the "molly" route? i believe that was what they named the 'clone' sheep.

q: would you be ok with the idea of scientist creating clones of fish for the hobby market?

i would be all for it. a life is a life and it's saving another with high potential positive effects.

 

[9supratt4]

It's a great idea in theory....But think about what they are doing with that fish or animal in order to clone it. Then think about how many people out there are irresponsible and get into the hobby without doing things properly. Now what happens if the irresponsible hobbyist decides to release the fish into the wild?? What can this genectically altered and cloned fish pass on to the wild ecosystem??

I'm all for trying to get various species to breed in captivity and recently they have made some great moves in that direction. There are more aquacultured fish and coral out there now then have ever been.

 

[Hawkeye]

+1. We already have lionfish in the atlantic. Now we're going to bio-engineer more lionfish that some numbnut will release? People will then clamor for burmese pythons (also invasive in Florida) and what not. It's a slippery slope to go down.

If you are serious about helping then stop with the molly and get with mofib! Captive breeding is the way to go my friend. There are certainly downfalls to that method as well (e.g. you breed brother/sister) but if people are ethical and conscientious - it's the right way. Just like telling people to stop buying wild anemones. Why when ralph over in edison was cloning bta's every week (at least it seemed like it when he had the 55).

 

[Phyl]

+2!

 

[evoIX]

so the possibility of sending a clone into the ocean instead of watching the oceans disintegrate shouldn't be given a potential chance?

 

[Hawkeye]

so the possibility of sending a clone into the ocean instead of watching the oceans disintegrate shouldn't be given a potential chance?

all you have to do is watch the star wars trilogy. ;D ;D ;D ;D The dark side - that's what clones are!!!! Just because you engineer a clone doesn't mean it won't morph or evolve into something else. The very act of placing that clone into the ocean may actually accelerate it's disintegration.

captive breeding. Learn it. Promote it. Do it!

 

[rodclement]

+1. We already have lionfish in the atlantic. Now we're going to bio-engineer more lionfish that some numbnut will release? People will then clamor for burmese pythons (also invasive in Florida) and what not. It's a slippery slope to go down.

Well there is no difference where the fish that are invasive come from, be it home grown or bio engineered. All of florida is overtaken by invasive species, from Iguanas, to parrots, to snakes, and all kinds of fish. More impressive to me is that you can fish Oscars and all kinds of cichlids in the everglades...plecos breeding, motoro stingrays, peacock bass...you name it it's there! And none of it is bio-engineered or cloned.

Since I love a fish that is the ultimate inbred, discus, I know how hard it has become to get healthy stock that is fertile and breeds true in coloring. The species has been so inbred that what we see in our tanks are just memories of what's out there in the wild.

I personaly support the possibility of cloning as a means of stocking for the hobby trade, I see no difference between it in-breeding for traits like snow white or platinum. You have the same shallow gene pool with the same dangers, if you are not careful and constantly add new genetic stock, you end up with a weaker species.

Rod

 

[9supratt4]

I have a ton of clownfish eggs all the time!! My pair lay them about every 2 weeks. I don't have the time or the room to raise them, but if anyone wanted to take them to raise them, just let me know.

If there were people who would collect eggs and fry from many different sources, they would then be able cross the lines and not have inbred clowns. But of course, that would be a full time job!!

 

[rodclement]

Just to clarify here since I got a couple of weird Pm's...I am in no way against captive breeding, not in any way!

All I am saying is that I have no issues with this approach as well,they both have upsides and downsides, that's all.

Rod

 

[Hawkeye]

Case 1999 bioengineered corn where monarch butterflies were dying.
http://www.cnn.com/NATURE/9905/20/butterfly.killers/

The monarchs feed on milkweed plants, which thrive in "edge habitats" -- the areas where forested land and farm fields meet. Cornell's laboratory research suggests that wind-blown pollen from the Bt corn could disrupt the monarch caterpillar's feeding -- often killing them before they metamorphose from caterpillars to butterflies

All I am saying is that cloning/bioengineering can lead to unintended consequences. If it's the path to take it should be done because the viable number of specimens available left to captive bred is not possible. So i guess I disagree and say that cloning/bioengineering should be considered a secondary choice to captive-breeding. And also I am suggesting there are downsides to cloning that we are not familiar with.

If there were people who would collect eggs and fry from many different sources, they would then be able cross the lines and not have inbred clowns. But of course, that would be a full time job!!

if they are being laid on a tile or something portable- pm me. I'd be interested in seeing if i could raise another batch from a different set of parents.