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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Crossbreeding Platyfish
I have had some experience with young fish (fancy guppies to be percise), but they all died in a matter of time. Now that I have looked up and researched how to breed fish properly, I want to try my luck with Platys. However, I want to cross breed the fish (e.g.: Sunburst x Red Wag). Is this possible and can it be performed successfully  +  =  ? | 
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Yes it is possible.
In fact, if you have males and females of almost any platy strain other than longfinned together, it is probable. | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Dino  Yes it is possible.
In fact, if you have males and females of almost any platy strain other than longfinned together, it is probable. | Any suggestions of crossbreeds that are foolproof  ? | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| I am not understanding what you are asking.
Could you word it another way? | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| All platys will breed with all platys, even longfinned.  | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Dino I am not understanding what you are asking.
Could you word it another way? | I mean, do you know any two fish that are bound to be able to crossbreed healthily? Wagtails, Mickeymouse, Sunburst, any two species? | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Platies are usually crosses of one or both of the two species, x. variatus and x. maculatus.
Rags, sunburts, ect, are strains, not species.
As for longfinned, the males are only capable of breeding as very young but sexualy mature fish.
As the males age, the gonopodium becomes so distorted that the fish is no longer able to impregnate females. | |
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February 20th, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| My longfinned platy must be one of the lucky ones then?? Though i do not know his age naturally, i've had him for a while and he still successfully breeds
Hmmmmm...i may have to test that then, i can see a use for my 2 ft tank now *L* | |
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Isn't one of the rules of breeding fish not to cross the strains unless you are breeding a new strain?
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Keeper
| Why cross breed at all? just find a color you like and breed it. Unless your prepared to get something you dont like, which is alwasy a possibility. Hope it all works out, post any progress or a specific purpose for teh crossbreed question. BTW I'm not challenging you, just curious. | |
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | King of Curt
| For most people in the hobby they are keeping fish to be pretty in a tank and, sometimes, to give them something to talk about with their social circles. For that reason most people don't really play into the whether or not to crossbreed different strains, but for serious breeders crossing strains is done when selective breeding. Ultimately, the crossing of strains is what lead us to the strains of fish we have today... so I am torn on the matter. As a serious breeder I wouldn't cross strains unless selectively breeding for certain traits of each strain, but as an intelligent person I know that crossing of strains and evolution is what got us to where we are, and is going to get us to where we as a compilation of races are going. (Sums up essentially to say: Don't worry be happy!) | |
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
I heard LFS's don't often take in cross-bred fish, unless it's a new strain you've taken like, 5 years to develop.
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| LFS's will take any fish, if they think they can make money off it. | |
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Dino LFS's will take any fish, if they think they can make money off it. |
i don't get it, you think im trying to sell the "new" strains I'm miserably attempting to create? or is this a reply to hatchethaven? | |
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February 22nd, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| It was a reply to Hatchet. | |
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February 23rd, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Dino LFS's will take any fish, if they think they can make money off it. | Hi!
In my favourite book it says that you should keep the strains we have alive, unless you are willing to spend the next 5 years of your life breeding a new strain to perfection.
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February 23rd, 2008
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by HatchetHaven Hi!
I heard LFS's don't often take in cross-bred fish, unless it's a new strain you've taken like, 5 years to develop.
| Platys(they are all the same species Xiphophorus variatus) in their original form were kind of gray/greenish with black speckles on their sides. They have been bred back and forth to get what we see in the aquarium trade today. Any Platy will breed with any platy and under the circumstances Dino specified.
Most likely any fry from what ever you breed will look like something already being sold so you shouldn't have any trouble getting your LFS to take them.
Most LFS won't take fry from two species of fish crossbred.
Carol
Last edited by Butterfly; February 23rd, 2008 at 07:16 AM.
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| so the lfs will take species from crossbred genuses (xiphophorus X xiphophorus), but not crossbred species (guppy X platy) right? now which genus is more likely to hybridize with other strains/species of the same genus: Xiphophorus, Poecilia, or Corydoras and which one is best for the novice breeder? | |
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
If you want to interbreed - Platys and Swordtails work every time if you have all one sex swords and all one sex Platys.
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Cories very rarely cross.
Xiphophorus will usually cross.
Poecilia will cross if no member of the oppisite sex of the same species is available.
Guppies and platies cannot cross due the the chromosome count and the fact they are in different genera. | |
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Fish Master
| Hi!
Here are the Xbreeds I've heard of...
Molly X Guppy
Guppy X Endeler's livebearer (Absolutely gorgeous!)
Platy X Swordtail
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Moderator
| Dino your the genetics pro here so keep me straight As I understand it-
Platys and Swordtails are of the genus Xiphophorus so they can crossbreed.
Variatus, maculatus, helleri etc are descriptions of some of the different strains of platy and swordtail.
So the answer to the original question is- Yes Platys of different strains can be successfully bred and probably have already been bred back and forth to get what we have available to us in the hobby today. Can be bred with Swordtails as well.
As for Corys they will only breed with Corys and only of their own particular species. Quote: |
Guppies and platies cannot cross due the the chromosome count and the fact they are in different genera.
| Did I miss anything?
Carol | |
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Fish Mentor
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly Variatus, maculatus, helleri etc are descriptions of some of the different strains of platy and swordtail.
Carol | Not quite.
Variatus, maculatus and helleri are species of xiphophorus.
We have those species here plus X. montizuma, cortez, nezycoltyl ( sp), and alverezi.
Strains usually have names like, wagtail, sunburst, sunset, ect.. | |
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February 24th, 2008
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| | Moderator
| cool! Thanks for the correction and information.
Carol | |
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