Why do people want to hybridize Endler's?

Every time I go to the mom -n- pop LFS nearby, I see some Endler's hybrids in the feeder tank. My daughter and I always feel so sorry for them. Why do people even want to hybridize them? Are enough of them worth keeping for their looks? To me, the hybrid males just look like they got some fancy guppy colors stuck on their bodies and narrow tails. Is this what people want?

 

Considering that true Endler's don't really exist anymore, the ones you keep are some kind of hybrids too

What I don't get is why anyone would spend the time to hybridize a species, only to sell it as a feeder fish.

 

there are a lot of stunning hybrids I even have some myself.

 

I don't know I like the idea of tying to preserve as much of a dying breed as possible. If it is just as easy as don't keep this fish with that fish... I think it's well worth the conservation efforts even if they are not "true" it's better to have something more similar to the "true" species as possible.

 

Considering that true Endler's don't really exist anymore, the ones you keep are some kind of hybrids too

What I don't get is why anyone would spend the time to hybridize a species, only to sell it as a feeder fish.

Actually, mine are the real thing, from a biology lab at the University of California at Riverside. They are descended from a collection made by Felix Breden about 10 years ago.

 

I don't know I like the idea of tying to preserve as much of a dying breed as possible. If it is just as easy as don't keep this fish with that fish... I think it's well worth the conservation efforts even if they are not "true" it's better to have something more similar to the "true" species as possible.

These are true--they exist.

Two people have contacted me because they want real female Endler's in order to hybridize. After questioning them about what their plans were, I said, "no," because I didn't want to add to the feeder fish population

 

There is someone local to me who has some true endlers too. I am thinking about starting of a breeding program at some point... I just need to figure out where to do it! I just need to win the lottery........ I have a feeling my electrician need to come back and give me some more plug sockets!!

 

Weird, I read somewhere that they are extinct in both private collections and in the wild. Well if yours are true, that's great

 

Weird, I read somewhere that they are extinct in both private collections and in the wild. Well if yours are true, that's great

It's easy to google and find real Endler's; lots of scientific articles on them. It's a whole subculture. There's a Facebook page that's mostly in Spanish--people are breeding them worldwide.

 

Think about it this way instead: people want to share the Endler's beauty, but know that real Endlers are a prize and not to be handed out or sold lightly. So they hybridize them and raise awareness for Endlers, without jeopardizing the existing pure Endlers in the world.

 

Hmm, not that expensive actually. You can get them over the Internet, and they don't cost more in the store than other small tropical fish. People just seem to want to hybridize them. Do they think they'll get a stronger fantail?