Cross Breeding Question

[ccones]

Can someone help me decide

which species cannot be mixed it a tank, to prevent crossbreeding.

Labidochromis,

Fuelleborn
Labidochromis Caeruleus
Labidochromis, Trewauassae

Pseudotropheus,

Zebra
Pseudotropheus, Lombardoi

Metriaclima, Zebra

Maybe the question

should be which can be in the same tank with out crossing.
Thanks in advance for any help,

CC

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=2685:date=Sep 30 2006, 10:34 AM:name=ccones)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ccones

@ Sep 30 2006, 10:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2685"><{POST_SNAPBACK}

></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Can someone help me decide which species cannot be

mixed it a tank, to prevent crossbreeding.

Labidochromis, Fuelleborn
Labidochromis

Caeruleus
Labidochromis, Trewauassae

Pseudotropheus, Zebra
Pseudotropheus,

Lombardoi

Metriaclima, Zebra

Maybe the question should be which can be in the

same tank with out crossing.
Thanks in advance for any help, CC</div><!--

QuoteEEnd-->
It used to be that people inserted breeders with the idea that they wanted the

babies to be easily identified, You want different colors or different shapes to distinguish which

are which. IMO, it also helps to have a large enough quantity of your picks within the tank, at

least 5 fems and 2 males of each pick.

Given the choices you've offered:
either

the fuelliborni or the trewavasae, not both
caeruleus-use the yellow, you won't mix them

up

zebras and lombardoi: triangular bars vs stripes. I wouldn't put them in the same

tank.

metriaclima, zebra? depends on which.

If I get to mix the group...

(you didn't specify...):
Trewavasae, yellow lab, If I get to pick the color I like the

original red zebra, blue male red female. None of these are overly aggressive, babies would be

obvious.

If you want to mix species for a colorful tank don't insert the females.

Dan

[ccones]

Dan thanks for your response, I

have 4, 55 gallon one 75 gallon and 2 30 gallon, set up basically the way you suggested, I have

tried to keep all seperated except the two 30 gallon they are community baby raising tanks, I use 3

10 gallon tanks for the females holding, remove them after they release, leave them with kids two

weeks then return them to the 55s. I keep the new babies in the 10s for another week or two and

then move them to the 30s. I hope to be able to get good photos to post but as I am a newbie to the

board I am taking baby steps. CC

[fishmaven]

<!--quoteo

(post=2689:date=Sep 30 2006, 03:19 PM:name=ccones)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ccones

@ Sep 30 2006, 03:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2689"><{POST_SNAPBACK}

></a></div><div class='quotemain'>... I have tried to keep all seperated

...leave them with kids two weeks then return them to the 55s... CC</div><!--

QuoteEEnd-->
Keeping the species separate will get boring. This is supposed to be fun. Mix it

up some.

I wouldn't keep the females with the babies after they spit. I'd move

the females to another tank and fatten them up before placing them back in your main tank. Dan

[Lisachromis]

<!--quoteo

(post=2685:date=Sep 30 2006, 11:34 AM:name=ccones)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ccones

@ Sep 30 2006, 11:34 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2685"><{POST_SNAPBACK}

></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Can someone help me decide which species cannot be

mixed it a tank, to prevent crossbreeding.

Labidochromis, Fuelleborn
Labidochromis

Caeruleus
Labidochromis, Trewauassae

Pseudotropheus, Zebra
Pseudotropheus,

Lombardoi

Metriaclima, Zebra

Maybe the question should be which can be in the

same tank with out crossing.
Thanks in advance for any help, CC</div><!--

QuoteEEnd-->

First off, it may help if you use the right scientific names.
Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Labeotropheus trewavasae

Pseudotropheus zebra - is the

same as Metriaclima zebra (or even Maylandia zebra).

Pick only one Labeotropheus

species. I'd also be leery of adding the Pseudotropheus with them as I know they can cross with

Labeotropheus. I don't think it's common, but you asked about cross breeding. The

Labidochromis works with these. Or maybe you should pick one Pseudotropheus species and the

Labidochromis.

Are you looking for certain colours? Maybe we can offer other

suggestions.

[bobrfish]

I agree with Lisa.

Keeping seperate genus together will go a long ways in preventing interbreeding.

Also

I agree with Dan in that there must be an adequate number of females and males of each species

present. If female haps are left with male mbuna, there will be cross breeding. Since that is

known to happen, it is easily possible for mbuna species to cross.

Thus for mbuna kept

in same tank.
rule #1
Always keep males and females of a species when combing with

another group of males and females from a second species.

rule #2
Whether it is two

or three species kept, select diverse from two or three diverse genus as much as possible (again

Lisa is right on in knowing the correct scientific name is invaluable here)

rule #3
watch your fish interact. if you see a male attempting to attract a female of another species

and she is showing interest or if she comes up with a mouthful of eggs, expect cross breds

[number6]

<!--quoteo(post=2699:date=Oct

1 2006, 08:43 PM:name=bobrfish)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobrfish @ Oct 1 2006,

08:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=2699)</div><div

class='quotemain'>rule #3
watch your fish interact. if you see a male

attempting to attract a female of another species and she is showing interest or if she comes up

with a mouthful of eggs, expect cross breds</div>
doesn't

give much warning if you have sneaker males in the tank... these guys dart in and mate real quick,

sometimes on the opposite side of the female.. the male chases them off, but the damage could be

done.

If the fish is important to you and needs to be pure, then I would strongly

suggest moving pairs to a breeding tank, and the male can go back to the main tank when he's

done... takes up alittle more room, but your worries about the fry are done.

Paranoid,

you betcha! LOL

[fishfarm]

I keep everything in

species only tanks, colony breed, only way to go with mbuna! Ken