# Is crossing sub-species considered hybrid?



## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

was just wondering as theres a crap load of different subspecies for each species of cichla. if they are crossed, would their offspring still be considered hybrids?


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

I'd regard them as hybrids. What constitutes a species or subspecies is often difficult to define, and what's a subspecies now may be redefined as a true species upon further study. For that matter, it's best to only breed fish from the same population, if possible, since most fish haven't been studied thoroughly enough. Often a fish that seems to be a single species over a wide area turns out to be a group of related but distinct species. A recent example among cichlids is the flag cichlid, Mesonauta spp. It was divided recently, and now nobody knows what the 'aquarium strain' really is -- it's probably some kind of hybrid mixture.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

bae said:


> I'd regard them as hybrids. What constitutes a species or subspecies is often difficult to define, and what's a subspecies now may be redefined as a true species upon further study. For that matter, it's best to only breed fish from the same population, if possible, since most fish haven't been studied thoroughly enough. Often a fish that seems to be a single species over a wide area turns out to be a group of related but distinct species. A recent example among cichlids is the flag cichlid, Mesonauta spp. It was divided recently, and now nobody knows what the 'aquarium strain' really is -- it's probably some kind of hybrid mixture.


But if your breeding fish from the same populations, your decreasing genetic variation. Im sure this cross breeding happens often in the wild


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

ChuckRum said:


> But if your breeding fish from the same populations, your decreasing genetic variation. Im sure this cross breeding happens often in the wild


How do you know that it happens in the wild? A lyger have been proven possible, and yet for eons, that have never happened until humans intervene.

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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Zebrapl3co said:


> How do you know that it happens in the wild? A lyger have been proven possible, and yet for eons, that have never happened until humans intervene.


Both don't come from the same parts of the world so they can't meet in the wild.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

Haha why would anyone want to make a lyger anyways?

We all know tigers are the beasts of the feline family! They always win.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Brian said:


> Haha why would anyone want to make a lyger anyways?
> 
> We all know tigers are the beasts of the feline family! They always win.


For show in their freak show zoo.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

I'd like to see a komodo dragon crossed with a crested gecko in that zoo too


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Brian said:


> I'd like to see a komodo dragon crossed with a crested gecko in that zoo too


There's a few freak show zoos here that have zebra crossed with horses and a few other odd ball animals.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

I wanna eat 'em!


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

Zebrapl3co said:


> How do you know that it happens in the wild? A lyger have been proven possible, and yet for eons, that have never happened until humans intervene.


a lion isnt a subspecies of tiger and vice versa. not to mention they are found on two different continents.


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## Canadiancray (Apr 27, 2006)

That has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Hybridization in the wild is well documented in both African and New world cichlids.



Zebrapl3co said:


> How do you know that it happens in the wild? A lyger have been proven possible, and yet for eons, that have never happened until humans intervene.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Canadiancray said:


> That has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Hybridization in the wild is well documented in both African and New world cichlids.


True!

Look at plecos as well another great example.


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

Brian said:


> I wanna eat 'em!


Lmao

The zebra horse things are freaky looking. Ugly as ..it


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

Canadiancray said:


> That has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Hybridization in the wild is well documented in both African and New world cichlids.


LOL!, thats what i was thinking.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

Jackson said:


> Lmao
> 
> The zebra horse things are freaky looking. Ugly as ..it


yea i just took a look, its pretty interesting to see which patterns in fur/skin are dominant over the other.

and producing ligers are actually dangerous for the mother since they grow so large before theyre born.


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## ChuckRum (Sep 11, 2010)

Jackson said:


> Lmao
> 
> The zebra horse things are freaky looking. Ugly as ..it


http://colorzebra.com/IMG/Zebroid.jpg


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

ChuckRum said:


> http://colorzebra.com/IMG/Zebroid.jpg


Damn, that looks awesome lol


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Canadiancray said:


> That has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Hybridization in the wild is well documented in both African and New world cichlids.


Ah, I see what happened...
The reply was to the statement "...Im sure this cross breeding happens often in the wild."
I am sure it doesn't happens "often" in the wild ... sheesh don't shoot a guy just because he missed a word in a sentence.



Brian said:


> Damn, that looks awesome lol


Dang Brain, you gonna eat that too! 

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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

From the head down, it looks doable.


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