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View Full Version : F1s, F2s F3s ?


etr63
10-30-2005, 09:48 PM
Can anyone explain to me what F1, F2, F3 ect means when breeding?

Earl
Green Country Discus
10-30-2005, 10:13 PM
Wild caught fish are called F0. Their captive raised offspring are considered F1's. The F1's have babbies that are F2's etc...etc...
etr63
10-30-2005, 10:23 PM
So you breed Brother and sister together to get F2s?
Carol_Roberts
10-30-2005, 10:42 PM
yep :)
etr63
10-30-2005, 11:08 PM
so how many times can you do this? and what if you have discus that are spawning that you bought and you dont know what generation they are?
Earl
RyanH
10-31-2005, 12:33 AM
So you breed Brother and sister together to get F2s?

Well, not necessarily. Crossing unrelated offspring (F1) from different F0 parents will still give you an F2 generation.
Rod
10-31-2005, 04:19 AM
To add to Ryans answer, also backcrossing the f1 with the wild parent will be f2. Backcrossing that f2 with the grandparent is f3 etc.
etr63
10-31-2005, 05:49 PM
Thanks for all the replies. Is there a point when the inbreeding causes more harm than good? How do you know when to stop? I have seen africans for sale at the LFS that looked bad ie. twisted jaws, small deformities. They told me that they had been inbreed too much. I would like to produce high quality fish if I can breed successfully.
Earl
Rod
10-31-2005, 07:19 PM
Inbreeding aligns genes and with careful selection it is the quickest way of making a homogenous strain, however for the same reason it can be the downfall of the strain as well. If you are not careful enough and ruthless enough it is also an easy way of introducing faults which perpetuate easily in inbred fish. Never breed fish that show objectionable genetic flaws and if you inadvertantly produce spawns that show a larger number of these faults then that stain must be outcrossed to attempt removing that flaw or that strain should be junked. The great german breeder Schmidt-focke experimented with siamese fighters inbreeding them for over 50 generations with minimal flaws. I believe a breeder should be judged by his worst fish rather that his best fish as is the common practise, i certainly use those thoughts when i am judging my own fish and selecting for the next generation.