# Inbreeding question re:Danios



## Nik Uyr (Feb 16, 2011)

I am raising 20 Danio fry in their own tank. In my main tank I have one female and three male adults...some of which are the parents. When the fry get large enough, I was thinking about putting two of the females back into the main tank so I had an even number of males/females. But I suppose this would be inbreeding. Is this a bad idea, or is it commonplace in raising aquarium fish? Looking for thoughts on this.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Cant speak for danios but,I raise bettas.When most people breed these fishes,its a general practice to breed siblings or even male to daughters or females to sons to get desired traits locked in.Most of the good breeders will breed a few generations of siblings and then out cross and repeat.Usually the outcross will be related down the line,and some will buy fish from the same breeder to outcross to.

In other words,I dont think itll hurt if they do breed,just be sure to add a few extra genes from somewhere else before too many generations,to keep the lines clean.


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## Nik Uyr (Feb 16, 2011)

Oh, good, thanks.


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## Mrmike (Apr 1, 2011)

I agree, should be no problem..... the usual problem with inbreeding is when it's done to enhance a different trait from the normal type.... then recessives tend to show because they are more dominant. That would be the issue.....


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## Nik Uyr (Feb 16, 2011)

Update: 5 of my Fry survived till adulthood...or near adulthood, the largest are about 
1 1/4" long and very healthy. That was really fascinating and rewarding to watch them develop from hatchlings not much thicker than a human hair and probably less than 3mm long. I had a magnifying glass that I used to get a close up look every few days or so and see the changes. After a few weeks, their eyes are a beatiful turqoise color, before turning the gold color of the adults.


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