heuring@uicsrd.CSRD.UIUC.EDU (12/16/86)
A question for the net experts on viable population sizes. Currently I
keep killifish (Cyprinodontides) and as much of their natural habitat
is being destroyed some question has arisen to can they be maintained for
long periods of time in captivity. In some species color changes believed
due to inbreeding occur in as little as 3 - 5 generations. The reason
they are thought to be due to inbreeding is that by breeding with a new
group the resulting offspring once again show the "correct" color
patterns for the species.
My questions are
1) Is this really the result of inbreeding of the species? I have no
reason to believe that it is due to inadvertant hybridization.
2) What is the best way to reduce the effects of inbreeding?
3) Where does one normally look for this kind of information?
Thanks,
Jerry Heuring