subforum for ornamental strains?

[wijnands]

Can we have a sub forum for all the fancy man-made fish like we get with Ancistrus? Something where the long-fin albino green spotted calico breeders can discuss their hobby? When someone manages a glow in the dark L046 they can also join that community.

[Bas Pels]

the trash forum.

Only accessible for adults

[MatsP]

The "Frankenfish" section, you mean? ;)

Sorry, but I doubt that will fly...

--
Mats

[wijnands]

I'd welcome it, I get sick and tired of the fancy ancistrus by now.

[racoll]

I actually like the idea.

Many people dislike this part of the hobby, but it's also very popular, and we should not alienate these folks.

Having a separate forum would keep these discussions in an organised fashion, and not clog up the regular forums. There are often discussions on genetics and line breeding, so this would be the place to search for that stuff.

[Marc van Arc]

It's actually a brilliant idea.
This will prevent a lot of annoyance (from both "sides").
If possible pls provide this subforum with a "display" and "hide" option for individual users.

[wijnands]

Don't think you can do that Marc. I don't mind knowing it's there and let the Frankenfish crowd have their fun there.

[Valb68]

Kind of like a subforum for breeds of dogs on a wolf website?

[Narwhal72]

I think it's a very good idea too.

[wijnands]

Kind of like a subforum for breeds of dogs on a wolf website?

If you like. Not a bad analogy actually. I think it would work, seems there's more people that think it might.

[Jools]

Just thinking this through. For starters, it would, like all sections, need a moderator. If for no other reason than to move posts to the right place. We are talking about Ancistrus here, but we also therefore would need for Corys and Synos too and also, it less common, hybrid pics?

What is the core thing we are trying to address here?

Jools

[Bas Pels]

I think the core issue would be keeping the other subforums free of hybrids and thoroughly bred strains.

[Silurus]

We are talking about Ancistrus here, but we also therefore would need for Corys and Synos too and also, it less common, hybrid pics?

Don't forget things like balloon-form Pangasianodon, hybrid pims and the various abino/xanthic/piebald morphs of the common aquarium cats.

[wijnands]

I think the core issue would be keeping the other subforums free of hybrids and thoroughly bred strains.

That would be my goal.

It would allow the fancy keepers to exchange breeding information as well.
Until we get a permanent mod I'd be happy to do the spam patrol

[Jools]

I've had a good think about this and I don't want to segregate forums at the moment. There are a number of reasons for this, some technical but most to do with the inclusivity of the site. As someone put it at an event last weekend, "fish apartheid is not a good thing". I am aware very specialist sites (e.g. discus or angelfish, livebearers) have forums set-up for this but they do it on a wild caught versus captive bred basis and then split into strains.

I'm looking at how we better define strains (of species) in the database and all hybrids are clearly marked at present (except one, more below).

This isn't a "no, never", this is just a not at the moment. If we see more and more artificial strains then I may review this.

BTW, if we did move this way, all common "sp(3)"

Ancistrus

discussions would go in this new forum as the body of opinion is that they're mongrels too.

Jools