The value of Flowerhorns

[Nickintex]

Because people are willing to pay for it.

That could be said of a lot of things besides Flowerhorns.

[tnguyen]

yup, so the answer is pretty simple.

[marauder_77868]

I agree that there is time and money put into the production. But that having been said, I would imagine that just as much time and money is put into, for example, new strains of discus. And discus reflect the high price. And that is as it should be. But it's nothing like the prices of Flowerhorns on what, from what I've seen, are an easy fish to breed. (Hence their reproduction rate in the natural bodies of water.) So how much of the price is reflected by the cost of development/breeding, and how much of it is the marketing propaganda?

[OrandaMan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the orient has been releasing hybrids into their waters for ages. It's a change in the ecosystem, but I'm not sure I can judge them. So far, it seems the ecosystem has survived, however much it changed. I'm sure it has something to do with Asian traditions involving the care of fish. Whatever we might think of the differences in care level between here and there, it would seem to me that no one else has the level of mastery they do.

I'm not sure how I feel about unnatural hybrids, but I do love my orandas (hence my name) and perhaps forced evolution isn't too much different than what happens naturally. I definitely do not care for hybrids whose deformities are so profound that they might be said to affect their quality of life (for instance, those poor parrot cichlids), but I'm not sure we in the West can judge. Consider the poor doberman. A beautiful dog with a great personality that loves children, as they get old, they often suffer from dementia because their brains continue to grow while their skulls remain small, which was a specific point of their breeding.

Just a thought.

[Rico]

So how much of the price is reflected by the cost of development/breeding, and how much of it is the marketing propaganda?

10% for breeding and raising
50% propaganda
40% BS

if you are lucky some dont factor the BS so you get them cheaper.

[marauder_77868]

I wasn't aware an oranda was a hybrid...aren't all the goldfish mutations of the same species?

[marauder_77868]

And I know all dogs are the same species...not hybrids

[Rico]

I wasn't aware an oranda was a hybrid...aren't all the goldfish mutations of the same species?

not hybrids just alot of years of breeding for size shape and color

[OrandaMan]

Yeah, you're right. I wasn't really thinking of that. The thing is, though, that separate species or not, it's controlled breeding that creates them. I personally feel that the requirement that two animals be able to breed keeps them categorized as the same species is outdated and maybe a little arbitrary. There already plenty of species that can interbreed and are nonetheless considered different species. In the case of goldfish, I can see the leaving them the same as carp because when released to the wild, their future generations return to carp form anyway. But I think the concept is the same.

[Nickintex]

Mules are hybrids. So are they "wrong" too?

[Rico]

its more like the outrageous prices on cross bred dogs with new names. maltipoo, bullweiler, chiweenie, pom-a-pug, and all those other crazy names you see people trying to profit from. its mostly propaganda and BS. it doesnt cost more to breed them or raise them. they just look at it as a way to get money and some people are willing to pay for it.

[Mzungu]

Mules are hybrids. So are they "wrong" too?

Yes.

You know, I think we humans just need to learn to appreciate what's here now. Not try to modify everything to suit our needs. Spoken like a true hypocrite, I know...but this subject brings out so many emotions in me that there are only so many posts that I can read until I HAVE to say something. :)

Anyways...

[Mzungu]

To clarify, though, I do NOT think that mules have any less of a right to life than any "natural" ungulate. Nor do I think that hybrids or any other type of man-altered animal need be destroyed. I just wish it had never happened in the first place. Do I love dogs? Absolutely.

Like I said: Anyways... Sorry to get off topic. :(

[Nickintex]

Yes.

You know, I think we humans just need to learn to appreciate what's here now. Not try to modify everything to suit our needs. Spoken like a true hypocrite, I know...but this subject brings out so many emotions in me that there are only so many posts that I can read until I HAVE to say something. :)

Anyways...

It's the human way!

[Mzungu]

It's the human way!

WHAT is the human way?