Culling to Reduce Spawn Size.. Ethical or No?

[monroe0704]

+1 for above! That's a great response IMO! I agree 100%

[bettafish15]

I totally agree with 1f2f. Well said.

[pdxBetta]

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

I'm fine with culling to control spawn size, especially if your still learning.

I personally think it's easier to raise 100 fry than to cull early and try to raise 10. There's more wiggle room, and less chance of overfeeding. But I also agree that culling early is better than taking on more than you can care for.

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

If you get a spawn and your not prepared for it.. I wholeheartedly agree with culling the entire spawn.

I agree with you, but you don't get a spawn by accident. It requires ignorance or negligence, and taking the effort to be responsible in the first place is a better option.

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

Breeding is harsh, not just in fish but in dogs, horses, and any other animal you want to breed.

Dog breeders cull undesirable puppies. White boxer puppies are often culled because nobody wants a white boxer. Compared to that, culling fish is a natural process.

Originally Posted by 1fish2fish

Think of it this way.. there's been a discussion going on the IBC boards about the colors of yesteryear that we are no longer seeing... there are talks to try to get breeders to start bringing those colors back.

In 1989, I had some red DT Bettas that had no iridescence in them. I've maintained a casual interest in Bettas since then, but just recently decided to begin breeding again. I was surprised to learn that reds of this quality no longer exist.

[Dragonlady]

I did not vote on this. I can tell you that most people breeding bettas for the first time may only have 50% survivors due to natural selection or beginners mistakes. I read some bad advice one time to remove some of the eggs before they hatch if the spawn is abnormally large. My first spawn awhile back only resulted in a few surviving fry(all males) due to the fact that I seperated the pair after I counted 50 eggs and was trying to practice betta "birth control" . It may seem sick, unpleasant, or unethical but every fish breeder culls in some form or another. That is the truth.

[dramaqueen]

I can definitely understand culling weak or deformed fish that we don't want to suffer. One thing I don't agree with is people breeding their fish, then not having the proper food for them or not having any food for them at all. I'd rather see them culled humanely than starve to death.

[LolaQuigs]

Responsible dog breeders these days do not cull healthy puppies. There is absolutely no need. Killing a healthy boxer pup just because it's white, or a healthy Rhodesian ridgeback just because it doesn't have the ridge, is absolutely inexcusable. Puppies that don't fit the breed standard and aren't up to show/breeding/performance standards are sold as pets, usually with a spay/neuter contract. Of course this isn't feasible with fish, as you can't spay/neuter a fish, but I still don't see the harm in selling or giving away aesthetically flawed fish as pets. No animal should be brought into the world only to be killed for not looking a certain way.

[pdxBetta]

Originally Posted by LolaQuigs

Responsible dog breeders these days do not cull healthy puppies. There is absolutely no need. Killing a healthy boxer pup just because it's white, or a healthy Rhodesian ridgeback just because it doesn't have the ridge, is absolutely inexcusable. Puppies that don't fit the breed standard and aren't up to show/breeding/performance standards are sold as pets, usually with a spay/neuter contract. Of course this isn't feasible with fish, as you can't spay/neuter a fish, but I still don't see the harm in selling or giving away aesthetically flawed fish as pets. No animal should be brought into the world only to be killed for not looking a certain way.

You're right. I didn't mean to make it sound like all dog breeders culled. I should have added a qualifier to my statement. Thanks for pointing that out.

[LolaQuigs]

Unfortunately I'm sure there are still some dog breeders out there who do cull because it is easier and cheaper than finding homes for purebreds that don't fit breed standards. But responsible breeders take the time to ensure that all of their puppies are placed in good homes. So, you're right, surely there are breeders who cull puppies, but the best ones don't. Of course it is easier to find homes for 6 puppies than 100 fish, so I understand that the analogy of culling puppies and culling fish fry isn't adequate. But I stand by my opinion that pet quality animals of any species should be kept or sold as pets and not culled merely because of their appearance.

[Dragonlady]

I'd like to point out that the word "culling" does not always mean killing.

[LolaQuigs]

Originally Posted by Dragonlady

I'd like to point out that the word "culling" does not always mean killing.

That's a good point. But based on the OPs first post, I was thinking of it strictly within that context.