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AMAZONAS
48
COVER
STORY
Angelfish: Genetic Transparency
Changes Everything
article and images by Matt Pedersen, with additional images by Mellow
Aquatics and Raiko Slavkov Aquarists who know me would
argue that I am a marine fish breeder. I made a name for myself
as the first and only person to breed the “impossible to keep
alive” Harlequin Filefish (Oxymonacanthus longirostris).
Only the folks who know me really well understand that I
don’t discriminate on the basis of salt content! My recent
fishroom expansion finally gave me the space to seek
out one of my next challenges in fresh water.
An F2 “50%
Manacapuru” Silver
(wild-type) angelfish. This is
genetically a blank canvas (+/+) in
the designer-breeder’s mind. However,
it is the second generation (F2) grandchild
of a wild outcross. Its grandparents were a
Platinum Veil (g/g - V/+ - pb/pb) and a wild
Manacapuru Angelfish. Given the genetics
of its grandparents and parents, this
outwardly wild-type fish could carry hidden
recessive genes (Gold and Philippine
Blue).
I am in love with the Altum Angelfish (Pterophyllum
altum), and I am no stranger to the difficulty this
species represents (insert expletives here). I always
tell marine breeders, “Start with something easy and
similar to your end goal.” In doing so, you make the
beginner mistakes early on, leaving you prepared to later
handle the complexities of something more sensitive
or challenging. I had never bred the ubiquitous Freshwater
Angelfish (P. scalare), so it made sense to learn with
the classic angelfish before tackling the Altum.
However, while getting my feet wet with angelfishes,
I was quickly sidetracked by the intriguing world of
angelfish genetics. This forever altered my viewpoint on
the breeding of “designer fish” in the face of an ongoing
need to consider the conservation implications of what
we do as fish breeders.
A revelation
The free and open discussion of angelfish genetics
among breeders provided an excellent model to bring
back to the saltwater side of the breeding world, where
the fledgling “designer clownfish” craze had me questioning
whether there was a future for the original
wild form of something like the Common Ocellaris
Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris). Five years ago, I
bemoaned the “guppification” of clownfishes, insisting
that designer forms could push wild forms out of the
aquarium world. Through my work with the Lightning
Maroon Clownfish (a mutation discovered twice on the
reefs of Fisherman’s Island, Papua New Guinea) and my
surprise exposure to the fascinating world of angelfish
MATT PEDERSEN