What's your opinion of misbarred Clowns?

[rookie07]

Whats your opinion of misbarred clowns? I think they are also called tear drop, and other names.
Incase you dont know what im reffering to: I am reefering(I wanted to use a play on words) to clowns that generally have strips that go completly around their bodies, but sometimes they dont completly go around the clown's body. I am reffering to these imcomplete markings or "Misbarred" clowns.

My thinking is that these "misbarred" clowns are "freaks" in nature. They are not supposed to look like that, hence my using the term "freak". Am I correct in this statement?

I don't like these fish as much as the "normal" version.
However: There is something about them that draws me to them, maybe I do like them, or maybe i'm just "slowing down to look at a car crash", I can't tell.

WHATS YOUR OPINION?

 

[Killerdrgn]

Hey it could just be normal mutation and variances in the genome. That's evolutionary forces working there.

 

[lfsmarineguy]

My understanding is that these mutations rarely develop in the wild due to the vast population of breeding fish. In captivity there are far fewer fish and the selection of mates is often forced anyway. This creates a situation where fish that would normally not mate are now breeding creating "inferior" spawns with far higher rates of recessive genes showing up since there is a much lower mortality rate in captivity. These fish in the wild would either be picked off by predation or not chosen as a mate ending the aberration. This selective breeding has created such clowns as the "Picasso" strain which exhibits other undesirable traits along with the abnormal striping. In captivity it is possible to force evolution in which ever direction you choose with selective breeding. I personally avoid some of the more inbred species like the picassos since most batches have weird fins that aren't symmetrical or have stunted or smashed looking faces. Misbars aren't so bad and I honestly would rather have them sold than culled to further take some of the stress from the wild populations.

 

[rookie07]

Very well put LFSmarineguy.
Well thought out, and well written!!
A++ to you.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

Just like any other popular species of fish, breeding produces variations that people select for further breeding. Misbars and naked clowns are pretty mild and minimal variations...just imagine what we will see in a few decades. I for one do not like them, but I can see people who want variety might enjoy them. At least they aren't grotesquely physically deformed, like balloon mollies and parrot cichlids...............

 

[rookie07]

This selective breeding has created such clowns as the "Picasso" strain which exhibits other undesirable traits along with the abnormal striping.

What are the other traits?

Im a huge fan of the "picasso" clown by the way. But do they have issues?

 

[h20 freak]

I like the odd look of them,My lfs will be selling black misbars soon and I'm looking forward to that. I guess I just got bored of the regular stripes.

 

[Psycho graphic]

Just give me a plain Occelaris (Sp?) anyday, I don't like the naked ones, the Picasso's or the Misbars nearly as much.

 

[Killerdrgn]

This kind of goes into the whole designer dogs controversy/issues.
Mostly the good parts about having these mutations is that it makes us more likely to buy and desire these traits, which allows them to be propogated further. This is evolutions way of adapting to the man run world from the nature run world. Basically this is a positive evolutionary step, do you think clownfish will ever go extinct now that we own them in or tanks, and know how to properly breed them?
Think of the extinct Dodo bird, pretty ugly, if they were much nicer looking and everyone wanted to own one and keep breeding them to ensure there would be one for every household, do you think they would have ever gone extinct?

 

[Timbo]

Forget misbar how about these picassos?

 

[JasonE]

I'm with Jared on this one. I'm not a fan, at least not of the tank raised kind. The inbreeding is pretty heavy, and as Jared said, many other physical deformities arise, especially as the fish matures.

 

[jhale]

I like the normal looking clowns better. Dustin from ORA said they used to get rid of the odd looking clowns that were bred by accident. Then they found out people liked them and sold them as one offs. And now they are being bred on purpose.

 

[jetbuddah]

misbars rock

i have 1 misbar he is great very unique like every snowflake isnt the same and he has a great personality he rocks.

 

[e.muehlbauer]

I'd never heard of picasso clowns...now that I've seen the picture, I kind of like them....not that I'd get them unless i had enough tanks to maintain a variety of clowns...is it the photo, or are they always that pale orange?

 

[rookie07]

I think they are generally darker....but I dont have any, thats what I think from pics ive seen.


WHAT ARETHE OTHER ISSUES WITH THESE CLOWNS????

 

[lfsmarineguy]

ORA, for instance, sells "Stubby Clowns". I don't have a pic myself but I'm sure someone can find one. They are so badly stunted that their heads look like they were in a bad car accident without a seatbelt. Their spines are visibly crooked.

Rookie, to elaborate on some of the other traits with picassos, I've seen extra finage as far as what I can only describe as "fan tails" like the gold fish but not as bad. The crushed heads like I mentioned and just poor health. Anytime you breed enough to concentrate a specific gene other recessives tag along and become more pronounced along with it. Some batches come out ok others are just trainwrecks. Not to say that what ORA does isn't commendable or much needed but down the line we might be left with no such thing as a true false perc......(oh yes I did).

 

[rookie07]

Thanks. Funny post at end.

 

[rookie07]

HERE IS MY PROBLEM W/ Misbarred/picasso
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-01/totm/images/IMG_2308.jpg
From RC and they are creepy.
When they come out good, picassos can be amazing...but this happens also.
I cant tell if the top, mostly white clown is amazing, or scary looking. Yeah, its cool, but thats just not right.

 

[rookie07]

PS Do tank bred clowns always host anemones?
I have 2 that were tank bred, and they wont host anything(3-4 months in tank).
I have frogspawn,hammer,had elegance,torch, they dont like any of my lps, I had an sabea(they didnt like it).
If I get a RBTA will they host? or will this current activity continue?

 

[Timbo]

The pictures look pale because these where taken when the clowns were still very young. They have darkened up a lot and are looking really nice. I know I need to take some updated pics.