j.w
I Love my Goldies
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This place is a funny farm, oh I meant funny forum
Male to female ratios in nature....
- Thread starter Mmathis
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This place is a funny farm, oh I meant funny forum
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There's also the issue of pollutants in our waterways that are causing an imbalance of more females over males...
Here's one article I found after a quick search.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/144na2_en.pdf
.
Here's one article I found after a quick search.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/144na2_en.pdf
.
Meyer Jordan
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Although the article concerns UK waterways, this is also a major problem in the U.S.. It not only affects fish but also amphibians to a greater extent. This same type of pollution is also, at least, partially responsible for the pollution of the majority of wells in the U.S.
Mmathis
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One thing I've read is that the gender of fish is determined at a certain and very specific point in their development. It has to do with water temperature. I don't recall if that was for ALL fish, but it was for goldfish.
That's how turtle gender is determined. This is how I can remember it: HOT chicks [females], COOL dudes [males].
Not to compare humans with fish, but as a population, there are more male children born than females. But male babies also are more prone to death, and/or complications, and aren't as strong or as able to survive as are girl babies under a similar set of adverse circumstances. As a retired OB nurse, I remember that when we'd get a mom with a high risk pregnancy, we'd breathe a sigh of relief if she was carrying a girl baby, knowing that a girl was more likely to "make it."
So, apparently all GF eggs start out neither male or female, but the environmental factors at play while they are developing will determine their gender. But if you look at it that way, out of any given batch of eggs, you'd get almost all males or almost all females. Still not answering my search for the truth, though......
So with fish is one gender, maybe weaker or more prone to death, complications, etc.?
IOW, if you took every fish in that "feeder tank" at the pet store and ran DNA testing to determine gender, what kind of ratio would you get? Surely all those fish would come from different sources which would increase the chances of having sexual diversity within that group.
@fishin4cars Do you have anything to add?
That's how turtle gender is determined. This is how I can remember it: HOT chicks [females], COOL dudes [males].
Not to compare humans with fish, but as a population, there are more male children born than females. But male babies also are more prone to death, and/or complications, and aren't as strong or as able to survive as are girl babies under a similar set of adverse circumstances. As a retired OB nurse, I remember that when we'd get a mom with a high risk pregnancy, we'd breathe a sigh of relief if she was carrying a girl baby, knowing that a girl was more likely to "make it."
So, apparently all GF eggs start out neither male or female, but the environmental factors at play while they are developing will determine their gender. But if you look at it that way, out of any given batch of eggs, you'd get almost all males or almost all females. Still not answering my search for the truth, though......
So with fish is one gender, maybe weaker or more prone to death, complications, etc.?
IOW, if you took every fish in that "feeder tank" at the pet store and ran DNA testing to determine gender, what kind of ratio would you get? Surely all those fish would come from different sources which would increase the chances of having sexual diversity within that group.
@fishin4cars Do you have anything to add?
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Temperature relation to development is very well known in many species of fish and reptiles. In nature this helps assure the population of gender and sibling crossing is naturally balanced to some extent. In most research you will find that eggs/fry that develop in cooler waters will produce more males, In warmer water more females. In some limited species the gender development can be as much as 100% produced can be a single gender. Now how does this relate to goldfish. I don't have a clue. In my own personal ponds I usually find that naturally I end up with about 1/3 females and 2/3rd males in both goldfish and Koi. On a side note breeding season is here for us this far south. I have noticed both Koi and goldfish spawning already in almost all the ponds. Best time to observe spawning is right at dusk until shortly after sunrise. This is when the activity will be at its peak and when it's easiest to pick out who is who in the breeding group. Also it's the best time to collect the eggs.
Mmathis
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@fishin4cars I'll have to keep the dusk & dawn observations in mind. So far, all of mine are just chasing ME around, begging for food, LOL!
My one known female is currently inside for the time being. I spent some time the other day just staring at all the fish as they were eating. I didn't see any evidence of breeding stars on any of them.
It's not that I want babies, but I want to be able to choose which babies I keep. I am about maxed out with my fish load as it is, so am at a point where I want to be more selective with what I keep.
My one known female is currently inside for the time being. I spent some time the other day just staring at all the fish as they were eating. I didn't see any evidence of breeding stars on any of them.
It's not that I want babies, but I want to be able to choose which babies I keep. I am about maxed out with my fish load as it is, so am at a point where I want to be more selective with what I keep.