Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose F1 LMB and Outbreeding Depression

Hey Eric, and thanks for the "warm" welcome all. I agree completely with Eric that inbreeding is much more of a concern. However, I want to argue one point...

You cannot compare intergrade bass (have both strain's alleles) that are naturally produced and adapted over 1000s of years with Fx generation hybrids produced through man-made causes in a small pond. The natural intergrades have had much time to select for the genes from both sides that best fit their environment. Thus, the "bad" combinations have been weeded out. No such selective pressures occur in ponds in the time frames we are discussing, so the bad combinations will persist and their inferior traits may become evident in only a few generation. That is the risk of outbreeding depression.