Advantages and Disadvantages of these strategies
Advantages and disadvantages-
When comparing these three different strategies of fish breeding, there are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Using the egg scattering method means that their is usually a lot of genetic diversity within the brood, which is an advantage as it usually means that there is a higher chance of survival due to the strongest being able to survive. Although, the chances of success when using this method are quite low, mainly due to the fact that most of the brood will get eaten as they are left unattended, without any parental protection, which is a disadvantage. On the other hand, egg scatterer's produce a large number of fry to increase their chances of survival, and they are also quick to hatch to shorten their vulnerable stage, which is an advantage as the fry are independent and can fend for them selves as soon as they hatch.
When looking at the mouth brooding method, it has a high success rate due to the high levels of parental protection provided until the brood become independent. This is an advantage to the species, as it means that the young are more likely to survive and are protected from predation and starvation during their vulnerable stage. They are also given a better chance of survival as they are protected until they are strong enough to survive on their own. In contrast, there is low genetic diversity when using this method, so this means that it is unlikely to come across any variation, meaning the species will not alter in any way and there is no way to determine the strongest of the brood, or the strongest genes. Mouth brooding also uses a lot of energy, the female has to exist up to 28 days without food, practically starving herself to protect her young, she also uses her energy to take them to feeding ground and guards them from predators. Although, this is an advantage as it ensures the broods survival, it is also a disadvantage as it uses a lot of the females energy and means that she will struggle to feed herself.
The live bearing method has a lot of disadvantages at first glance, they do not provide any parental protection, which is a disadvantage as they are left to fend for themselves and a lot of the brood do not survive, they can be predated on and even swept away by the current leading to starvation. Live bearers also lack genetic diversity, this is due to the fact that the method only involves one female and one male, meaning that there are no variations within the brood and sometimes no variations in strength, meaning if one is not strong enough to survive, it is likely that they all will not be strong enough. The success rate of this method is medium due to no parental protection, and also due to the fact that some live bearers will eat their own young. Although, there are some advantages. The young are born independent, meaning that they can fend for themselves and do not need any guidance or protection, but this does not mean that they aren't vulnerable. This method also uses a low amount of energy, meaning the breeding pair still have a lot of energy and are not effected by this in any way, which is an advantage in regards to their survival.
Comparison of all three methods-
The egg scattering method has an advantage against the other two methods as the brood produced is genetically diverse, meaning it is fertilised by a number of males, allowing the brood to vary in strengths and physical attributes, as well as maybe bahaviour. This is an advantage as it gives the brood a better chance of survival, and also keeps variation within the species, allowing nature to take its course (survival of the fittest), the strongest of the brood will survive. Whereas the mouth brooding and the live bearing methods lack this diversity, which is a disadvantage as there is no variation within the species, lowering their broods' chances of survival.
On the other hand, the mouth brooding method has some advantages when compared to the other two breeding strategies. The mouth brooding method has a high success rate, this is mainly due to the high level of parental protection provided until the brood is independent. This protection means that the brood is more likely to survive as they are protected from predation, and also taken to feeding ground to prevent starvation, which is an advantage in regards to the success rate and also the survival rate. The egg scattering method has a low chance of success, and the live bearing method has a medium chance of success, their success rates are both lowered by the same factor. Neither of these provide parental protection for their young, which works against them as a disadvantage and increases the chances of their brood's being eaten and predated on by predators and also by the parents themselves. Most of the brood will get eaten, which means that these two methods are not very successful when compared to the mouth brooding method, and the brood will sometimes get swept away by the current and taken away from feeding grounds, leading to starvation. This is a disadvantage for both of these strategies and means that a lot of their brood will not survive.
The live bearing method does have some advantages, that the other two methods do not have. The survival strategy used, is that the brood are born readily independent, from birth they can fend for themselves and do not need any guidance at all, which will increase their chances of survival as they do not have a vulnerable stage when they are still learning how to survive.This also means that there is a low energy cost for the parents as they do not need to protect their young, and they also don't need to teach them to survive, which is an advantage when looking at the welfare of the parents themselves. Similarly, the egg scattering method also requires a low amount of energy due to the lack of parental protection, in response to this the egg scatterer's produce large numbers of eggs at a low energy cost to increase the chances of even some of the brood surviving. This is their survival strategy, as the larger brood means that their is a higher chance of success. The eggs are also quick to hatch, meaning that their vulnerable stage is a lot shorter and they are less likely to be eaten, which means that they are more likely to survive. The low amounts of energy needed, means that the parents can produce a larger brood which will increase the chances of some of them surviving. In comparison, the mouth brooding method uses a lot of energy, due to the high amount of parental protection provided for the young, physically exhausting the parents and not allowing them to feed enough to replenish their energy levels, this is a disadvantage when looking at the welfare of the parent fish.
When comparing these three different strategies of fish breeding, there are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Using the egg scattering method means that their is usually a lot of genetic diversity within the brood, which is an advantage as it usually means that there is a higher chance of survival due to the strongest being able to survive. Although, the chances of success when using this method are quite low, mainly due to the fact that most of the brood will get eaten as they are left unattended, without any parental protection, which is a disadvantage. On the other hand, egg scatterer's produce a large number of fry to increase their chances of survival, and they are also quick to hatch to shorten their vulnerable stage, which is an advantage as the fry are independent and can fend for them selves as soon as they hatch.
When looking at the mouth brooding method, it has a high success rate due to the high levels of parental protection provided until the brood become independent. This is an advantage to the species, as it means that the young are more likely to survive and are protected from predation and starvation during their vulnerable stage. They are also given a better chance of survival as they are protected until they are strong enough to survive on their own. In contrast, there is low genetic diversity when using this method, so this means that it is unlikely to come across any variation, meaning the species will not alter in any way and there is no way to determine the strongest of the brood, or the strongest genes. Mouth brooding also uses a lot of energy, the female has to exist up to 28 days without food, practically starving herself to protect her young, she also uses her energy to take them to feeding ground and guards them from predators. Although, this is an advantage as it ensures the broods survival, it is also a disadvantage as it uses a lot of the females energy and means that she will struggle to feed herself.
The live bearing method has a lot of disadvantages at first glance, they do not provide any parental protection, which is a disadvantage as they are left to fend for themselves and a lot of the brood do not survive, they can be predated on and even swept away by the current leading to starvation. Live bearers also lack genetic diversity, this is due to the fact that the method only involves one female and one male, meaning that there are no variations within the brood and sometimes no variations in strength, meaning if one is not strong enough to survive, it is likely that they all will not be strong enough. The success rate of this method is medium due to no parental protection, and also due to the fact that some live bearers will eat their own young. Although, there are some advantages. The young are born independent, meaning that they can fend for themselves and do not need any guidance or protection, but this does not mean that they aren't vulnerable. This method also uses a low amount of energy, meaning the breeding pair still have a lot of energy and are not effected by this in any way, which is an advantage in regards to their survival.
Comparison of all three methods-
The egg scattering method has an advantage against the other two methods as the brood produced is genetically diverse, meaning it is fertilised by a number of males, allowing the brood to vary in strengths and physical attributes, as well as maybe bahaviour. This is an advantage as it gives the brood a better chance of survival, and also keeps variation within the species, allowing nature to take its course (survival of the fittest), the strongest of the brood will survive. Whereas the mouth brooding and the live bearing methods lack this diversity, which is a disadvantage as there is no variation within the species, lowering their broods' chances of survival.
On the other hand, the mouth brooding method has some advantages when compared to the other two breeding strategies. The mouth brooding method has a high success rate, this is mainly due to the high level of parental protection provided until the brood is independent. This protection means that the brood is more likely to survive as they are protected from predation, and also taken to feeding ground to prevent starvation, which is an advantage in regards to the success rate and also the survival rate. The egg scattering method has a low chance of success, and the live bearing method has a medium chance of success, their success rates are both lowered by the same factor. Neither of these provide parental protection for their young, which works against them as a disadvantage and increases the chances of their brood's being eaten and predated on by predators and also by the parents themselves. Most of the brood will get eaten, which means that these two methods are not very successful when compared to the mouth brooding method, and the brood will sometimes get swept away by the current and taken away from feeding grounds, leading to starvation. This is a disadvantage for both of these strategies and means that a lot of their brood will not survive.
The live bearing method does have some advantages, that the other two methods do not have. The survival strategy used, is that the brood are born readily independent, from birth they can fend for themselves and do not need any guidance at all, which will increase their chances of survival as they do not have a vulnerable stage when they are still learning how to survive.This also means that there is a low energy cost for the parents as they do not need to protect their young, and they also don't need to teach them to survive, which is an advantage when looking at the welfare of the parents themselves. Similarly, the egg scattering method also requires a low amount of energy due to the lack of parental protection, in response to this the egg scatterer's produce large numbers of eggs at a low energy cost to increase the chances of even some of the brood surviving. This is their survival strategy, as the larger brood means that their is a higher chance of success. The eggs are also quick to hatch, meaning that their vulnerable stage is a lot shorter and they are less likely to be eaten, which means that they are more likely to survive. The low amounts of energy needed, means that the parents can produce a larger brood which will increase the chances of some of them surviving. In comparison, the mouth brooding method uses a lot of energy, due to the high amount of parental protection provided for the young, physically exhausting the parents and not allowing them to feed enough to replenish their energy levels, this is a disadvantage when looking at the welfare of the parent fish.