Hormone Enhancement and Inbreeding:

• In the wild, German Blue Ram's immune system genes are continuously shuffled with diverse gene pools resulting in a mass combination of antibodies being produced. The more types of antibodies, the better the defense against the various invading germs and virus.
  
• Inbreeding as well as careless backyard breeding often lead to poor immune systems in German Blue Rams because they lack the genetic diversity that's needed for producing healthy amount of antibodies naturally.
  

• They tend to die early as they are much less hardy
  
• While some are fertile, they are often sterile
  
• They have a much higher rate of carrying genetic defects and tend to produce unhealthy and disabled offspring
  
• Hormones tend to alter their personality from peaceful to aggressive and grumpy
  
• Hormone-injection practice weakens the specimens and reduces their lifespan. 
  

• Hormone-free blue ram's colors come in gradually with full colors emerging at age 6-8 months. If they are juveniles showing adult colors, they are hormone-injected.
  
  
• Blue rams are shy and easily stressed. When they are under stress, their colors tend to fade temporarily as their natural physical response. If the blue rams are showing their best colors in situation where they are likely to be stressed (such as moving or change in environment), they are hormone-injected..
  
  
• Hormone-free healthy blue rams exhibit beautiful curves from their body to tail fin, and their fins would show beautiful fluid movement as they swim. Hormone-injected blue rams and their offspring often show physical defects such as tail fins being handicapped � showing no curves and exhibiting rigid movement.
  
  
• Only buy from a trusted, reputable breeder or dealer
  
  

williemcd wrote:From a breeder:  http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1389683887

Doxiemom wrote:Kat , to answer your very logical question....we refer to inbreeding differently when applied to this hobby. A sibling cross for one to two generations is common practice and for some reason, not considered inbreeding as we humans know it. We refer to that as line-breeding. It's done to enhance the very best traits from a chosen pair.  After that...an outcross takes place (or DOES IN MY TANKS). It is still HIGHLY debated as to whether actually inbreeding causes genetic defects or assists in making them visible enough to cull out!! I could go on and on here but easier for you to research and create your own theories!! Very good debate here....