CROSSES AND HYBRIDS

Different species - usually, but not necessarily, belonging to the same genus — can be crossed; this rarely happens in the wild, but is a technique in common use among aquarists. Crossbreeding, if successful, produces a hybrid combining the characteristics of both parents. This hybrid will not receive a special name, but will be known by the joint names of the two parents, separated by the sign "x," which simply indicates crossbreeding: Fish 1 x Fish 2. If the hybrid does not prove sterile, it can interbreed in its turn, either with another hybrid or with a purebred. After several generations, it is hard to tell exactly what you are dealing with! This is true of certain species of plants and fish found in the aquarium trade: the Latin name is frequently unreliable, and the plant or fish will have moved on a long way from the original, recognized species and exhibit different characteristics.