Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I plan to soon start raising some catfish once my system is cycled. It sounds like with catfish, you cant keep a population going in the tank because they will eat their fry. I think im going to keep one or two small fish tanks inside to keep a couple breeders in, for when I need to restock my main tank with young. I plan to breed the top fish that have fastest weight gain, hardiness, etc. I would think that if only siblings were bred with one another inbreeding problems would appear.
Because of that, I was thinking of using a family breeding method. So lets say I choice 10 of my best fish and divide them into two groups of 5 (group A and B). Then each group would be bred and produce pure B offspring and pure A offspring. From then on, A males would be bred with B females, and B males with A females.
Do you think this method of breeding would work okay with my fish? I was thinking of doing it this way because I don't really want to have to get new fish to introduce to the lines, but also don't want inbreeding problems.
Im interested in hearing the methods of breeding that people use with their fish

You first need to define what you mean by 10 "best" fish. What does best mean ? Biggest ? Fastest growing ? Most cold resistant? Market preferred color ? Produces more eggs ?

Also, in-breeding is frequently an essential practice to develop strains that breed true. It's only a bad thing when it's uncontrolled and you get unfavourable genotypic and/or phenotypic progeny.

Now, please don't take this as a derogatory comment, but I strongly recommend you get a copy of Genetics for Dummies - I certainly have it, and it contains much of the info you need.

probably fastest growth and most cold resistant. I'll be sure to check if the library has that book, it sounds helpful.

the "cold resistant" part should be easy...

Here in Cape Town, our winters get too cold for tilapia, yet we have many local dams teeming with them. It appears that all the ones that were going to die in 6-10degC water temperatures, did die off, and those that are left are passing their hardcore genes to their offspring...

Read this book, Aquaculture by John s Lucas and Paul c Southgate.
There is a section on genetics which is very interesting.