Albino, Leucistic, Xanthic, Melanistic, etc. Fish

[Oddball]

Oddball, is this your fish? Are albino fronts common or rare?

Obviously, they're anything but common. This is a sample pic I got from an importer that's trying to bring me in 10 of these guys.



albino eye

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

10!!! thats not fair phil!!!!



albino squirrel

 

[fishingaddict]

i thought true albinos had red eyes or no?



albino killifish

 

[Oddball]

i thought true albinos had red eyes or no?

That's correct. However, as with everything else, there are different varieties of albinism. Check out my thread for pic examples:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38534


Fish Coloration Terms & Definitions
This is off the top of my head. Please let me know what I've missed.

Albino: Lacking pigment.

Amelanistic: lacking melanin (black pigment).

Aposematic: Warning coloration.

Chromophores: Cells responsible for holding pigment.
Xanthophores: produce yellow pigment.
Erythrophores: produce red pigment.
Melanophores: produce black pigment (melanin).
Iridophores: Hold no color pigment but, hold highly reflective non-motile purine crystals that yield silver irridescent reflections.
Leucophores: Hold no color pigment. Motile purine crystals produce white pigment.
Cyanophores: produce blue pigment.

Erythristic: Predominantly red morph.

Flavistic: Sepia-toned background color.

Leucistic: lacking or mostly lacking chromatophores. Not a true albino (ie: colored eyes).

Melanistic: dark or near black (some markings can still be visible).

Piebald: Having patches of white.

Polymorphic: Having a natural variation within a single species. (eg: blue motoro ray is a polymorph of the standard non-blue motoro ray)

Tyrosinase-Negative Albinism: An albino whose cells lack tyrosinase (enzyme that synthesizes melanin) yielding a pale-white to creamy animal with pink eyes.

Tyrosinase-Positive Albinism: Synthesizes tyrosinase but, not melanin yielding a fawn or lavender (platinum) color.

Xanthic: Predominantly yellow color morph.



18 year old leaping albino nudist cheerleader

 

[PhullTank57]

Obviously, they're anything but common. This is a sample pic I got from an importer that's trying to bring me in 10 of these guys.

How much would a single speciman go for? Are there any in the US that you know of?

melanistic squirrel

 

[Oddball]

Still negotiating the price. The only one's I know of in the US are erythristic and no one's mentioned them since they were shipped. So, they may not have made it in alive.


erythristic frogs

 

[mudskipper]

Some are mine and some aren't:

YES!!!! That is the albino e-cat I would kill for

erythristic badger

 

[Aussienative]

Saw this on an australian fishing forum

 

[PhullTank57]

Still negotiating the price. The only one's I know of in the US are erythristic and no one's mentioned them since they were shipped. So, they may not have made it in alive.

Does 1k sound valid for a single speciman, you think?

Albino penguin

 

[The TRUST]

Here is a pic of a blotched one