Blueberry Oscars?

"bassett" wrote in message ...
Could you please explain further,, how is it that a Pink eyed, White skinned
fish, with fins that have a pinkish tinge, are not an Albino
While I don,t doubt for one minute that there my be a White Oscar,
or a White anything for that matter. There is a very big difference between
White and Albino, The main one being that the Albino strain has a recessive
gene, and in some cases are infertile.
It is also thought that in some cases the Albino strain is sex linked..

bassett

Hi Bassett --

The white colored Oscars that have become very common at LFSs and even
at chain pet stores are not albinos, but nevertheless are called so
(perhaps as a marketing ploy). They are strong, aggressive, grow
rapidly (in my experience a bit faster that orange Tigers) and breed
like gangbusters. When and how they got the name "albino" even though
they are not is a mystery to me (although I can assume it's the
color), but they're stuck with it! I've heard that true albinos are
available, but have never actually seen one in a local shop.

The "Albino" (so called) Oscars available in my area have stunning
gold colored eyes and very bright orange pigment in the eyespots and
the "tiger" markings on the sides. My understanding is that these
white Oscars are the ones victimized by the Dye predators.

--Mark


Mark Stone tractorlegs at msn dot kom
OSCAR Lovers! http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/oscar.html
The ".Edu" meens i are smart.

"Mark Stone" wrote in message
om...
"bassett" wrote in message
...
Could you please explain further,, how is it that a Pink eyed, White
skinned
fish, with fins that have a pinkish tinge, are not an Albino
While I don,t doubt for one minute that there my be a White Oscar,
or a White anything for that matter. There is a very big difference
between
White and Albino, The main one being that the Albino strain has a
recessive
gene, and in some cases are infertile.
It is also thought that in some cases the Albino strain is sex linked..

bassett

Hi Bassett --

The white colored Oscars that have become very common at LFSs and even
at chain pet stores are not albinos, but nevertheless are called so
(perhaps as a marketing ploy). They are strong, aggressive, grow
rapidly (in my experience a bit faster that orange Tigers) and breed
like gangbusters. When and how they got the name "albino" even though
they are not is a mystery to me (although I can assume it's the
color), but they're stuck with it! I've heard that true albinos are
available, but have never actually seen one in a local shop.

The "Albino" (so called) Oscars available in my area have stunning
gold colored eyes and very bright orange pigment in the eyespots and
the "tiger" markings on the sides. My understanding is that these
white Oscars are the ones victimized by the Dye predators.

--Mark


Mark Stone tractorlegs at msn dot kom
OSCAR Lovers! http://www.geocities.com/cichlidiot_2000/oscar.html
The ".Edu" meens i are smart.

Hmm, you've restated your position that these fish are not albinos, but with
no explanation. If they lack melanin due to a genetic mutation, then they
are albinos.
These fish were not selectively bred for a gradually increasing trait, like
hi red or gold fish sometimes are. Being strang, aggressive and prolific
has nothing at all to do with being aalbino. Many albinos have these
traits. Some are weak to start with, but many are weak because of continued
inbreeding to quickly produce a pure strain of albinos. Outcrossing can
restore vigor and fertility to these strains (usually) but if the are
homozygous for a mutation that prevents melanin formation, then they are
still albinos.

"Sarotherodon" wrote in message .. .


Hmm, you've restated your position that these fish are not albinos, but with
no explanation. If they lack melanin due to a genetic mutation, then they
are albinos.

You're correct that I have no explanation, because I don't know the
history of the color variation. The breeding of the Red Oscar and some
other varieties is well documented, but these white Oscars (from my
viewpoint) suddenly appeared, and no one in the newsgroups or any
aquarists I am in contact with can trace their beginning. So, you
might be right that they are true albinos. I don't *think* they are,
but I may be wrong. I'd be interested in hearing from someone who has
bred an "albino" Oscar with another color to see what color(s)
resulted ---
[clipped]

--Mark

"Mark Stone" wrote in message
m...
"Sarotherodon" wrote in message
.. .


Hmm, you've restated your position that these fish are not albinos, but
with
no explanation. If they lack melanin due to a genetic mutation, then
they
are albinos.

You're correct that I have no explanation, because I don't know the
history of the color variation. The breeding of the Red Oscar and some
other varieties is well documented, but these white Oscars (from my
viewpoint) suddenly appeared, and no one in the newsgroups or any
aquarists I am in contact with can trace their beginning. So, you
might be right that they are true albinos. I don't *think* they are,
but I may be wrong. I'd be interested in hearing from someone who has
bred an "albino" Oscar with another color to see what color(s)
resulted ---
[clipped]

--Mark
I do think they are albinos produced by a mutation, total lack of black
pigment is tough to get without a mutaion. Their sudden appearance without
any intermediates,like progressively lighter or more white oscars supports
this idea. Also, other albino cichlids are known to have been produced this
way. At any rate, I am curious about crosses too. I don't know anyone who
has crossed them, but since the first ones were albino "tigers" and albino
"reds" became availble not too much later, the red albinos were probably the
result of crossing tiger albinos to normal reds, then backcrossing for the
albinism. Would have taken quite a while to selectively breed the albinos
for full red. They are cool fish. A lot of albinos aren't too colorful, but
I really like the albino oscars.
I posted a while ago about albino rift lake cichlids and the lack of
history for many. It still seems odd to me that in the herp world a new
albino is big news and breeders take pains to prove their origin. Albino
fish do seem to mysteriously appear. Perhaps because they are produced by
huge fish farms in other countries who don't want to give away theri trade
secrets, or maybe they just don't see any advantage to publicizing it.

"Sarotherodon" wrote in message ...

I do think they are albinos produced by a mutation, total lack of black
pigment is tough to get without a mutaion. Their sudden appearance without
any intermediates,like progressively lighter or more white oscars supports
this idea. Also, other albino cichlids are known to have been produced this
way. At any rate, I am curious about crosses too. I don't know anyone who
has crossed them, but since the first ones were albino "tigers" and albino
"reds" became availble not too much later, the red albinos were probably the
result of crossing tiger albinos to normal reds, then backcrossing for the
albinism. Would have taken quite a while to selectively breed the albinos
for full red. They are cool fish. A lot of albinos aren't too colorful, but
I really like the albino oscars.
I posted a while ago about albino rift lake cichlids and the lack of
history for many. It still seems odd to me that in the herp world a new
albino is big news and breeders take pains to prove their origin. Albino
fish do seem to mysteriously appear. Perhaps because they are produced by
huge fish farms in other countries who don't want to give away theri trade
secrets, or maybe they just don't see any advantage to publicizing it.

I'm going to post over at SACSG and see what those folks have to say,
then report back --

--Mark