Spotted Pigeon Spawn #2, hatched January 20, 2014

[astrochick00]

Also:
I actually find non-albino discus more attractive. So, when I post a photo of one with pink pupils, it's not because I'm happy or proud of it more than the others. I do it only for curiosity's sake, same reason I post photos of the 9-bar ones; I DO like that this pair can produce a very large variety of phenotypes. It's a perfect set-up for a beginner hobbyist, AND it will be easier to sell them locally since they will not all look identical.

[astrochick00]

photo of the 'red-pupil' juvie that, unfortunately, will probably be culled in the next cut.

[nc0gnet0]

Why would you cull that fish? I would keep it.

albino's are a bit trickier than just no melanin. A clean pb would look the same at that stage, as would a golden or snow white. And while yes, 25% is what you should expect to see, and having a bit more is not out of the question, what makes it so rare is that albino's are much weaker, so 99.9% of the time you will get significantly less that the expected 25%, not more (some die invitro, some fail to attach, etc).

So you are seeing red pupils with your naked eye, and not just with the camera flash, is that correct? If so, my guess is you do have some albino's in that group, and some other clean phentype as well. But hey, anything is possible.

-Rick

[treemanone2003]

I have no clue about breeding but congrats on your success. Looks great !!

[astrochick00]

Why would you cull that fish? I would keep it.
So you are seeing red pupils with your naked eye, and not just with the camera flash, is that correct? If so, my guess is you do have some albino's in that group, and some other clean phentype as well. But hey, anything is possible.

-Rick

Thanks Rick. Actually it is REALLY hard to capture their red pupils in a photo. They are super obvious in person, and that's probably why I think everybody is crazy for not believing me outright when I say they are albinos. BUT I have read a lot of threads on this forum, and I can understand approaching new hobbyists with a dose of healthy skepticism. There are some pretty nice, clean pigeons in this spawn, too. Two of the browns/turks are looking really appealing as well.

If this guy gets the axe, it's because he/she is in less than the 50th percentile of growth. I don't have the space/time/money to raise a bunch of sub-par fish. That one is right on the line; at least it's healthy and vigorous, points in its favor.

[nc0gnet0]

It would be totally natural for the albino's to lag behind in growth, they always do. The point I was trying to get across is that this is not a reason to fear stunting (yet). what I would do (if possible) is to place that one albino in with a batch of smaller juvies (let him be high man on the totem pole) as opposed top culling. At least you can then get an idea as far as pattern/color of your future albino's within the batches and make a decision if they are indeed worth the extra effort to seperate and grow out seperatly.

Pleaser don't take anything I say in a negative way, you have indeed peaked my curiousity. It just I have never seen that high a percentage of albino fry coming from two albino intermediates, and I have done such pairings many many time, and never come close to approaching those numbers, and it is very rare indeed.

I have however seen multiple phenotypes coming from the same pair, my snow leopards are a good example. This pair has produced numbers simular to what you are seeing, except the non-melanin fry are not albino's.



At any rate I really look forward to seeing how your fish grow out, I stongly encourage you to seperate the albino fry from the others at an early age for grow out.

-Rick

[astrochick00]

I have no clue about breeding but congrats on your success. Looks great !!

Thank you! I'm really proud of them!!!

[astrochick00]

Here's the magic photo. It took 67 attempts, and exactly 1 (count 'em ONE) picture shows the red in the little bugger's eyes. You can't miss it in person, but he/she looks away as soon as the camera lights up the field right before the flash. So I get good shots of the fish, but it is not looking into the camera the way some of the others do.



*for clarity's sake, this fish is an older sibling of the spawn that is featured in this thread. It is the bigger/prettier of two albinos in the November 22, 2013 spawn.

[astrochick00]

Pleaser don't take anything I say in a negative way, you have indeed peaked my curiousity. It just I have never seen that high a percentage of albino fry coming from two albino intermediates, and I have done such pairings many many time, and never come close to approaching those numbers, and it is very rare indeed.

At any rate I really look forward to seeing how your fish grow out, I stongly encourage you to seperate the albino fry from the others at an early age for grow out.

-Rick

Thanks Rick. I'm thinking that the higher survivability of the albinos in this second spawn has to do with the way the parents raised them. They never really 'left' the cone. The parents hung out near the cone and encouraged the kids to come eat, but there was never a true attachment phase when I could have removed the cone without the babies getting completely lost. I feed the fry on the cone with Repashy spawn & grow gel, it's really a silly gadget that I've come up with, but I think this improves the survival rating of the albinos. All they have to do for food to graze on is hang out on the cone…..food is only a couple of inches away.

What was amazing to me is that the parent fish figured out that the fry had food on the cone and apparently urged them to stay there. They are doing the same thing with their current free swimmers.

[yim11]

photo of the 'red-pupil' juvie that, unfortunately, will probably be culled in the next cut.

They are your fish, but if it was me I would keep it. No major faults and as Rick says albino will grow slower, could end up being a very nice fish!

Good luck!

[Chad Adams]

photo of the 'red-pupil' juvie that, unfortunately, will probably be culled in the next cut.

I'd pay good money for this fish if you lived close, one of the best shapes I've seen on albino, and I've seen a lot.

Chad

[astrochick00]

Okay, I'm officially selling shares of the goofy looking albino fish. Anybody who thinks I should keep it will need to pay child support

*and Jim, I can deny you nothing, since you sold me my very first discus. I will keep the blasted thing, and pump it full of food and water changes. Its name will be "Yim." Or possibly "Yimmy."

[yim11]

I'm honored to be associated with a great juvie and am really looking forward to seeing it grow out!

Thanks!

[nc0gnet0]

Repashy spawn & grow gel,

I did not know they were making such a product, way cool, I will have to check it out. When there gel foods first came out, I inquired about such a product for fry. thanks!


-Rick

Yimmy lmao, I love it. Is it's last name to be cricket?

[astrochick00]

Sorry fellas, can't resist.
The fish is hereby named Yimmy Ricket