Albino discus is more or less blind?

[helinova]

hello simplydiscus members,

i am from india.i keep discus from 2006,i follow this forum since then later i joined here.i am a simply hobbyist though.

naturally like other discus i also keep some albino discus.i observed that specially for juvenile albino discus,when they take food have a serious problem for taking it.whenever you give food i your tank they go for it but they look for here and there and if food is going inside mouth they will eat it.so are juvenile discus are blind at this stage,also i find that for adult albino discus this blindness is reduced.so my question is are they blind or so called photo phobic and their eyes are sensitive to lights?is there any reference document on this?i really wanna know about this.

[-gb-]

From my experience yes albino discus can develop issues with blindness. I just euthanized my 8 year old albino discus last month because he could no longer find food.

I'm not sure about juveniles having issues. Maybe someone else can chime in on that front.

[Discus Ranz]

From my experience yes albino discus can develop issues with blindness. I just euthanized my 8 year old albino discus last month because he could no longer find food.

I'm not sure about juveniles having issues. Maybe someone else can chime in on that front.

Just curious. How do you euthanize? I've done alot of things with fish, but thats one I quite havent figured out.

[-gb-]

Here's a link to what I did: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm

IMO it's the most humane way to go about a horrible task.

[Discus Ranz]

Here's a link to what I did: http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm

IMO it's the most humane way to go about a horrible task.

Thanks!!! Im going to check that out. I agree with you. Thats something I dont want to do, but if I need to.............

~Ranz~

[helinova]

i read the article that you post here.but is it related with blindness of albino discus?

[-gb-]

Hello Helinova, the article was in reference to a humane way to put down an old or sick fish. Not specifically albino discus

[helinova]

so sir,i'll be highly obliged if you all kindly put some light on this.

[Discus Ranz]

Actually Im glad I checked out this thread. I was contimplating getting a really nice albino from a friend here. Beautiful fish....... but second thoughts now.

~Ranz~

[-gb-]

Just to be clear I'm not disparaging albino discus. I enjoyed this fish for 7 years before he seemed to go blind. I recently purchased a young albino and am very happy with him.

[Discus Ranz]

Just to be clear I'm not disparaging albino discus. I enjoyed this fish for 7 years before he seemed to go blind. I recently purchased a young albino and am very happy with him.

Yeah............ but I couldnt bear to see it in a few years on a street corner with sunglasses and a cane beggin for beefheart.

Seriously....... the ones I have been lookin at are very beautiful fish.
Just curious........... is the potential blindness issue due to exposure of the lights in the tank? Other words, if you kept albinos in a dimly lit tank............ would this still occur? Not thinkin of doing that. What would be the point unless one had a tank of "just" albinos. Just a thought for discussion.

~Ranz~

[Trac]

I'm having a same issue here but with my 5" RT she probably less then a year old. She seem to miss grabs FBW every time, it takes at least 4-5 try if she can gets it if not she gives up, I have to feed by holding a cube of FBW in my hand. The rest of my fish don't have that issue.

Ranz has a point about the lighting, I have a T5 48" on top of my 50 maybe it too bright for her.

Benjamin

[-gb-]

I had two compact fluorescent 96 watt bulbs on my 65 gallon where my first albino lived. My new guy will live under 1/2 that light as I've ordered a new LED light from BuildMyLED.

Here is what wikipedia has to say about bright lights affecting the human eye. No idea if this would affect fish the same way.

"The iris is a sphincter formed from pigmented tissue that contracts when the eye is exposed to bright light, to protect the retina by limiting the amount of light passing through the pupil. In low light conditions the iris relaxes to allow more light to enter the eye. In albinistic (albino) subjects, the iris does not have enough pigment to block the light, thus the decrease in pupil diameter is only partially successful in reducing the amount of light entering the eye.[citation needed] Additionally, the improper development of the RPE, which in normal eyes absorbs most of the reflected sunlight, further increases glare due to light scattering within the eye. The resulting sensitivity (photophobia) generally leads to discomfort in bright light, but this can be reduced by the use of sunglasses and/or brimmed hats."

So in summary put a brimmed hat or some sunglasses on your albino fish and you'll be good to go. That or it may help to dial down the lights a little.

I'll look into this further and see if I can find some more specific information as it relates to our fish.

[-gb-]

Here is some more specific information from PracticalFishKeeping.co.uk:

"lbino fish may need special consideration in the aquarium when it comes to lighting. Rupert Collins explains.

Amelanism or albinism, is a genetic condition whereby an individual appears white due to the lack of melanin pigments which colour the hair and skin, protecting it from excessive sun damage.

When all pigmentation is lacking, but eyes are the normal colour, this is alternatively termed leucism.

Like albinism, leucism can also be inherited but due to the entirely different developmental pathways to albinism, the eyes develop normally.

The iris and retina of the eye is red in albinos because the pigments usually conceal the underlying blood vessels.

It is this melanin which allows the human iris to act as a shutter, regulating the amount of light entering the eye as it opens and closes. Without these pigments, the eyes can become photosensitive, which is one of the many visual problems suffered by people with albinism.

Albinism effects all vertebrates in much the same way, so fishes are expected to have similar problems.

However, there are some critical differences – melanin is the only pigment system in mammals, and so albino humans will appear white, but fishes can also have a range of other pigment cells including xanthophores, erythrophores, iridophores, leucophores and cyanophores, which are unaffected by albinism.

For this reason, albino fishes can often look yellow, or have a yellow pattern due to the underlying xanthophores showing through.

Regarding vision, in lab experiments, albino Zebra danios were found to have significantly poorer vision under bright lighting conditions than their normally coloured counterparts. Under normal lighting vision did not differ, so it appears that the visual pigments not protected by melanin are temporarily bleached out under bright light.

So yes, if using multiple high output tubes or halide lighting in a planted tank, it may be better not to include albino fishes, just in case."

Here is the link to the article: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=4154

[-gb-]

I still love my albino discus but after reading the above I'll be decreasing the amount of light in my tank after I install my new LED's.

[Discus Ranz]

I prefer dressing them up in little hats and sunglasses. A little cane taped to their fin.

Yeah....... as beautiful as they look, I think I just decided against adding some to my collection.
I appreciate the research there -gb-. I had a hunch, but dont know enough about albino make up to make any statements.

I'm gonna get to work on little contact lenses. I figure since they live in water, they dont have to worry about them dryin out! Or........... mirrored shades would look cool too!!!

~Ranz~

[-gb-]

Happy to help Ranz

[the20tonknuckler]

That was a great post and interesting read. I just got my 1st albinos and plan to grab some more soon I think.

[helinova]

discus with hats and sunglass :) ha ha

but many many thanx for info and the link.even after few years of keeping discus(whether it is albino or normal strain) i feel that moderate light seems to be okay with them.so it's not called as blindness it is the iris of retina which has to be protected if albino strain fish keeps under high light.to protect part by limiting the amount of light passing through the pupil albino strain fishes can't the total range of whatever watching under water.

[kendrid]

I have an albino from Kenny's Discus and it always misses the food on it's first try. She is our "special" fish.

A while ago I put my daughter's underwater camera inside the tank on the bottom looking up while we fed the discus. It was insane how bright T5 lights appear from inside a tank. I will post that video to Youtube tomorrow and share it here. You will want to go back to T8s after seeing how bright it looks from the fish's perspective.

Note to self: do the same on my reef tank with crazy bright LEDs.

[-gb-]

Hi Kendrid - I'd love to see that video.

My new LED's should be here this week. They are 1/2 as bright as my current setup so I'm hoping that makes the fish more comfortable.

[Discus Ranz]

Would be interested to see that video too.

Ranz

[helinova]

i also like to see that video too.

[Discus Ranz]

Thats similar to one of my dislikes of bare bottoms. (I know theyre beneficial, I have had plenty) The reflection of the light off the bottom. That and the fish seeing their reflection. I know they get use to it. But from the fish point of view, I think it would be annoying.

Just saying............... not judging. LOL

~Ranz~

[SnapshotAquarist]

I can't speak for the really small Juvies but my albino red white absolutely pounds down food and his tankmates. Loves to play with my hand too.


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[SnapshotAquarist]

Thats similar to one of my dislikes of bare bottoms. (I know theyre beneficial, I have had plenty) The reflection of the light off the bottom. That and the fish seeing their reflection. I know they get use to it. But from the fish point of view, I think it would be annoying.

Just saying............... not judging. LOL

~Ranz~

I put a piece of black styrofoam underneath my tank. Helps a lot.


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