What is your definition of an Albino?

[rowedder]

I am very curious about peoples definition of the albino strains of discus. What is your definition or description of an albino discus?
Mine would be pink eyes with a red pupil with very light skin with some pattern, not very much pattern though. I've seen advertisements for albinos that just look like white discus with normal colored eyes, no pink what so ever and are asking for a lot of money for these guys. I'd love to hear your opinions.

[bs6749]

Your definition seems to be the correct one and the one I'm sure all of the experts on here except. So are they selling white diamonds, WB's or what?

[rowedder]

Well, I've done a little research, there is such a thing as a "partial" albino.

Types of Albinism Feature Albino Leucistic Partial Albino
Hair, skin, scales White or pink all over White or pink all over Small portions or patches of white
Eyes Pink Usually blue Normal colors
Genetics Little or no ability to produce color Little ability to produce color Ability to produce most normal colors

So instead of saying partial albino, most people shorten this to just "albino".

bs6749, Just browse some of the discus stores online and you'll see albinos, very common these days! Many just don't have the tell tale pink eyes that I would associate with an albino variety.

[bs6749]

Any of the discus stores I would go to would be from the sponsor's section on this site and maybe 1-2 others that I know of. I've seen lots of albinos but I haven't seen an albino that didn't have pink eyes but I haven't intentionally looked for that and I haven't researched many albinos. I know they are popular and are in high demand right now. I believe the definition you gave is the correct definition of an albino, at least a TRUE albino in that sense. When you said you've seen pics of white discus with normal colored eyes the first thing that came to mind was a white diamond.

[Rod]

In the classic sense albinos have no pigmentation, but discus albinos have much pigment making them something else. But for ease of definition we call any discus with no black pigment 'albino'.

[brewmaster15]

My understanding of albinism is that its either the partial or total absence of the dark pigment known as melanin.... if we want to get really technical... albinism where the melanin is totally absent is called amelanism and if its partial its called hypomelanism.. still both are considered albinism...just different degrees of it.

These are terms we use alot in another hobby of mine... breeding snakes... Albinism deals just with the pigment melanin...for instance related info....I breed a "leucistic" rat snake that has a decreased amount of all pigments.. and albinos.

There are two eye types we associate with "albino" discus....rabbit eyes..all pink... grape eyes....reddish.

Hth,
al

[chile]

just went to a pet shop that has some "white" discus...look very nice. i am thinking of picking a couple of them up.