Question: Albino Colours?

[Phil]

Hi guys, I'm sure you're all sick of colour questions by now :-)

But I wonder if you could help me out on this one? I've recently raised a four Axolotls - two of which are Albino. (First White Albino Axies I've raised )

One of the Albino's has reflective eyes (like a wild type - but without the black iris) and other looks like it doesn't have eyes (can only just see them). They're at the stage where their back legs are budding; both really pale white.

I've read the http://www.axolotl.org/genetics.htm page; but can't get my head around it (sorry).

Can anyone tell me of the four (or more?) types of Albino - which these two are?

Pretty sure neither are Golden Albino (I've raised these before, and they were a yellow-ish colour from hatching).

White Albino? Axanthic Albino? or Melanoid Albino?

Cheers, Phil

[Karrie Clinton]

Can you post some pic?

[Phil]

Sorry no pics a the moment; may be able to sort some out at the weekend.

[Rayson]

Hi Phil,

The axie with the reflective eye rings could be either the white albino or axanthic albino. They look the same as hatchlings, however as they mature, the axanthic one will gradually accumulate riboflavins from the diet and become a pastel peach/cream type colouration as opposed to white.
Melanoid albinos will not have the reflective eye ring.

It is hard to tell with the one without visible eyes yet.

Have a look at this link. John has nice photos there that could help you with identification.
http://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm

Cheers

[oceanblue]

Giving a partial answer the one with reflective eyes is not a melanoid albino, and the one with the eyeless mutation is a diagnostic problem! If there are reflective spots in the gills it is not a melanoid.

What were the parents and any other siblings, they can give clues to the genes in the stock?

[Phil]

Thanks Rayson. I'll keep this post for future reference.

For now I'll assume the one without reflective rings is Melanoid Albino, and time will tell on the other one :-)

Cheers, Phil

[Phil]

Originally Posted by oceanblue

Giving a partial answer the one with reflective eyes is not a melanoid albino, and the one with the eyeless mutation is a diagnostic problem! If there are reflective spots in the gills it is not a melanoid.

What were the parents and any other siblings, they can give clues to the genes in the stock?

Thanks OceanBlue.

Only kept a 6-8 eggs from this batch. Had two Wild Types and three Albinos, 2 with reflective eyes - but one of the Wild Types ate the small Albino.

Parents, could be any colour; in the same tank...

Males

• 1 Wild Type
• 1 Melanoid (?)
• 1 Leucistic
• 2 Albino [one is different "peachy" colour]
• 1 Golden Albino

Females

• 2 Wild Type (potential mother)
• 1 Melanoid (?)
• 1 Leucistic
• 1 Albino (potential mother)
• 1 Golden Albino

At first I thought the one without reflective eyes, could be one of those eyeless axolotls - but I can see something there. They are all about 4cm.

I'll try and get some photos.

Cheers, Phil

[bethd217]

I agree that the one without reflective rings sounds like a melanoid albino -- when I had some of those that were small, it was hard to see that they had eyes at all.

I also have a question about the difference between white albino and axanthic albino. My understanding is that if you just say "white albino," it is assumed that you mean an animal that is both leucistic and albino. Why would the leucistic mutation affect accumulation of riboflavins? Is it that only the pigment cells (which don't migrate properly in the leucistic) can accumulate them?

--Beth

[Rayson]

Hi Beth,

You made a good point. I don't know the answer as well. Your hypothesis is logical in that the lack of normal pigment cell migration due to the developmental gene in the white albino prevents the yellow colouration of diet-acquired riboflavin to accumulate and show up phenotypically.

Cheers.

[oceanblue]

First sorting out who is mum. Egg colour is maternal derived so if the eggs were white the mother was the albino, if dark it was one of the wild types.

The gold colour in "Golden Albinos" is caused by the presence of xanthophores and iridophores. Only the black melanophores are absent.

Combining albino with white presumably reduces the migration of the xanthophores and iridophores, but the iridophores still show in the eyes and often on the gills.

Axanthic is a mutation which is associated with absent iridophores and xanthopores and has a similar effect. Why it is associated with riboflavin accumulation I do not know. Since Axanthic also affects iridophores reflective eyes indicates the axolotl is a white albino not axanthic or melanoid albino.

[Phil]

Thanks for all the info.

Originally Posted by oceanblue

First sorting out who is mum. Egg colour is maternal derived so if the eggs were white the mother was the albino, if dark it was one of the wild types.

The eggs I kept were white ones - spawn laid in this batch was 60% dark; 40% white. I feel looking at the size of the females that it was a rescued female Wild Type who laid them. Unsure of her background.

However, it is possible the Albino female laid some ~ at the same time as the Wild Type.

@Rayson: http://www.axolotl.org/rearing.htm Thanks; that's exatly like the little fella



Cheers, Phil

[Phil]

Hi guys,

An update on these two Albinos. Took some photos last night before I fed them. Remember, they were very white as hatchlings (unlike my previous Golden Albino hatchlings). They are approx 10cm (4").

Now they are both looking more like Golden Albino (although not as yellow as my other Golden Albinos) - they've gone a sort-of peachy/orange colour.

Please note: in the photos they look more yellow than they actually are!

Melanoid Albino(?) with no reflective pigment...




Trying to take a closer photo of the eyes. The patterning on the back, although noticable - isn't as clear to the naked eye. Although you can't really tell from the photos - under-belly is still slightly transprent.

The Albino with reflective eyes...


Reflective/shiney pigment in eyes, on gills and a little starting to come through on the under belly. Still not as yellow as my previous Golden Albinos.

Both together...


This photo shows them together - left with reflective eyes, right without. This photo looks closer to their actual peachy/orange colour than the ones above.

From looking at these photos - I'd say they are Golden Albino (but with very little shiney/reflective pigment); if so, does that mean the one with no reflective pigment is a Melanoid Golden Albino?

Cheers, Phil