Axolotl baby types!

[wolfheart2112]

Hi all! So for an update I have had 3 batches of eggs this winter, one in january, one in february, and one last wednesday. The first two batches were the same mum and dad (Glenn and Axel, I stupidly forgot to remove Glenn 3 weeks after her first batch and she and Axel got busy!) I have 5 axie babies from her first batch, all on bloodworms and 2" big. Her third batch have just grown their front legs and soon I'll see some back ones! Kit and Kip my albino pair mated and I now have 100+ albino eggs that are turning bean shaped. What I wanted to know was that from Glenn and Axels matings, it seems I have regular albinos, melanoids, leucistics, wildtypes (some are dark with green spots & have gold irises, while others look like leucistics with freckles and gold irises?) and golden albinos(not 100% on these guys but they look different from others). Is it even possible to get babies of all different types from a melanoid female and a wildtype male? I don't know their parentage as I bought them in Toronto last year. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them! Genetics always confuses me. Thanks so much!

 

[auntiejude]

I can't see a melanoid in those pics - which do you think it is?

Left to right it looks like golden albino, leucistic, wildtype, albino of some kind (unclear) and leucistic (possibly melanoid).

Based on that it is quite possible you have melanoids, leucistics, albinos and wildtypes - as well as white albinos, melanoid leucistics etc) - in the same batch.

 

[wolfheart2112]

Thanks for the reply! It wouldnt let me upload more than those pictures last night. I tried getting pictures of their eyes, as I can't see an iris and these guys are pretty dark. What are the differences between white albinos? Are those just the regular ones you see, so pinkish/white with red eyes? And is melanoid leucistic one that carries a gene for melanoidism but looks leucistic? Thanks again, glad to hear I did manage to get a bunch of different babies!
The second picture you thought was a leucistic, but it has gold irises. Does that mean that not all axies with irises have to be wildtype?

 

[auntiejude]

OK, here's the basics:
D gene controls leucism i.e. distribution of pigments cells. D/- means normal, d/d means leucistic where the pigment is confined to the head and spine of the axie/
M gene controls melanism i.e. production of iridophores. M/- means normnal iridophore production, m/m means no iridophores, few xanthaphores and more melanophores
A gene controls albinism i.e. production of melanophores. A/- means normal production, a/a means albino where no melanophores are produced.
AX gene controls xanthaphores. AX/- means normal xanthaphores, ax/ax means few xanthaphores and iridophores.

So if an axie carries 2 recessive genes for leucism and 2 recessive genes for melanism the axie will be pink (leucistic) with no iridophores round it's eyes, and freckles across it's face and spine. If it is M/- it will have iridophores round it's eyes.

The same goes for albinos. An albino with D/- M/- and AX/- will be golden (it has xanthaphores and iridophores but no melanophores) any of the recessive genes (d/d, m/m or ax/ax) will result in a white albino with no iridophores.

Gold rings round the eyes means the animal produces iridophores, you can get that in albinos, leucistics and wildtypes.

I can't see the eyes in the new pictures, but the pattern on the body indicates wildtypes - there are xanthaphores so probably not melanoid.