Here's something of a question for all you folks who have been breeding fish for a while: color variations.
I have several convicts that breed as if they were, well, convicts. I have been saving a few out of each batch - when they get large enough to be aone - and splitting them into sepe rate tanks. Anyway, From one of the latest spawns I removed about 15 fry and it's remarkable the degree of color variation there is. There are several that are very dark - colors exactly like parents, and at the opposite side of the spectrum there are a few that are white with white stripes. If they didn't have black eyes I would say they were albinos.
Now I am quite sure in nature these white and light colored fry would be the first to get eaten by predators - but I was surprised at the number of these odd balls.
Out of the 15 or so I moved I would say that there are 4 very white convicts, 3 very dark convicts, and the rest somewhere in between.
Where is brother Mendel when you need him?
I have several convicts that breed as if they were, well, convicts. I have been saving a few out of each batch - when they get large enough to be aone - and splitting them into sepe rate tanks. Anyway, From one of the latest spawns I removed about 15 fry and it's remarkable the degree of color variation there is. There are several that are very dark - colors exactly like parents, and at the opposite side of the spectrum there are a few that are white with white stripes. If they didn't have black eyes I would say they were albinos.
Now I am quite sure in nature these white and light colored fry would be the first to get eaten by predators - but I was surprised at the number of these odd balls.
Out of the 15 or so I moved I would say that there are 4 very white convicts, 3 very dark convicts, and the rest somewhere in between.
Where is brother Mendel when you need him?