[huckleberry77]

I have some cories that are pretty white with only a little pinkishness, and some that are almost a salmon color. What determines their colors? Diet? Genes? Environment? Age?

 

[Sylverclaws]

The albino gene is a recessive one. It has to be present in one or both parents or it can't show up. True albinos have red eyes. They can have some pinkish color to the skin, and usually do over being WHITE. =) So basically it's all in the genes and has nothing to do with age, food or environment.

 

[huckleberry77]

The albino gene is a recessive one. It has to be present in one or both parents or it can't show up. True albinos have red eyes. They can have some pinkish color to the skin, and usually do over being WHITE. =) So basically it's all in the genes and has nothing to do with age, food or environment.

Thanks. I should have clarified that I understand the albino characteristic itself is determined by genes.

However, if you have several albino cories, all with one of the the albino genotypes (e.g., bronze albino, peppered albino)... but their phenotype varies among shades of very pale yellow, salmon, gold, pink, etc, all with red eyes, what determines that variation in color shade (i.e., phenotype)? Is it another genetic factor such as bronze albinos are yellowish, and peppered albinos are pinker? Or is it age- they get yellower with age? Or diet- the more shrimp they eat the pinker they get? I am asking because my albino cories are different colors. I will post an example photo below to show the color variation I am wondering about:

 

[Sylverclaws]

The red eyes are albinos, any other without are just white.

As for what determines the shade of their skin...I think that is also the genes and how strong they are in that fish. It COULD also depend on lighting, habitat and diet, as it does with a lot of fish/critters and their colors. Diet often plays a large part in colors....as an example: I have some swordtails who started out white, feeding them on a color enhancing, good diet has gained them a lot of orange or red coloring. This does not affect ALL of course, as many stayed white. But this could also have something to do with genes and age.

So other than the genes, all of that could play a small part in the shade of color, the largest I think being food and age, though could also be from the type though I doubt it since the same type of albino cory(I had some of the emerald gene that were albino, two were white, three were pink), can also be different shades. Sometimes as they age, they may get in, or try to get in, some pigment...which ultimately kills the albino-ism since that means they lack pigmentation.

 

[dancelady]

The albinos condition -- more fragile, or same as regular Corys?

I have a bunch of Corys, none albino, but was thinking of getting some albinos. If I get the same type of Cory, but albino, and put in the same tank with the regulars, will they mate, and what will babies look like? I know if there is no albino in the regular ones, I will only get regular looking ones with a recessive albino gene. But I don't want to separate them, just add the albinos into the catfish tank for variation. Just wondering if they will mate only with others of the same type, or will they "crossbreed" so I won't know which is which. Same as using other Corys, will they crossbreed or not?

Is there a survival level with Albinos, are they more fragile, more reactive to variations in pH, alkalinity, etc.? Just to think of my choices in Corys...

 

[Flint]

Dancelady, cories need to be kept in appropriate group sizes for their color. Mixed shoals are very stressful.