Albino

[ferdelance]

I recently saw an african in a fish store which was albino -all white with red eyes. Does anyone have any idea which species or family this could be?
or are there several species whic can have albino coloration?

[Rudy]

Snow white scolofini ? Hard to say

www.cichlidlovers.com/p_snow_white.htm

[jonah]

I think there's several species available in albino. We have albino zebras (probably red zebras from what I've heard), but I've seen at least one other species in the last couple of years.

[SGypsyMermaid]

i've also seen albino melanochromis.

[tom]

or are there several species whic can have albino coloration?
[/list]

As you've noticed from the posts above, yes. Albinism occurs when pigment is suppressed within the genetic structure; so it's not coloration but rather the absence of it. (Not just in fish: albinism occurs in any number of animals.)
Some aquarium fish are selectively inbred to produce the albino; yours is very likely among these, although albinos most certainly exist in the wild (their chances of survival aren't very good, though).

[Malawi Master]

I had an albino once but my other fish picked at it, and wouldn't let it eat and it eventually died. :bawl: In nature this is common w/ albino animals because they sense their difference. Also my albino didn't grow to normal size. Think about these things if you are thinking about getting one.

[jonah]

I keep mine in a seperate tank and their growth rate seems about normal. The male is about 4", the females about 3.5". They were about 1" each when I bought them less than a year ago.

[Woot]

I saw a albino Acei tank while I was in St. Louis, dunno why someone would want one... IMO the regular Acei are much prettier colored.

[jonah]

I don't think it's so much a matter of being "pretty" as it is a matter of not having what everyone else has. They're just different and you definitly don't see as many albinos as you see regular fish.