Albino betta

[PheonixKingZ]

Found him at PetSmart and was worried he'd get picked up by a kid who wouldn't know how to care for a blind betta. And if he is albino, I'd imagine his skin prolly also has some light sensitivity.

He seems blind cause he doesn't respond to anything visual outside the tank (mirrors, my finger, bettas in my other tanks, etc). He also kinda bumps around with his nose as he swims. He does eat floating pellets, but it does take a while for him to hunt it down. Actually pretty cute when he eats!

I'm trying to find a good home for him locally. Terrified that he wouldn't survive shipping (even though my friend who sometimes ships fish says he'd prolly be ok). Just want him to live his best life!

You really found him at a PetSmart? You never know what you’ll find!

 

[Velatelen]

Is it possible that albino bettas are all blind this would be an explanation to why they are not bred and therefore rare

 

[JuiceBox52]

I think so I was reading about it and I thing they are all blind. Most albino creatures are. I have a friend who is albino and she can barely see anything

 

[Colin_T]

Most albino creatures aren't blind to start with. They go blind due to sunlight (UV light) damaging the eyes. If the person, animal, bird, etc is kept out of direct sunlight, they don't normally go blind.

Bettas are normally bred in tropical Asia where there is lots of UV light and this would damage the albino's eyes very quickly.

Something the OP could do is breed the albino male with a white female and keep them out of sunlight, then see what the young are like. It's probable you would get some white males with dark eyes as well as more albinos. These could then be used for a breeding program and experiment to see if they go blind after a period of time due to genetics, or if it is the UV/ sunlight causing them to go blind.

Either way there would be a market for pure white males with dark eyes or even albinos.

 

[Velatelen]

Most albino creatures aren't blind to start with. They go blind due to sunlight (UV light) damaging the eyes. If the person, animal, bird, etc is kept out of direct sunlight, they don't normally go blind.

Bettas are normally bred in tropical Asia where there is lots of UV light and this would damage the albino's eyes very quickly.

Something the OP could do is breed the albino male with a white female and keep them out of sunlight, then see what the young are like. It's probable you would get some white males with dark eyes as well as more albinos. These could then be used for a breeding program and experiment to see if they go blind after a period of time due to genetics, or if it is the UV/ sunlight causing them to go blind.

Either way there would be a market for pure white males with dark eyes or even albinos.

How do you get a blind male to mate? I mean this honestly those techniques might transfer to hybrid projects so I would interested in input.

 

[Colin_T]

Put a female in with him and see what happens. He has managed to work out his environment so hopefully he can work out a female.

 

[Napua]

A friend of mine has tried to breed blind males before, but he said it always ended up with the female "beating up the male."

This fish looks like he can smell very well cause that's how he seems to hunt down his food. Even if he did sense the female and get her to spawn, how would he be able to see the eggs and fry to care for them?

 

[JuiceBox52]

A friend of mine has tried to breed blind males before, but he said it always ended up with the female "beating up the male."

This fish looks like he can smell very well cause that's how he seems to hunt down his food. Even if he did sense the female and get her to spawn, how would he be able to see the eggs and fry to care for them?

You may have to step in and help a little with that part

 

[Barry Tetra]

Hi! I just picked up an albino halfmoon doubletail male. He has red eyes (pretty sure he's blind), and no pigment or iridescence on his body or fins. Are albino bettas rare?View attachment 98706View attachment 98707

Never seen this before, is he expensive?

 

[Valkyrie_Lips]

You might get lucky and he has the marbling gene where he will change colour. I've seen some pale bettas like that when placed in optimal conditions change to dark blue or red and continue to change throughout their lives. I'm not 100% on betta genetics but it might be a possibility. Could also just be albino.