Desperate Plea

[Synirr]

I've been searching the internet for albino bettas for the last hour. I am obviously insane and desperate, so hear me out, 'k? *lol*

Obviously, albino bettas are pretty darn rare.... yet I keep finding these threads on other forums about people who just randomly found one at their LFS. The kicker is that most of these people have no plans to breed them, which is just proof that God hates me and life isn't fair. Basically, what I'm saying is... if you ever come across an albino, I don't care what tail type, keep me in your thoughts, pretty please?

I've been trying to find an "odd" betta to add to the collection, and lately it has become an obsession. Preferably something that's not terribly detrimental, like a betta with 4 ventrals or an albino... I've seen one with 4 ventrals on Aquabid before, and if I could turn back time I'd buy it in a heartbeat, but back then I wasn't breeding

 

[Amerce]

By Albino you mean the all white ones with pink/red eyes ?

I have a female white one with eyes that aren't black but they aren't dark or really coloured in fact they looked as though someone has put cellophane over them but her eye sight is perfect.

 

[nashnut]

Albino is a hard color to call at times. I think if you really went into it, you would find that most of the fish are not true albinos. With the number of fish bred in this forum you would surely come up with at least one over a year's period of time.

 

[Bettabelieveit]

Email Siam Crowntail on aquabid, he was breeding, or planning on doing so, some albinos, not sure if he ever did or not

 

[Styx]

If I ever come across any that look like albinos, I'll let you know. ;3

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Is there any particular reason though why you are so drawn to breeding albino bettas? I thought many albino bettas suffered health problems like eye sight issues ?

 

[OohFeeshy]

Just to clarify (and save Synirr some bother )

Albinism (Albino [al-bee-no])
Lacking melanin.
Also known as amelanistic. white body (ie lacking melanin) with pink/red eyes (ie lacking melanin in the cornea)..

Hypomelanistic (hypomelantino [hypo-melan-tee-no])
Having less black and/or brown colour than normal.
These animals still have some pigment and may simply look "faded".

Leucistic (lutino [loo-tee-no]) Similar to albino; white, but having dark eyes.
fish often have "ghost markings" that are visible in certain light.

So true albino is completely white body and reddy pinky eyes.

Edit

The kicker is that most of these people have no plans to breed them

Why not try and find a sympathetic owner of one and ask to borrow it for a few weeks?

 

[bettaBetta]

This guy claims to be selling an albino but everything is in another langauge

 

[Annastasia]

I'm going to my LFS tomorrow so I'll definitely keep an eye out for you! This one has very interesting Bettas, so I'll take a look-see. It can be a VT, right? (Just checking, because while they do have other types, the VTs are usually the best when it comes to funky color)

 

[Alix]

like a week ago at my local walmart i saw an albino female an thought of buying her but then i would have to buy her some friends an move me lil leucistic from his wonderful 10gal to his cramped 1.5 but tomarrow after i get back from paintballing ill run buy walmart to check for any albinos.

-alix-

 

[Durbkat]

An albino betta!?! Well why didn't you say so I have 2 of them. One is a male and the other is a female. You could borrow them for a month if you want.

 

[Elise]

The kicker is that most of these people have no plans to breed them, which is just proof that God hates me and life isn't fair.

Damn, I thought I saw one once and some damn lady had put it on hold....I shouldn't just taken it anyway!

Durbkat, you have two albinos? When they're so rare? Are you sure they aren't just white or cellophane? Seems interesting that they are so rare and you just happen to have 2 and never show them off on here? I would be all over showing them off if I were you!

 

[Synirr]

Is there any particular reason though why you are so drawn to breeding albino bettas? I thought many albino bettas suffered health problems like eye sight issues ?

Albinos are often weaker, but if I could, through selective breeding, produce a line of healthy albinos it would be a dream come true. Not all albinos have health problems and it would theoretically be possible with enough time and patience to breed a good strong line, but it would be tough in the beginning I imagine. Speaking of eyesight issues, albinos aren't the only colour morph with that... opaques and some metallics have the same problem. Almost all opaques eventually go blind as their pigmentation spreads over their eyes as they age.

Just to clarify (and save Synirr some bother )

Thanks, I owe you one!
I did hint at borrowing an albino female someone found months ago on the forum all the old TFF rebels made, but no luck. The other posts I found about albinos were all years old so I doubt there'd be much point in asking.

An albino betta!?! Well why didn't you say so I have 2 of them. One is a male and the other is a female. You could borrow them for a month if you want.

... You're not serious, right?

For the record, this is what an albino betta looks like. Notice the pink eyes. There's a HUGE difference in this as opposed to a cellophane or blonde, I have one of each of those colour morphs already (both found at our beloved Walmart). Those two aren't terribly rare or difficult to achieve, they just aren't found attractive by most breeders so no one breeds them on purpose


For comparison, my cellophane Loki. Notice the dark pupils:

Any colour you see is a reflection of the substrate in his tank, he's completely clear

Uriel the blonde, obviously not albino as he has dark body pigment. Again, dark pupils:

 

[Durbkat]

Yeah that first pic looks just like him and I'm dead serious.

 

[Synirr]

Yeah that first pic looks just like him and I'm dead serious.

Pics?