Hello Everyone,
Iām new to raising guppies and would like your insight.
I have been seeing the two terms, Moscow Black and Full Black guppies. Are these the same type of guppies or are they different? If they are not the same, what are the physical differences?
To be honest, the original moscow black were just half black guppies combined with another color from shoulder to the tip of the nose and in their fins. Also the half grey (darker grey than the base color grey) belong to the original moscows. But in the teens of this century the full moscows were introduced. Basically the same as the original but the second color that was developed coverd the whole body (including the fins). That the difference between them. But because the full black, blue, purple and green moscow became very popular in comparison to the half blacks. From that moment on the full moscows were called just "moscow". And the original moscows were called "half black" (HB) and 'tuxedo".
If we would use guppy terms as used in the guppy genetics, we would call half black "Nigrocaudatus2" and full black "Nigrocaudatus1". I'll illustrate this by a photo of mine. In this case, you see two females. But the same goes for males.
In general terms we would talk about the socalled "moscow gene". But actually we should talk about the "Nigrocaudatus gene". The name "moscow" is a name given to the strain and is basically not a gene.
In general, the moscow females aren't totally black (no matter if they come from the black, blue, green or purple moscow). Most females will show only black in the fins and on the saddle or caudal penducle. But some will be totally black as in the photo. The dominant Nigrocaudatus gene is carried by the female and not the male. If you'll cross a full black, blue, green or purple moscow male to a non moscow female, the male offspring will have only black on the shoulder and head. Ansd such offspring will be called "metalheads".
Nowadays we also have the socalled moscow red and moscow white. In fact, these aren't moscow guppies. But they have the second color covering the whole body just like he other full moscows. The moscow red is also called full red. And the full red comes in black eyed and red eyed.
Fancy guppies with a second color covering the whole body are also called "monochrome guppies".
