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yellow bullhead


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#21 Michael Wolfe

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Posted 19 April 2009 - 12:19 PM

I didn't see this mentioned so just thought I would say that that is most likely an albino, and if you were to catch some normal bullheads from the same lake, they would likely carry the gene and could be spawned to produce specimens like the one above.


Steve, although your genetics are correct your terminology is a little off... the specimen is almost certainly not an albino (menaing lacking of all pigment and characterized by white shkin (appearing pinkish where you can see the blood vessels through the skin) and pink eyes... but is very likely leutinistic (sp) or lacking the ability to make blue pigments. This is a commone genetic characteristic that cage bird people breed for to create a very yellow bird. If a "normal" green bird (like most parrots) does not ahve the ability to produce green pigment, then youget a yellow bird. I have assumed this is also what happens in fish as I have seen "golden" rainbow trout (not golden trout)... and then there are those 'special' redbreast sunfish that the folks at the Tennessee aquarium have.

In any event, you are correct that it is a recessive trait that could likely be carried by others in the population.
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#22 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 19 April 2009 - 12:57 PM

Steve, although your genetics are correct your terminology is a little off... the specimen is almost certainly not an albino (menaing lacking of all pigment and characterized by white shkin (appearing pinkish where you can see the blood vessels through the skin) and pink eyes... but is very likely leutinistic (sp) or lacking the ability to make blue pigments. This is a commone genetic characteristic that cage bird people breed for to create a very yellow bird. If a "normal" green bird (like most parrots) does not ahve the ability to produce green pigment, then youget a yellow bird. I have assumed this is also what happens in fish as I have seen "golden" rainbow trout (not golden trout)... and then there are those 'special' redbreast sunfish that the folks at the Tennessee aquarium have.

In any event, you are correct that it is a recessive trait that could likely be carried by others in the population.


Thanks for the correction. I didn't really even consider leucism for some reason. Albino animals can however display yellow pigment, such as in leopard geckos, bullfrogs, and green tree frogs. When I saw the bullhead the first thing I thought of was the color of an albino bullfrog, which is what made me go straight to albino I guess.

#23 Guest_fishlvr_*

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Posted 19 April 2009 - 01:02 PM

But I'm sure a bullhead would be white as an albino because they're mostly brown, where as leopard geckos, bullfrogs, and green tree frogs all have yellow pigment.

Edited by fishlvr, 19 April 2009 - 01:03 PM.




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