# My lutino is turning black!



## madjecks (Jun 8, 2009)

Just as the title indicates. My Lutino oscar is slowly but surely turning back, started at his tail and has been slowly working its way up his body, right now its in 3 thick bands and he just looks dirty, but it seems to be getting darker daily.

Is this normal? How far will it go? Will he turn into a half lutino, half tiger?

Not really worried he seems fine, just very interesting to me.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Any pics?


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## BlackShark11k (Feb 16, 2007)

Yes, pics would be greatly appreciated.

Also, what are your water params? In check?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

Since lutinos lack the gene for melanin production, this sounds very odd.


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## madjecks (Jun 8, 2009)

artemis1 said:


> Yes, pics would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Also, what are your water params? In check?


Water params are fine, water is kinda on the soft side, but its what they've always been in and seem to have no adverse effects.

Was thinking initially it was a genetic thing, like the result of a tiger, or red breeding with a lutino, but now that you guys say its not normal i'm a little more worried, I'll swing by and get my camera asap and post up pics.

He has been acting no differently. Still plays with his food and makes a mess, no problems eating, very active... but again I'll send pics asap.

Also to elaborate a little more. The darkness has come up in bands, it started at the end of his tail fin first off and up his dorsal fin. Then just continued on over time, the bands, there is 3 of them that make natural looking markings, which is another reason I thought it to be genetic, and just part of him growing up.

Only SLIGHT abnormalities I can note are that he is slightly more aggressive with the jack Dempsey he shares the tank with, but he's also getting closer to the size of the jack seemly on a daily basis, and there seems to be every now and then a little string of white/clear, something or another floating to the top. I assumed this was just parts of the live plant that I put in there recently either falling off or being ripped off by the fish since it seemed to start happening after I put the plant in there.

Those are the only 2 abnormalities.


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## madjecks (Jun 8, 2009)

Photos coming at ya


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

I've seen this before. Older Lutinos tend to get "dirty" looking, in my experience.


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## oscars4me (Feb 22, 2009)

Really don't think there's any need to worry Lutes change color tho I don't think I've ever seen one with such a pronounced change. Looks like a cross betwenn a lute and a tiger.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Blackening of the tips of fins is extremely normal...

Darkening of the body is most likely a 'mood thing'. Your fish looks like it is probably in the process of hitting puberty / becoming sexually mature which is a weird phase for all of us. It could be from a bit of frustration from having that big (beautiful) Dempsey swimming around that he doesn't want to be subdominant to, but has to for the time being...

Naturally any change is reason enough to verify parameters are all in check... provided they are I would enjoy this as a phase of his development...


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## va1 (Jun 23, 2009)

My oscar has done the same thing butno where nere as intense as that and not on the body at all. The good news is mine never acted differently and is still healthy today.


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## madjecks (Jun 8, 2009)

Good, thank you for your replies sounds like its pretty natural.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Toby_H said:


> Blackening of the tips of fins is extremely normal...
> 
> Darkening of the body is most likely a 'mood thing'. Your fish looks like it is probably in the process of hitting puberty / becoming sexually mature which is a weird phase for all of us. It could be from a bit of frustration from having that big (beautiful) Dempsey swimming around that he doesn't want to be subdominant to, but has to for the time being...
> 
> Naturally any change is reason enough to verify parameters are all in check... provided they are I would enjoy this as a phase of his development...


The nutcase beats me to the punch yet again! Excellent posting my friend :thumb:


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## Toxicfish13 (11 mo ago)

Not sure if this forum is still going or not but my oscar is doing the same thing... started off as what I though was an albino now im thinking it was a lutino but his Grey stripes have been getting more dominant on his body but still acting the same and eating like hes gonna starve to death even though we all know we feed our oscars atleast a nibble everytime we walk past the tank ontop of the bormal twice a day lol water params are fine just kind of suddenly started getting stripes.


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