# Albino Rafael cat???



## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

*wife post* We where purchasing a few Rafaels at a LFS to grow out for our cichlid tanks today and saw one that appeared to be an albino. However, I cannot find out anything about an albino version. Has anyone ever heard of this? The fish looked just like a normal Rafael, except it was white and had much paler black stripes. Was it just getting picked on and had dimmed its coloring? or was it a true Albino? *end wife post*


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Never seen this before, definitely take pics


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

well albino is a generic mutation so i would think there is an albino verson of every living species. one sure way is to look at the eyes in all the fish *** had the albinos has ruby red eyes


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

*rotccapt*
Could be a sport or an albino. Albinism is the lack of normal pigmentation and so if a pigment gene mutates and fails could result in a white fish. Red eyes are a dead giveaway that it is a case of albinism but is not a required feature.


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

They used to be fairly common years ago but I haven't seen them in stores in quite awhile. Still a cool fish though.

Andy


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

well we decided to pick him up from the store we are going to take some pics of it in a bit then put him in an in tank fry breeder to observe him better and if he seams to be fine he will join the others. thanks for the info.

he is really kinda pinkish not really white and has black eyes he seams to be swimming just fine so we will see


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

well i really dont think he was being bullied he is swimming just fine and i dont see any cuts or anything here are the pics


































so what do you guys think


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

not sure im nt expert so i wont comment on that

but albino or not hes a keeper :thumb: :thumb:


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

funny thing is the pet store tried to talk me out of buying him they did not think it was worth buying so if he survives great we will have a very unique rafael cat


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## jd lover (Mar 11, 2011)

rotccapt said:


> funny thing is the pet store tried to talk me out of buying him they did not think it was worth buying so if he survives great we will have a very unique rafael cat


lol mine does the opposite


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## mcontri (May 5, 2011)

If I am not mistaken that looks to be a Rafael Catfish. I have two of them and they are mostly active at night, eating *everything* that is scraps in their path.


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

i know it is a rafael cat i have just never seen one with this coloring before


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

I don't think it's an albino. There should not be any melanistic pigment and the eyes should be red. I think this is a very young striped rafael cat and this is just a juvenile pattern.

Andy


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

There are actually 3-4 species of Doradids with that color pattern or something similar, mostly _Platydoras_. I agree with Andy, it is a very young fish, and likely will darken more with age.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

Narwhal72 said:


> I don't think it's an albino. There should not be any melanistic pigment and the eyes should be red. I think this is a very young striped rafael cat and this is just a juvenile pattern.
> 
> Andy


also agree... not looking like an albino, just a lighter than normal juvie.


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## rotccapt (May 31, 2011)

well im sorry to say we will never see if this fish colors up. the water was a bit cloudy from a new food we had tried for the turtle and so i did a water change and im not sure what went wrong but we lost the lot of them all 4 cats gone. i am thinking that i might have done too big of a water change for the little guys or it might have been a temperature shock but they are all gone now


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