# What is 'normal' fin markings on Yellow Labs?



## pack-rat (Aug 2, 2010)

I have a group of juvenile yellow labs that I purchased from two different local sources. I've also shopped other LFSs for labs (as well as other fish) so I have seen the juvies as well as the adults that are for sale in the area.

My question is on the black markings on the dorsal, pelvic and anal fins of yellow labs. My young fish, and most of the young fish I see for sale, have thin incomplete black stripes in the dorsal, and little or no black on the lower fins. However, the adults I've seen, as well as most of the photos I see online, have a bold black stripe through most or all of the dorsal, and bold black edges on the three lower fins.

So do the black fin markings develop as the fish matures, or are the yellow labs being produced/sold in my area lacking in these marks?

Thanks.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Sometimes they do develop more complete black marking over time. However, other times it's just poorly bred labs or hybrids. Personally, I wouldn't take my chances on buying a juvenile with poor markings.

I have gotten lucky in the past, though!

Before:










After:










So like I said, sometimes the black markings develop more completely over time. It's up to you whether you want to take the chance. I should mention that the above lab was purchased from a very trusted dealer, who even showed me the parents. Had it been your average LFS, I wouldn't have made the purchase.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

also black ventrals and black in the anal fin

there are pictures in the profile section


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## bcyra (Apr 5, 2010)

As your yellow labs mature the males will get the black anal and ventral fins but the females usually don't have very much black on the lower fins. I have juvinile yellow labs right know and in the day time they are just swimming around the higher areas of the tank and they aren't being aggressive at all. Threfore they don't have as much black on them. Once it is dark out I turn the light off and watch them look for there hiding spot for the night. This is when they really start to show their black markings.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My yellow lab fry are spit with the dark black on all fins and develop the bright yellow color within a few days.

The problem is that the fish can turn on and turn off the black. So among a batch of 20 fry there might be a couple with all fins black and half the rest with just black edges and the remainder can look all yellow unless you look REALLY closely. I believe it's a dominance/feeling safe thing and all the fry have the ability to show the black, but choose to tone it down so they can blend in.

You can verify this by removing the ones with the most black and others will become dominant, turning on the black.

Once the fish get closer to one inch (big enough to see anything) if I examine the ones that appear to have little black...you *can *see the place on the dorsal where the stripe is, it's a darker yellow as if the fish cannot make it completely disappear.

The point I am trying to make...males and females, young and old have the black on the fins and can be equally dark or light IME depending on dominance/security rather than gender.


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## pack-rat (Aug 2, 2010)

Thanks for all the good comments. I have these fish in my tank now and I think I will stick with them. We'll see what they look like in a few more months.

I have not noticed the fin color change with mood on the yellow labs, although there are obvious changes to the black bars on the body. Most of the time my labs have no black on the body, except for my least dominant fish, who has just a touch of black barring maybe half the time. The others will show it only rarely. I also have p. socolofi that go from no bars to very distinct bars depending on mood/aggression.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i believe the bars are stress bars, bad thing to have imo


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