Melanistic Theory

ezhoops

ezhoops

New member
I was thinking since most every other clown has some form of melanistic coloration. I was wondering when and if we will ever seen a melanistic variation of A.Chrysopterus.

When I speak of the other melanistic variations I am speaking of, Ocellaris, clarki, McCull., polymnus, etc.

I realized McCull. are not considered a melanistic variation but its own species

With the breeding possibilities taking place I'm begining to wonder when instead of if

Let me know your thoughts
 
It's an interesting idea. From what I've seen and read, it seems like the melanistic variants of many clownfish are geographically linked. Melanistic ocellaris are found off the coast of Darwin, Australia. Melanistic Clark's and "onyx" perculas are found in the Solomon Islands. Not sure about polymnus--I have heard of the melanistic variety being found in Sulawesi, but IIRC it might be linked with the species of anemone they're being hosted by.

Natural melanistic coloring can be perpetuated through captive breeding, but I wonder if it can be "bred into" fish if that particular species doesn't already have a melanistic variant in nature (or if one doesn't spontaneously occur in the course of breeding). I'm just speculating, though--I'm no expert. Several people on this forum breed clowns. Maybe they'll have some insights?
 
good points. I wouldn't think that melanistic variation could be bred in. I also thought about how some species of clowns get darker in certain anems and why some don't. I am also wondering if these species that I mention earlier have melanistic variants but they 1)have not been discovered 2)they are very rare 3) they dont occur at all
 
when i was raising chrysopterus, they had lots of yellow in the fins and face. when i put some fry with a haddoni carpet, they lost the yellow in the fins and turned solid black with maybe just a bit of lighter coloring on their nose. maybe not even that much.

i once received a few pairs of chrysopterus from a location i cant recall now, but they had white tails and black pelvic fins. their bodies were nearly black as well except for a yellow dorsal fin. i imagine some solid black chrys would be found in this area...
 
Jordan, do you happen to have any pics? I remember you had some that were more brown than I've seen but not sure I've seen your black ones, that would be cool.

How cool would it be to have a melanistic chrysopterus with blue stripes and a white tail. BIG $$$$$$$........ORA are you listening

Jordan, you and I should corner the market on these and get our retirement set
 
That was a beautiful clown--sorry the story had an unhappy ending. :( Do you think you might ever try that pairing again?
 
velvetelvis said:
That was a beautiful clown--sorry the story had an unhappy ending. :( Do you think you might ever try that pairing again?
Click to expand...
I will only consider Chrysopterus if I set up a separate tank area dedicated to them. I have lost to many after the initial acclimation battles to cross contamination.

Not to mention, I don't want them in the house with my Chrysogasters.
 
Interesting thread. Thanks for linking it.

BTW, I wasn't familiar with chrysogasters, but after having looked them up I can see why you'd want to guard them like little jewels. They're beautiful (and sound like they'd be challenging to get ahold of).
 
I thought the 'gasters were beautiful too looking at the pics in Fautin and Allen's book but after buying 5 or 6 of them I was a bit disappointed. They look more like clarkiis than I would have liked. So I sold them all off. I thought they would exhibit more of a saddleback complex appearance.

They were coming in in droves a couple years ago but the vendors I was in contact with (wholesale and retail) were having trouble getting rid of them. I don't know if that's why they dried up or if it had something to do with the collectors.
 
aquaph8 said:
Traveller you really have a way with words. The captioning in that thread is very entertaining.
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Thank you :) Wish I was able to keep them around along enough to get them breeding and story telling. Just one of my many mistakes with the more exotic clowns.
 
so would it be a safe assumption to say that melanistic variations are typically found only in the multi-stripe clowns (except for McCull, but I'm considering that its own species and not a variation)
 
I would not go that far, "tomato complex" appears to have melanistic specimens.

fwiw: I have heard more then having personal experience, mccullochi is most closely related to the "tomato complex" as well. Maybe one day I have some myself :)
 
traveller7 said:
I would not go that far, "tomato complex" appears to have melanistic specimens.

fwiw: I have heard more then having personal experience, mccullochi is most closely related to the "tomato complex" as well. Maybe one day I have some myself :)
Click to expand...

See IMO I think it might be possible that McCullochi is just a tomato hybrid or a melanistic? Now don't everyone jump on me all at once, its just my opinion
 
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