Darkmoon Bettas
Fish Fanatic
That guy appears to be what's called an "occular albino" if I'm not totally mistaken. It's essentially where the pigment is only lacking in the eyes, instead of the whole body. This occours in many species of animals, from fish to birds to to mammals to even people--any species that can exhibit albinism CAN exhibit occular albanism, although it's more common in some than others. (The reverse, btw, is also possible--albino skin/fur, but normal colored eyes, although this is much rarer.)
Since most genuine albino bettas--and there are probably less than a dozen firmly accounted for and documented--are weak and either sterile or totally blind, some people feel workign with occular albino bettas is the best way to progress in terms of eventually developing a hearty albino betta strain. I'm not firmly on this bandwagon, but it makes enough sense to me to have my curiosity engaged.
Now, bettas are very prone to "red-eye" in photos, just like many people, but genuine occular albinism DOES exist. I own one myself (snatched him up out of a shipment where I work the moment I saw him! I was thrilled to pay $15 for him.) This particular guy, who I'm jokingly calling "Gravy", is fully sighted and eats and spawns fine. I bred him back in late July, although I unfortunately lost that spawn (and two others) due to a heat wave a few weeks later. He spawned and tended the nest just fine. I hadn't bred him again because I also lost his mate in the heat wave, then was in and out of town for a bit. But last week I finally got my hands on a suitable girl for him, so I plan to set him up again this weekend.)
Here's my "red eye 'Gravy'" boy:
Since most genuine albino bettas--and there are probably less than a dozen firmly accounted for and documented--are weak and either sterile or totally blind, some people feel workign with occular albino bettas is the best way to progress in terms of eventually developing a hearty albino betta strain. I'm not firmly on this bandwagon, but it makes enough sense to me to have my curiosity engaged.
Now, bettas are very prone to "red-eye" in photos, just like many people, but genuine occular albinism DOES exist. I own one myself (snatched him up out of a shipment where I work the moment I saw him! I was thrilled to pay $15 for him.) This particular guy, who I'm jokingly calling "Gravy", is fully sighted and eats and spawns fine. I bred him back in late July, although I unfortunately lost that spawn (and two others) due to a heat wave a few weeks later. He spawned and tended the nest just fine. I hadn't bred him again because I also lost his mate in the heat wave, then was in and out of town for a bit. But last week I finally got my hands on a suitable girl for him, so I plan to set him up again this weekend.)
Here's my "red eye 'Gravy'" boy:
