Platinum and Gold

[M3AN ONE]

I have been doing a good amount of research on the rare color morphs for the alligator Gars. It seems the only consensus is that the platinum/ snow Gators wont ever revert since they are actually bred for that color meaning its a genetic color morph not man made. (Now this is where I am a little Iffy and would like some clarification.) Where as the albinos gators (red eyes) or golden gators (black eyes) both golden in color will chance of reverting back to a regular gar. This is because there color is not based on genetics or natural and the only reason they look the way they do is because while gars were when egg form exposed to UV lights morphing their color and pattern. (man made morph) I wonder if my research is correct or if this only applies to the marbled albino or marbled golden gars and not solid color golden or albinos. I would hate to get a gar and it turn back or pay a high price for something that is not a guaranteed to stay the same.


Gar aficionados please chime in!!!

See below pictures to illustrate differences

Will not change true genetic morph

If changes will revert back to platinum/snow not regular alligator gar since that the base fish a biproduct of selective breeding???

Albino golden I assume it Will not revert (unsure if true genetic morph or or the result of UV)

Golden Alligator Gar albino marbled definitely the byproduct of UV and may revert at least partially

Golden Alligator Gar non alibno marbled definitely the byproduct of UV and can revert back to regular gator gar or at least partially.

What I dont want to happen picture of partially reverted golden alligator gars unsure if they were originally marbled or just golden I assume marbled but could be wrong ( I do think they look cool but not for the price of a albino/ marbled)

 

[Midwater]

Those colours are rather ... garish.

 

[wednesday13]

Pretty good consensus across the board … to my knowledge there are no “true” albino gators yet. There may be a few real ones over seas but youd be hard pressed to not be sold a UV made one. Even if they do have red eyes its still a craps shoot of what it will grow into as u mention in ur findings. Ive seen the marbles with one black eye and one red eye as good evidence of there not real albinos.
As for the platinums… theres always degrees of the mutation and there selectively bred for the whitest white. They can be a bit similiar to the UV’s in that they may change a bit through their lives since the platinum gene usually comes with the melanistic gene. The colors will only be white and black tho. Gotta throw in “piebalds” also … they can throw white, black and normal pigment.
At this point its a bit of a mess trying to figure out what is “real” and whats man made. Certain fish like these gators, we know are man made and to be careful with. Wild caughts will always be the “truest” color morphs but some vendors aren’t trust worthy just the same.
Some wild caught can make you wonder also. I have an albino lung fish, wild caught congo that has red eyes/albino but throws a bit of black melanistic pigment. True genetic mutation would b called “lutino”.
2nd pic u posted are actually tropical gar… those have been around since before the platinum gator morphs … theres alot of melanistic trops around sold as regulars or atleast there used to be 5-10yrs ago. I had one i paid reg price for.

 

[M3AN ONE]

This is what I am looking to avoid

Beware for fake platinum and golden gars.

In these days, you can see "golden gar" more often than past. For my friend's case, he got 2pcs of golden gars from Indonesia with platinum tropical gar and red gar but his golden gar all turn black in just 3 days. And the one he got as platinum tropical gar was not a tropcial gar and nor...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

 

[Hao]

From what I've seen, the alligator gar morphs are pretty stable. Especially the platinums. I've seen plenty of large sized (30"+) albinos, marbled albino, and marbled (yellow with black eyes) in Asia floating around, those guys look real nice. Personally, I have not seen a true golden gator gar yet (Xanthic).
I would avoid the ones that look like the last photo you shared which partially looks normal.
The Florida gar morphs are the ones you should be concerned about (platinum and albino generally stable). Even some wild caught morph for the Florida gars are not stable including the xanthic ones and "melanistic" ones. My friend caught an xanthic Florida gar in the wild and two years later in captivity, it morphed back to a completely regular looking Florida gar with spots.

 

[Hao]

From what I've seen, the alligator gar morphs are pretty stable. Especially the platinums. I've seen plenty of large sized (30"+) albinos, marbled albino, and marbled (yellow with black eyes) in Asia floating around, those guys look real nice. Personally, I have not seen a true golden gator gar yet (Xanthic).
I would avoid the ones that look like the last photo you shared which partially looks normal.
The Florida gar morphs are the ones you should be concerned about (platinum and albino generally stable). Even some wild caught morph for the Florida gars are not stable including the xanthic ones and "melanistic" ones. My friend caught an xanthic Florida gar in the wild and two years later in captivity, it morphed back to a completely regular looking Florida gar with spots.

Some example of large Marbled (black eye), marbled albino and albino. I couldn’t remember who else had large ones.




and here is the wild caught xanthic from Florida Everglades that my friend had. Yes both photos are the same fish.

 

[M3AN ONE]

With how it reverted I wonder if that color morph is the bi product of Sun light exposure, diet or water hardness/PH. I am never buying a color morphed Florida gar knowing this could happen.

 

[Polypterus_36]

Here's a very interesting video of an alligator gar morph farm to help with your research:
(223) Gar Fish. - YouTube
I find that platinum and albino Florida gars (especially red eye) are very stable in color. I feel comfortable in buying them. Xanthic with full black eye and "melanistic" I've seen turn back to normal. Also note that majority of "melanistic" gars being sold are just blind. They turn dark when they can't see.

***Also the second photo that OP posted of the white gar with black tails are tropical gar and not alligator gar. Platinum tropicals exhibit this black tail trait unless there are full white ones that I am unaware of.

 

[phreeflow]

This is lame. Can’t believe all the trickery in the fish industry with UV lights and such. I remember all the hormoned discus back in the day when they’d pump them with testosterone to make them bright blue at just 2 inches. Or vendors that stick arapaima in white tanks with uv lights full blast 24 hours to turn them “golden.” Screw that…

 

[bannedmfk]

Wow very ncie gars !