Platnium rtc tank color and advice for keeping them bright?

[dragonfish1ca]

I just got a new platnium rtc and now ive got questions....
Ive heard tales of dark substrate making them darker... ive seen alot of platnium gars with black sand and i really do love it. or some foods causing a yellow or tanned kind of color?
Should they be kept in a darker tank or can i have big lights on for some of the day?
Thanks in advan

 

[Scottymac22]

Honestly with the platty RTC's I don't see substrate making a difference. RTC's in generally don't seem to change color much based on substrate. My alligator gar will go near black on black substrate, and very light grey on pool filter sand, however my platty alligator gar doesn't change at all on different substrate, still pure white. My Platinum RTC is on pure black substrate and still very light colored.

As far as food, I feed mainly sinking carnivore pellets, tilapia, krill, shrimp, salmon, etc and haven't seen any correlation(at least nothing noticable) with any different food types. Although I'm sure a heavy krill based diet I could see it making the caudal fin more colored up.

 

[Matteus]

Nice pick up.

Where in Ab are you from?

 

[ReApEr666]

Being Xanthic mutations and not truely platinums/leucistic there pigment is always subject to change regardless of substrate/enviornment. They seem to get more dark pigment along the back and skull region as they mature/grow. No way to control genetics with tank colors.

 

[Scottymac22]

Being Xanthic mutations and not truely platinums/leucistic there pigment is always subject to change regardless of substrate/enviornment. They seem to get more dark pigment along the back and skull region as they mature/grow. No way to control genetics with tank colors.

How do you figure they are xanthic when there's no evidence of xanthophores being the predominant chromatophore

 

[ReApEr666]

How do you figure they are xanthic when there's no evidence of xanthophores being the predominant chromatophore

Theres pigment on them...predominatly gold. Doesnt show as much when there 6-8" but its still there... id call them 24k gold before i ever called one "platinum". Platinum is just a marketing term in this case to fetch more $$$$... These fish go for $250 or less now because they are not leucistic. If u see one in person its very clear they are gold base and a prime example of the Xanthic mutation.... There are no "grades" either thats just another bs marketing term... its all the same mutation. Im not the only 1 to point this out.

 

[ReApEr666]

How do you figure they are xanthic when there's no evidence of xanthophores being the predominant chromatophore

Didnt realise u do have one lol... itell get more gold as it puts on size for u. Not trying to be the bearer of bad news or anything just stating the facts of this morph in particular. honestly i prefer the extreme gold shimmer. the back skull area is absolutly beautiful as they age like a gold velvet.

 

[Scottymac22]

Theres pigment on them...predominatly gold. Doesnt show as much when there 6-8" but its still there... id call them 24k gold before i ever called one "platinum". Platinum is just a marketing term in this case to fetch more $$$$... These fish go for $250 or less now because they are not leucistic. If u see one in person its very clear they are gold base and a prime example of the Xanthic mutation.... There are no "grades" either thats just another bs marketing term... its all the same mutation. Im not the only 1 to point this out.

View attachment 1366877

Even by that particular definition, it states it's often associated with the replacement of red pigments(erythrophores) with yellow pigments. However platinum RTC's will generally still retain a red tail, sometimes very well defined. Not to mention whether they have some xanthaphores, they still have a much higher concentration of leucophores, meaning that they are still predominately considered a leucistic animal. Look at a platinum gar vs a xanthic gar. One is predominantly white, and one is obviously very yellow.

 

[ReApEr666]

Even by that particular definition, it states it's often associated with the replacement of red pigments(erythrophores) with yellow pigments. However platinum RTC's will generally still retain a red tail, sometimes very well defined. Not to mention whether they have some xanthaphores, they still have a much higher concentration of leucophores, meaning that they are still predominately considered a leucistic animal. Look at a platinum gar vs a xanthic gar. One is predominantly white, and one is obviously very yellow.View attachment 1366882

ill agree with u in that they may possess both "phores"... i do not agree in that they are mostly leucistic tho... ur own specimen would not have that black/pigmented top fin already if leucisim was stronger. If u read the definition i posted it states red is usually replaced with gold.... usually is used lightly in my opinion as is the case with these rtc morphs... ill do some digging and get u a pic of my specimen thats whiter at 6" than urs and just as gold/yellow as that gar pic u posted now at 2'..... look at any "platinum" rtc at 20"+...they more closely resemble what we know as "golden gar"... then a platinum gator.... 2 clear and diff. mutations... i do like ur gar example/comparison...good one in this case.

 

[ReApEr666]

i know u gotta agree this last pic is pretty spot on to the gar pic u posted for gold/xanthic... my pic was in almost natural lighting... sun was good that day for me to get an accurate representation of the rtc morph.... lighting plays a big role in making them look more white... hence the op's concern for them changing colors or "staying white" also.