Stipulations for 'Royal' Green Terrors?

[Cohazard]

So, what are the exact characteristics that differentiate 'Royal' saums from regular old saums?

I know they're quality is supposed to be high, so of course their color is better, but I think it's more detailed than that.

Here's what I feel makes up a 'Royal' saum:

-thick saums (whether it's gold or silver)

-vibrant color of the pectoral fins (yellow to orange/red)

-color around the face, a sort of base color to their irridescent face pattern

-purples edging to the scales on the forehead

-some color towards the back of the dorsal (base color below the irridescent pattern, and between the rays, should match the extra color of the face i.e. yellow/orange)



Are there any owners of Royal GT's? Post some pics? Share what you think defines royal GT.

 

[greenterra]

Royal GT? Just another marketing gimmick IMO.Show me evidence to prove it as a different strain please as I have never seen it.If a Royal GT is just a top quality Gold Saum then it is just that,a top quality gold saum.No need for the "royal" to go with the name.Just my 2cents.

 

[JCA]

my avatar is my old one. it was a higher quality than any other gold saum i have ever seen in real life

 

[Cohazard]

Show me evidence to prove it as a different strain please as I have never seen it.

I agree with you that there is no need for the term 'royal' just to establish it as a high quality specimen, but it is a nice bonus when you find a really nice one to call it a 'royal' lol, but it could and probably is abused by fish sellers as a gimmick term to sell fish.

The reason I want to talk about specific stipulations with others is to make it more than a gimmick.

In the photos below, look for the characteristics I listed in the original post of this thread... see what I'm talking about? One other think I just noticed while linking these pics is the difference in size of the irridescent striations on the fins. The royal seems to have longer striations, while the average gt has shorter compact irridescent patterns.

Average quality GT (Tango374's photo):

What I feel is a 'Royal' Saum (decoder's photo):

 

[santoury]

I'll have to side with the others on this one - they're all "just" green terrors - it's up to each of us to pick out the one we really like, and there definitely are prettier ones than others - but that's true for any other fish.
For instance, a store could put "Royal Convict" on a particularly vibrant female...

 

[greenterra]

I'll have to side with the others on this one - they're all "just" green terrors - it's up to each of us to pick out the one we really like, and there definitely are prettier ones than others - but that's true for any other fish.
For instance, a store could put "Royal Convict" on a particularly vibrant female...

That is exactly right.If it was a new strain or colour morph ,a different name would be granted.But that is not the case.Still a Saum, be it gold or silver.

 

[balton777]

For instance, a store could put "Royal Convict" on a particularly vibrant female...

now that's comedy....and what's even more so is that I'll probably actually see that somewhere now.

..and the special of the day are the 'royal ghost shrimp'..they're really high quality. hahhhahaha

 

[iraengr]

i bought some "real" aequidens rivulatus from Rapps - they were a "royal" pain in the ass...

 

[Cohazard]

Okay then, what determines a seperate strain? The term obviously isn't being used to label a color morph, so what are the criterion that establish a valid and seperate strain?

I don't understand why there seems to be some mild bias towards giving high quality specimens a nickname, as long as the hobbyist is smart enough to tell when it's being used as a gimmick, and when it's true.

Honestly, if the LFS were charging me a couple bucks more because the saums were truly better than the average GT (meets the stipulations above) then I'd gladly pay it. Like I said, I was looking for some that matched what I was seeing in our GT/gold saum/white saum pic thread.

The two juvies I bought weren't being sold as 'royals' just regular Green Terror, and cheap too: $4.99, but they match the description of what I feel is an above average GT. That's all.

 

[greenterra]

Okay then, what determines a seperate strain? The term obviously isn't being used to label a color morph, so what are the criterion that establish a valid and seperate strain?

To be a different strain,there would have to be some genitic difference and there is not.

I don't understand why there seems to be some mild bias towards giving high quality specimens a nickname, as long as the hobbyist is smart enough to tell when it's being used as a gimmick, and when it's true.

Why.You could take 2 Royal Gts as you call them.Great quality fish when you bought them.Breed them.Not all of them will be anywhere near the quality of the parents.A lot will be quite ordinary.Do we still call them Royal GT's?There are just great specimens,normal specimens and below average specimens.

Honestly, if the LFS were charging me a couple bucks more because the saums were truly better than the average GT (meets the stipulations above) then I'd gladly pay it. Like I said, I was looking for some that matched what I was seeing in our GT/gold saum/white saum pic thread.
The two juvies I bought weren't being sold as 'royals' just regular Green Terror, and cheap too: $4.99, but they match the description of what I feel is an above average GT. That's all.

If they don't add up to what you are looking for.Don't buy those particular specimens.Hold off untill you find some that you are happy with.Another trick.With juvies,don't buy any if the store only has a few of them.Chances are all the good ones from that order have allready been sold and you are just purchasing the smaller left over,lower grade sub-dominant fish.Try to buy when they just get the new batch,more to pick from IMO.