does anybody breed pearlscales?

[orandablue]

Was wondering if any of you ranchu nuts have any pearl exp.? I want to mix a blue oranda with my new pearl. I want a blue pearl...some of the blue phoenix thread seemed to fit the bill....on colors but what about the pearls??recessive??what do they do? Can i mix the blue oranda and eventually get the pearls ? The crown pearl i picked is mostly black and white with one orange spot so it would be calico to blue. Is this worth trying?? p.s. wish i could aford a ranchu habit.

[Cincy Ranchu]

First

Tedster on this page has been breeding pearlscale forever.

I have seen blue pearlscales when I was in Maui 10years ago, at a local pet shop. Nice fish, you might ask Harris or Steve.:exact:

I have made crosses between pearlscales and other fishes and the results are sometimes really cool in the first generation. I suggest you take that ride.
You can get pearls in the F-1, but Probably have to wait until the F-2 by crossing back to a pearlscale.

[johnatoranchu]

I basically agree with Gary. Like so many goldfish genes the pearscale characteristic appears to be neither dominant nor recessive but a mixture of both. This year I crossed a black mock metallic Moor with a calico Pearlscale as I want to find out if the mock metallic gene could influence the blue and black colours in the calico Pearl. I was surprised to find fish with pearl scales, pearlscales' body shape and "complete" Pearlscales (that is a Pearlscale's body shape AND pearl scales) in the F1's. The pearls are fading as the fish age but the body shape remains. As all the fish should carry the mock metallic gene (the mock metallic gene SEEMS to be normal recessive), a sibling cross next year should (on paper at least) provide me with pseudo matt Pearlscales. In reality of course, I could produce every combination from normal Moors through to normal calico Pearlscales plus of course hundreds of non-descripts; it is this total uncertainty which makes experimental breeding both frustrating and exciting. As you won't know which metallic colour your calico Pearlscale is masking (probably red) it could take several generations to achieve your objective. Good luck - keep us posted.
John

[orandablue]

Did the pearl/moore get the moore eyes? This does sound like a super fun mix. I love pulling out those "hidden" genes, mostly(flash back to flipped gills from ryukin) Thanks for info, with the rain i am pondering if i can get a spawn in this late!? I am not sure if the pearl is ready but my blue oranda just got some bumps! I was thinking of another direction with a calico telescope or panda moore and trying for the eyes and smaller body shape.

[johnatoranchu]

No "eyes" in the F1.
John

[harzan]

I personally have not seen a blue pearl scale in Hawaii yet, but have only seen pics on the web. As John and Gary know, I think anything blue is COOL. Let us know how it works out...I will probably would like to trade for a few! :exact::exact::exact::exact:

[bwleung]

Hi Harris,

Looks like you a blue fan (or nut) like myself.

FYI: Yesterday, in a retailer's tank of supposedly panda telescopes, was about 5 or 6 blue metallic telecopes (the Tommy dark blue types), most were butterfly tails, however, two of them were veil-tails. They were all about 1.5-2 inches including tails max.

They were expensive and overseas imports, which are delicate compared to Australian bred specimens. Furthermore, veiltails are born with a 'weak' stamp on their name, I gave them a pass. Shape and finnage are good on them, even if not show specimens, but at such a young age, there's room for improvement.

Best,

Bill

[harzan]

This post actually got me going to look up blue pearl scales on utube....look them up! very nice ...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or3o3Z3c_sY&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQWPLzXQmT8&feature=channel

[Veil Gal]

Looks like several of these pearlscale have turned operculum. A few listers were discussing this problem recently on this site-- but for some people, it probably is not a big deal?

[bekko]

Pearlscales have that pointed little head similar to a ryukin or tosakin. For whatever the reason, all three of these varieties seem prone to curled gill opercula. On the roundest of pearls, the gill operculum has no choice but to curl because the body is constantly pushing it out.

The rounded body comes part-and-parcel with the domed scale and it is very unusual to find the rounded body shape without the domed scales. However, not all rounded bodies are created equal. Some are shaped like golf balls while others are less round and more elongated.. shaped more like footballs. When two good pearlscales are mated, many of the offspring will be less rounded and more elongated. This body shape makes for a stronger fish which lives longer and is less prone to swim bladder issues. But, they are almost impossible to sell or give away so most are discarded early.

If you cross a pearlscale to another variety, I think you will find that the gene(s) for the domed scales is fairly strong and plenty of the offspring will be pearlscale with somewhat rounded bodies. However, very few, if any, of the offspring will have that super-round shape where the body is about as wide as it is long. That characteristic is easily lost. My guess is that it will take a few generations to get the golf ball body shape in a new color.

If it was easy to do, then someone would have already done it.

-steve

[orandablue]

They look real pearlescent and still have the rounded scale. I guess they are very "shiny". They look light blue not so dark like the blue pearl i just noticed on Goldfish Connection banner! I kinda like the super shiny round ball o fish. I might just have to go for it with the blue oranda. I dont know how THAT wen situation will work out. could be a disaster?? And the different skull shapes!!! Will big skulled oranda and little tiku skull equal medium head???>:)

[thomasn]

I hand spawned an old "football" type pearlscale with a ping pong type, too early to tell what they would look like. I hope they can have the super round shape body with longer caudal peduncle so they can swim better.

I had a pearlscale with an oranda type wen; it looked like a long body oranda with pearlscales.

[orandablue]

not sure what a football pearl is? Gotta figure out how to post pics. What do you think about a dorsal-less pearlscale! Has it been done?? Could it swim?