Pet Forum / Aquaria / Cichlids / August 2005

Yes, two albinos can produce 100% albino offspring.  However, there is
more than genetic defect that can produce the albino phenotype so the
two albino animals must have the same defective gene to produce albino
offspring.  The fertility and health of the albino animal depends on
which gene is nonfunctional and plenty of albinos are fertile.
Otherwise, how would we have pink-eyed white rabbits, rats, and mice,
and albino fish of many species in pet stores worldwide?

It is typical to take an albino animal and cross it to a normal animal
to produce normal looking heterozygous offspring (they have one
wild-type gene and one albino gene).  The heterozygotes will produce 25%
albinos when crossed, and those albinos will breed true.  This sort of
line breeding has been done most often in rodents and fish and is rather
easy.  I've done it with gold guppies (another recessive) for many years.

If both carry recessive genes, One would assume that the dominate side would
come from some  form of throwback.  You might also find that only the males
are Albino, and the females are normal, but carrying the  Albino genes and
being split to Albino.  Putting these splits back to a albino male, could
produce  the same . Male albino ,female split to Albino.  But like all
things, Its hypothetical.
 Of cause you could "line breed" for 5 generations to see what was hidden..
Interesting concept.
A bit like superannuation, you know it's there, but are having trouble
collecting  it.
                                                                  bassett