Black
Blushing (Black Velvet)
Multiple Locus Phenotype
Non-wild
alleles that interact to form this phenotype:
Dark (D),
Stripeless
(S)

A black
blushing angelfish is a homozygous black (double dark) or a hybrid black
angelfish with two alleles for stripeless. The dark allele can be paired
with another dark allele, or with gold (g), gold marble (Gm), or marble
(M). The following genotypes will produce the black blushing phenotype:
D/D – S/S
D/g – S/S
D/Gm – S/S
D/M – S/S
Another
common name for this phenotype is “black velvet” because the coloration is
a smooth, velvety black. This fish is characterized by lack of any lace
pattern in the fins or tail. The underlying stripes that can be seen with
a bright light in D/D and D/g will not be present in D/D–S/S and D/g–S/S.
Subtle
differences can be seen between each of these genotypes. The double dark
black blushing will be darker black than the hybrid black blushing
angelfish. When the hybrid black blushing has either a gold marble or
marble allele paired with the dark allele, the underlying darker marbled
markings will still be visible under a bright light.
As a fry and
young juvenile, the angelfish will have a light gray coloration, and the
blushing in the gill area will be distinctly visible as a purplish
circular area. As the angelfish matures, the black pigment continues to
develop until the angelfish is a deep black color, including pigmentation
of the gill plates. The blushing is no longer visible in the adult. The
absence of lace pattern in the tail and fins, however, can be used to
identify the black blushing adult.




Approved by The Angelfish
Society Standards Committee on March 11, 2007.