STRAINS OF HIFIN ALBINO SWORDTAILS
Click on photos for descriptions

1- Hi-fin pineapple albino swordtails

In 2006, I obtained this strain of splendid hi-fin pineapple albino from one of the best hobbyist breeder of fancy Xiphophorus in the U.S.A: Darrell E. Mefford from KY.  Over time, I have perfected it by working on fixing the pineapple pattern (orange saddle with metallic white body and head) as well as developing the hi-fin dorsal by out-crossing to red “sailfin” albino.  The result is a very developed hi-fin and a stunningly colored fish.  Not bad for an old classic strain of swordtails.

Body: White to metallic – orange saddle
Caudal: orange
Dorsal:  orange
Eyes: albino

2- Hi-fin red albino swordtails (also known as “Viennese” in Europe)

In early 2008, I acquired a trio of amazing “sailfin” blood red albino from an US importer. Those spectacular specimens were directly imported from China and very pricy.  In the past, I have developed specimen with large hi-fin dorsal, but nothing like the ones displayed by that “sailfin” strain.  This strain of hi-fin swordtails possessed the hi-fin modifier gene which allows for wide and large dorsal fin developments.  Luckily enough, I was able to obtain a couple of drops from those splendid specimens, and since then have religiously been maintaining the strain.

Body: blood red to red
Caudal: blood red to red
Dorsal: blood red to red
Eyes: albino

3 - Hi-fin orange swordtails

An offshoot from the red albino, I also breed it as its own strain.

Body: orange
Caudal: orange
Dorsal: orange
Eyes: albino

4 - Hi-fin red coral swordtails

The cross between black-eyed red tuxedo and red albino swords results in the famous "red coral" albino strain. As far as I know, it's an old stain created in Hawaii in the 60's by Franklyn Lau.  In late 2011, I re-created and maintained this strain by crossing back to red albino every other generation.

Body: blood red to orange with black marking bands
Caudal: blood red to orange
Dorsal: blood red to orange
Eyes: albino

5- Hi-fin Chocolate albino swordtails (AKA white tuxedo albino)

Back in 2011, the idea was to cross a Hamburg to a white albino, and line breed for at least four generations.  It resulted in a strain that is almost fixed by now; meaning producing white tuxedo albino offspring.  Note that this line does produce specimens with melanoma.  I avoid using subjects prone to melanoma as breeders, yet from my personal experience those kind of fancy Xiphophorus strains are always sensitive to melanoma growth. From far the most challenging cultivated strain to maintain.

Body: white to gold with black to brown metallic shine
Caudal: white to gold - black spotted 
Dorsal: white to gold 
Eyes: albino

6- Hi-fin white albino swordtails

In 2011, this color morph showed up in my pineapple strain.  Since then I have been able to breed it true.

Body: white 
Caudal: transparent
Dorsal: transparent 
Eyes: albino

7- Hi-fin gold albino swordtails

Like the white albino, this color morph also showed up in my pineapple strain. It has been isolated and line-bred as well.  Note the yellow coloration on the head of some specimens, a color pattern that shows up quite often in this gold strain. 

Body: gold
Caudal: transparent
Dorsal: transparent 
Eyes: albino

8- Hi-fin koi albino swordtails

Mrs. Rosario Arijon from Uruguay developed bi-color albino morph around the late 90's.  In early 2000's, Mrs. Arijon's articles were published in TFH magazine, relating her experience with that color morph that will become to be known as "koi albino" in the hobby.  By 2010, as I didn't have any albino koi at the time, I first crossed a regular-eyed koi with a hifin orange albino in order to create an hifin albino koi strain  The albino gene (i) being recessive, I then proceeded to cross the offspring back together for 2 generations.  Since then, this strain has constantly been producing red cap specimens with milky white body color. 

Body: white with red/orange koi pattern
Caudal: transparent
Dorsal: transparent 
Eyes: albino