Author Topic: Shubunkin terminology  (Read 5099 times)

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Offline Bearb

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Shubunkin terminology
« on: June 23, 2010, 09:44:21 AM »
I have a few (poorly formed) questions about some terms I have read referring to shubunkins. I have seen terms like matte, pinky matte, nacreous, and others that are escaping me at the moment. I would also like to see pictures or a true description of the midnight blue shubunkin. I don't know enough about shubunkins to truly understand the terms.

I have several subbies in my pond and last year I only got one shubunkin baby. I am now questioning if it should truly be considered shubunkin or one of these other terms. Almost the entire fish is a dull (not shiny) transparent looking powder blue. It has some black speck and one eye is surrounded by a dark black/blue spot and there is a tiny section of orange  and black on the tail. Is this a matte or a pinkie? This year I am seeing flashes of small baby multicolored fish. I have not yet gotten a good look at most of them. The few I have seen look different from the adult shubbies I have (which were picked mostly for the large amount of blue). Some look like sarassas inasmcuh as they are mostly orange and white(ish) but there are some dark spots; unlike sarassas, the color (for lack of a better word) "texture" is different. The difference is difficult to describe. . . the color of the sarassas seems to be on the surface while the color on these fish appears somehow deeper. Almost like there is a clear coat (not glossy) over the colors. Does any of this make sense?
Bryan

Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2010, 07:09:07 PM »
Midnight blue shubunkins (sometimes called midnight shubunkins) are very rare.  Only one commercial breeder worldwide, usually only 20,000-40,000 for sale each year.  I have over 15, bought most directly from the breeder (1 hr roadtrip). 

A mbs has sky blue, white and black, alot have a cream colored head, no orange or red.  The black is permanent, unlike most comet babies that have black/dark brown the first year or so.

Shubunkins are multi-colored, alot have some steel blue, orange, black, red (not so much white.

Left of pic, 3rd fish down is a midnight blue shubunkin.  So, is large fish in center, but not a great color scheme. 
« Last Edit: June 23, 2010, 07:17:03 PM by Reedman »
Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline tootsie

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2010, 02:22:01 PM »

Very pretty fishes Reedman O0 o(








Offline Bearb

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2010, 02:31:22 PM »
Thanks Reedman. Nice looking fish.

My fish in question looks similar to the top left fish (facing left) what would that one be considered? I have also seen fish described as shubunkin that have a good deal of white on them (and some in your photos too) are they not shubunkin (you say not so much white)?
Bryan

Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2010, 07:21:21 PM »
Tootsie - thanks!  I gave away all of my plain orange comets over the last few years - only wanted sarassa comets and shubunkins.  Now I give away the mutts from each year's spawns and only keep the nice looking fry.

Bearb - Top left fish is actually a midnight blue shubunkin but has alot(!) of white.  Might have had one of my white comets as a parent and a midnight as the other.  I'm pretty sure I didn't buy that one since I haven't bought any for three years.

Some pics of my original midnights (they have a very distinctive look, not like regular shubunkins):


« Last Edit: June 24, 2010, 07:45:07 PM by Reedman »
Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2010, 07:43:01 PM »
More pics that have some of my original midnight shubunkins:

Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2010, 07:45:43 PM »
And more pics:

Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline Bearb

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2010, 06:52:38 AM »
So a mostly red and white fish with transparent scales is not a sarassa but a shubunkin with undesirable coloring?
Bryan

Offline Ichthius

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2010, 12:29:42 PM »
« Last Edit: October 21, 2011, 11:36:54 AM by Ichthius »

Offline Pa Nancy

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2010, 07:53:54 PM »
DANG!!! Reedman, your Midnights are HUGE!!!  I remember some of your older pics there. I miss my Midnights.  :( Wished I could get some more. A dang Bullfrog ate my last one. I literally tore my pond apart at midnight one night because I saw him in my pond. ( it's little) I chased him around till I got both him and his buddy and took them for a ride to a near by creek. I had bullfrogs in the ponds for years and they NEVER bothered a fish till that year. It just HAD to get the Midnight, not the dozen or so of comets that were there.  >:(-

Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2010, 01:31:18 PM »
PA Nancy,

Some of my midnight shubunks are a foot long - have had them 4-5 years.  I haven't bought any new ones for several years.  Maybe next spring I'll make a roadtrip to MD and buy some more.   {:-P;;

I think I have a few midnight shubunkins in this year's fry I'm growin out in stock tanks.  Can't tell since the water has been pea soup all summer.

If Jeannette HS makes the state football playoffs this year and they are in Hershey, stop by and I'll give one to you again!
Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline tracey_shafer

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2010, 11:23:51 AM »
I love your Midnights!

Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2010, 02:56:10 PM »
thanks tracey!  Might have to save up & buy some more this spring.
Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline tracey_shafer

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2010, 09:45:16 PM »
You should just build them a pond of their own & breed them yourself, they spawn just like goldfish! LOL Then I would have to have you come by me with some.

Offline Reedman

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #14 on: September 11, 2010, 09:10:36 AM »
tracey,

I thought about just having midnight shubunkins, breed them and make some $!!

Unfortunately, midnight shubunkins spawning with only midnight shubunkins don't produce all midnight shubunkins. 

I talked extensively with the breeder during my several visits.  He explained that have to do extensive culling each year and only produce 20,000-50,000 that they can sell as midnight shubunkins.  Whenever I bought them, I had to look at about ten fish to find one that I liked (no/little orange). 

In the early spring I float large plastic hornwort plants in the shallow end of the pond. I usually see when they are spawning in the morning when I walk by to my car.  Then, I pull out those plants and float them in two 100-gallon stock tanks.  Each year I get several hundred fry.  Only ever get 1-2 midnights each year from that many fry.

My first few batches of fish I bought were the nicest.  They all died years ago during a particularly bad parasite attack (lost 2/3 of my fish then).  It was early spring, water thick pea soup - didn't even know the fish were dying (laying on the bottom).  Improved my filter system and now I never get an algae bloom.

The local petstore (very large store, not a chain) a mile away had some that a local guy was selling to them.  They were selling them as regular shubunkins.  Bought up every one they had at $7 each for 5" fish - cost from breeder would have been over $25 each!   But, that local petstore closed two years ago.   :'(   
Reedman

1300 gallon pond - midnight & regular shubunkins/sarassa comets/white comets/rosy red minnows.






Offline tracey_shafer

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Re: Shubunkin terminology
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2010, 12:42:37 PM »
It is very much like that with breeding the wakins! The Red/whites you get many reds esp. in the spring when they are breeding the most & the temps are colder. (color is related to temps) The blue/blacks you get many black & whites but the cool think about the pure whites is that they develop sumi & are always changing. Very nice fish to suprize you! And then the many single tails they throw, culls!
Its too bad you did get the name of the guy by you from the pet store before it closed, so many of our good ind. pet stores are being run out of business by the big chain pet stores.

 

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