UNDERSTANDING PATTERN TYPES

ALL PATTERN TYPES ARE JUST VARIATIONS OF A PHENOTYPIC PARADIGM.
Thinking pattern types are random or guaranteed will do nothing more than set you back in your understanding of morphs and pattern manipulation.

Whether its the quintessential pattern so recognizable as on this sumatran. 

Or the amazing chaos of these philippine.

Its the same thing, just expressed in different proportions of back pattern, side pattern and color spectrum. 


In my opinion the sumatran and philippines are perfect in their own way.  It would be every hard to improve them.
The polygenic traits lined up about as perfectly as they could to make completely different looking retics, that look amazing in their own way. 

The classic look of the sumatran and the aberrant look of the philippines created by different traits.  One created symmetry with low side banding and low outlining.  The other created asymmetrical back pattern with high outlining and more side banding.

The a variation of the same structure can be seen here in this kayuadi with its back diamonds that sits up high on the back but spread out.
 

Verses this gebe island that has back diamonds that sit high on the back, but are offset and interlocking with thicker black

Rounded longer back diamonds with thin black on this bangka island

creates a look completely opposite to this sanana island, with its sharp offset high diamond count with thick black. and less outlining and side banding.

As different as they are its still the same basic structure.

This is the fundamentals of pattern manipulation.

Its the same pattern in every case.  But it can be changed to such a degree, that it no longer looks like you're dealing with the same set of underlying genetic blueprints.

Once you can wrap your head around this you are on your way to making exponentially better looking retics.

Lets ask a few question and then look at some examples

Whats would a retic, with an interlocking back pattern, medium outlining and low side banding with an over all lighter color spectrum, look like. 

Think about it before you look at the pic and try to picture it in your head.



Well a retic with those traits would look like this ambon island

If we keep the interlocking back pattern but add a lot of outlining and side banding with darker colors you get a retic like this halmahera island

Once you can start to visualize in your head what different kinds of pattern and colors there are, and how they manipulate the over all look of a retic, you can anticipate how the offspring of breedings will look before you make them.  

When you get to that point, you will also be able to avoid doing breedings that will produce stuff that looks like shit.  Because you know what the outcome will be before you do it.

Im sure youve seen me running my mouth about how a breeding im doing is going to create insane looking whatever.
And im always right.    If you ever wondered how i always manage to be right.  Well the information in this blog is how. 

Im able to anticipate outcomes of breeding be understanding how different polygenic traits will effect each other and morphs.

Thats how i knew i was going to make insane marbles, platinums, tigers, phantoms, and so on before i did it.

Its how i know the philippine suntigers in my incubator right now are going to be amazing.  Alot of people will say, of course they will look amazing.   But can they explain how they are going to look?   I can.  Some will be striped out a little with a massive amount of side banding.  Some will have more of a chaotic back pattern with sharp edges.  The sunfire colors will be different of other sunfires.  It will cause a lighter over all coloration.  Some that have enough space in between the rosettes will have a lighter silver or white coming from the belly, than you normally see on suntigers.  But only if the side banding is reduced enough to allow for it. Im hoping to get lucky on a couple and the phil back pattern pulls the rossettes up to the top and allows some space for some silver or white. its unlikely but possible.  If that doesnt happen you will see a side pattern similar to my ternate suntigers with different colors. 

This is the difference between me and other breeders.  I can explain how a philippine suntiger is going to look.  Thats alot different than simply saying they will look nice.

I got marbles in the incubator that should have aberrant back patterns with the widest color spectrum of any marbles ever produced.  I will definitely have the wide color spectrum but i need some other genes to line up to get aberrant back pattern with the color.  


Learn to mix traits.   Start looking at traits and asking what the results will be if they are combined.  Will they enhance each other or will they cancel each other out.

So whether you like a super clean look with that reddish color spectrum like this sula

Or the dark thick black aberrant pattern of this ternate

Maybe you prefer the classic yellow head look of this sumbawa

You're not going to be able to produce any of it by pissing in the wind and hoping for the best.

I hope this helped in showing some of the variation of different phenotype expression of the wild type look of retics.
If you want to make better looking morphs you need to start studying the way normals look.