Marlboro Red
Symphysodon sp.
Description
The Marlboro Red impresses with its uniform and intense orange-red coloration across its body, with minimal visible peppering. It is extremely popular worldwide.
🌍 Origin & History
This variety is derived from Pigeon Blood through intensive selection for a more intense red-orange hue. It originated in Thai and Malaysian fish farms during the 1990s and 2000s. The name comes from the colors of the Marlboro cigarette brand (red-orange on a white background).
Appearance
The body is completely covered with an intense, uniform red-orange color. It has no vertical bars. Black peppering is minimal or absent (in high-quality specimens). The eyes are intensely red. The fins have orange hues with thin edges. The body is round, symmetrical, and has a 'solid' appearance with a uniform color.
🧬 Genetic background
Directly derived from Pigeon Blood through selective crossings with Red Melon specimens or other lines of intense red. It inherits the dominant Pigeon Blood gene. Black peppering has been minimized through generations of selection. The genetic base includes Pigeon Blood × Red Melon × selection for intense red background.
Recommended water parameters
Care
Feed with carotenoid-rich foods (krill, astaxanthin) to maintain the intensity of the red color.
Breeding
Easy to reproduce. Offspring inherit the dominant PB gene.
💡 Practical tips
- →Krill and brine shrimp with astaxanthin enhance natural redness
- →Avoid crossing with striped varieties to maintain solid color
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