Why orange fins?

[frozendog]

Why orange fins?

Does anyone know why some of the grassies and black and yellows have these orange fins? Just curious. Some of the fish that I catch do and some don’t. Is it a male/female thing? ?????

 

[Heretic]

Maybe it's the same reason why some lingcod are bright blue? Bile pigment or something.

 

[Ken Jones]

Good question but I don't have an answer. I checked my reference books and didn't see it mentioned. Perhaps a combination of the environment and food they are eating? I know that some of the black and yellow rockfish I have caught at Citizen's Dock in Crescent City appear to be developing similar color on their fins. Perhaps Milton Love at the Love Lab might have an answer?

Black and yellow caught at Casper (Mendocino County) by FireRidge).






A black and yellow taken at Citizens Dock — the fins appear to perhaps be starting to develop the orange coloring.

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[Ken Jones]

I contacted Milton Love and he replied — "That abnormal orange or yellow coloration is called xanthism. It is occasional in some, but not all, rockfish species. Black rockfish get it the most, not just on fins but also on the body. There is the occasional bocaccio or grass rockfish (one is in the Monterey Bay Aquarium) that is totally golden colored. The cause of this abnormality is unknown."