# The difference between metallic and spread iridescence?



## creame172 (Jan 28, 2013)

Ive been looking around online and on the forums, but cant seem to find (or maybe just dont understand) the difference between Metallic, and Spread iridescence. I know metallic is not just copper, there are other metallics, right? does "metallic" just include them all? like iridescence is a metallic but a metallic is not always iridescence kind of thing?


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## caissacrowntails (Mar 10, 2013)

creame172 said:


> Ive been looking around online and on the forums, but cant seem to find (or maybe just dont understand) the difference between Metallic, and Spread iridescence. I know metallic is not just copper, there are other metallics, right? does "metallic" just include them all? like iridescence is a metallic but a metallic is not always iridescence kind of thing?


t

Terms are confusing sometimes LOL, but as far as I know, creame, metallic IS spread iridescence. I mean..for example..a blue betta with black head is iridescence...but a blue betta with "mask" (the blue spread to the head too ) is metallic ( spread iridescence ), someone please correct me if I'm wrong, since I'm quite lousy when it comes to terms..and lots lots of other things too LOL


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## creame172 (Jan 28, 2013)

caissacrowntails said:


> t
> 
> Terms are confusing sometimes LOL, but as far as I know, creame, metallic IS spread iridescence. I mean..for example..a blue betta with black head is iridescence...but a blue betta with "mask" (the blue spread to the head too ) is metallic ( spread iridescence ), someone please correct me if I'm wrong, since I'm quite lousy when it comes to terms..and lots lots of other things too LOL


iridescence is just color? any color?


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## indjo (Jun 6, 2010)

Metallic and Spread are two different genes. Metallic will give the color a shiny metallic look. It comes in various colors associated with irids like platinum and copper (steel blue background). Other color layers such as red and black seldom if ever combine well with metallic (you won't find a metallic pure red).

Spread is something that causes color pigments to cover the whole body (except head on regular colors), making the color/genes more intense. Spread can combine with all color layers; irid, black and red. So an individual can have both metallic and spread genes or only one of the two. Some colors need both to be present (not sure which colors)


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## creame172 (Jan 28, 2013)

indjo said:


> Metallic and Spread are two different genes. Metallic will give the color a shiny metallic look. It comes in various colors associated with irids like platinum and copper (steel blue background). Other color layers such as red and black seldom if ever combine well with metallic (you won't find a metallic pure red).
> 
> Spread is something that causes color pigments to cover the whole body (except head on regular colors), making the color/genes more intense. Spread can combine with all color layers; irid, black and red. So an individual can have both metallic and spread genes or only one of the two. Some colors need both to be present (not sure which colors)


oh ok.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

You know how wild splendens only have a few iridescent scales (shiny blue ones) on their bodies, spread iridescent takes those shiny scales and spreads them over the body giving you a blue fish.
Metallic affects the way the light hits the iridescent scales, eg a steel blue fish with 2 metallic genes will end up being a copper colour.


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## creame172 (Jan 28, 2013)

i think i am starting to get it


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