Black, the normal fish
The wild coloring: dark back, a pale band along the side, white underside from the mouth to the tail, and an orange-red tail and dorsal fin. Nearly every redtail you will see is this fish.
Platinum and phantom
The two white forms get mixed up all the time. The difference:
- Platinum White with a metallic sheen that it keeps for life. Develops black spots as it ages.
- Phantom Skin nearly transparent as a baby, not metallic white.
Prices reflect the rarity: from US sellers in 2026, platinums run roughly $295 to $1,400 and were mostly sold out, against $22 to $40 for a black juvenile.
Albino, and the eye test
A common rule of thumb says a white redtail with a dark eye is a platinum (leucistic) and one with a pink or red eye is a true albino. That is how leucism and albinism work in other fish. Ask for a clear photo of the eye; it costs nothing.
If you are paying morph prices
Ask for current photos in good light, from the side and from above, and a video of the fish swimming. Because names are loose, buy the fish in the pictures, not the word in the listing.