Lame Medaka Varieties Guide — Tricolor, Red-White & Miyuki Lame

Lame (glitter-scale) medaka are varieties with sparkling scales caused by mutations in iridophores, driving the recent medaka boom in popularity. Swimming in sunlight, lame medaka shine like jewels and are particularly stunning viewed from above. This article covers major lame varieties and keeping tips.

What Is Lame?

Lame refers to the glittering luster on medaka scales. Mutated and enlarged iridophores in the scales strongly reflect light. Colors include silver, gold, blue, green, and multicolor. Fish with full-body lame coverage ("full body lame") are especially prized. Quality distinctions include grain lame (fine particles) and block lame (larger patches).

Popular Lame Varieties

Tricolor Lame (red, white, black + lame): Koi-like three-color pattern with added sparkle. Well-balanced coloring with heavy lame is highly valued. Each fish has a unique pattern.

Red-White Lame: Two-color pattern with lame. Clean color boundaries are preferred. Evokes traditional Japanese beauty similar to goldfish Sarasa patterns.

Miyuki Lame: Combines the metallic back shine of Miyuki medaka with lame. Full-body shine plus full-body lame creates overwhelming presence.

Sapphire Lame: Blue-purple lame scattered on a black body, resembling stars in a night sky. Best displayed in dark containers.

Yozakura Lame: Semi-transparent aurora-type scales with purple-pink coloring and lame. The combination of translucent body color and sparkling lame is uniquely beautiful.

Selecting Quality Fish

Check for lame quantity (more is better, though young fish may develop more with age), lame uniformity (even distribution preferred), body shape (avoid curved spines or emaciation), and for tricolor varieties, balanced color distribution.

Keeping Tips

Dark containers bring out lame best through protective coloration contrast. Natural sunlight creates lame brilliance that artificial lighting cannot replicate — outdoor keeping maximizes their beauty. Standard medaka water parameters work fine. When breeding, pair heavy-lame individuals for the best chance of lame-rich offspring.