This list is non-exhaustive and new genes will continue to be added as the game grows!

This page hosts information and examples of each marking gene. Markings give your phony patterns and a lot of individual flair, and there's several ways that each gene can be expressed for plenty of freedom.

There are three layers of markings: Bottom, Middle and Top.

  • Bottom layer markings are often large, simplistic markings which other markings are layered on top of. Most of them can be soft or hard edged.
  • Middle layer markings are interesting patterns which go on top of the more simple markings. They are all hard edged.
  • Top layer markings are small detail-oriented markings which go on top of every other marking. They are all hard edged.

What does zygousness mean?

  • Heterozygous means you have one copy of the allele for the gene. This expresses in your phony's geno as one uppercase and one lowercase letter. (e.g. Bk, Cs, Re...) Heterozygous genes may or may not pass onto offspring, depending on the genotype of the other phony.
  • Homozygous means you have both copies of the allele for the gene. This expresses in your phony's geno as two uppercase letters. (e.g. BK, CS, RE...) Homozygous genes always pass onto the offspring. Homozygous genes also have more color freedom in the markings they produce than heterozygous ones.

Bottom Layer Markings

Blanket (Bk)

Blanket is a dominant gene which makes a marking on the back of the phony. This would include the spine, tops of legs, back of neck and top of head.

  • Can be hard or soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Bk) or multicolor if homozygous (BK)

This marking is affected by the tri-symmetry mutation. See more here.

#1 - Blanket covering a large area with a hard edge

#2 - Blanket covering a smaller area with a hard edge

#3 - Blanket with a soft edge

#4 - Homozygous blanket with a soft edge and multiple colors

Countershade (Cs)

Countershade is a dominant gene which makes a marking on the underside of the phony.

  • Can be hard or soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Cs) or multicolor if homozygous (CS)

This marking is affected by the tri-symmetry mutation. See more here.

#1 - Countershade covering a large area with a hard edge

#2 - Countershade covering a small area with a hard edge

#3 - Countershade with a soft edge

#4 - Homozygous countershade with a hard edge and multiple colors

Rear (Re)

Rear is a dominant gene which covers the behind of a phony to about halfway through the torso. Like a pair of pants!

  • Can be hard or soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Re) or two colored if homozygous (RE)

See here for examples of this marking on phonies with no distinct back end.

#1 - Rear with a hard edge

#2 - Rear with a soft edge

#3 - Rear covering a smaller area with a hard edge

#4 - Homozygous rear with a soft edge and multiple colors

Hood (Ho)

Hood is a dominant gene which covers the head of the phony and optionally the neck. This marking can be simple or more intricate.

  • Can be hard or soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Ho) or two colored if homozygous (HO)

#1 - Hood covering the maximum allowed area in a simple shape

#1 - Hood with a hard edge and maximum coverage

#2 - Hood with a soft edge

#3 - Hood covering a smaller area with a hard edge

#4 - Homozygous hood with a hard edge and multiple colors

Saddle (Sd)

Saddle is a dominant gene which covers the back of a phony similarly to blanket, except it includes a bar which wraps around the phony's belly.

  • Always hard edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Sd) or two colored if homozygous (SD)

#1 - Saddle covering a larger area

#2 - Saddle covering a smaller area with the bar closer to the rear

Blushed (Bl)

Blushed is a dominant gene which covers the extremities of a phony, such as the mouth or feet.

  • Always soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Bl) or two colored if homozygous (BL)

#1 - Blushed

#2 - Blushed

#3 - Blushed with less coverage

#4 - Homozygous blushed with multiple colors

Diffuse (Ds)

Diffuse is a dominant gene which creates large soft markings in any shape anywhere on the body. It should not mimic other baselayer markings.

  • Always soft edged
  • Single color if heterozygous (Ds) or two colored if homozygous (DS)

#1 - Diffuse creating soft dappling

#2 - Diffuse creating large soft patches

#3 - Homozygous diffuse with one soft broad layer and a more intricate ripply layer in a different color

#4 - Homozygous diffuse with multiple colors

Core (Co)

Core is a dominant gene which makes a spot or two on the sides of a phony.

  • Hard edged
  • Two colored, regardless of zygousness

#1 - Homozygous core making two spots of similar colors.

#2 - Heterozygous core creating a single spot of differing colors.


Middle Layer Markings

Lateral Stripe (Ls)

Lateral Stripe is a dominant gene that creates a stripe along the length of the phony. It can only be hard edged but it can be up to two colors if heterozygous (Ls) or up to four colors if homozygous (LS). Homozygous lateral stripe can be in two "chunks" as well.

  • #1 - Heterozygous lateral stripe in only one color and only one chunk.
  • #2 - Homozygous lateral stripe in two chunks and three colors.

Dorsal (Do)

Dorsal is a dominant gene that creates a hard edged marking that covers the spine. It also doesn't need to extend down the entire spine. Single color if heterozygous (Do) or two colored if homozygous (DO). Historically this marking has added toe markings, but as those are minimal markings now, you can add those even if you don't have dorsal.

This marking is affected by the tri-symmetry mutation. See more here.

#1 - Dorsal

#2 - Dorsal covering just to the neck

#3 - Homozygous dorsal with a gradient

#4 - Homozygous dorsal with a gradient, only covering after the neck

Socks (So)

Socks is a dominant gene that creates a hard edged marking that covers the feet and legs. It doesn't need to cover all feet, in fact it can only cover one or two of them, but it shouldn't be so small in size that it mimics minimal marking toetips. Heterozygous socks (So) must be a single color and homozygous socks (SO) may be two colors.

#1 - Long socks

#2 - Short socks

#3 - Homozygous socks, each with different colors

#4 - Homozygous socks with just one sock and a gradient in it

Koi (Ko)

Koi is a dominant gene that creates either two-toned splotches (If heterozygous - Ko) or tri-toned splotches (If homozygous - KO) anywhere on the phony's body. The blobs must be hard edged, but can be any color from the bank.

  • #1 - Heterozygous koi using two colors, one lighter than the base and one darker.
  • #2 - Homozygous koi using three colors.

Spots (Sp)

Spots is a dominant gene that creates circular markings. They must be single colored and hard edged. The spots can be of any frequency and size as long as they don't mimic other markings like stars, core or koi. Spots also cannot touch each other to create new shapes. Single color if heterozygous (Sp) or two colored if homozygous (SP)

#1 - Spots

#2 - Smaller and more infrequent spots

#3 - Larger spots

#4 - Homozygous spots with a gradient

Scales (Sc)

Scales is a dominant gene that creates scale shaped markings on the phony. They may mimic any type of scale as long as it doesn't look too much like another marking such as spots or paint. The scales can be anywhere on the body and in any size or color, but they must be hard edged. Homozygous scales (SC) may use two colors.

  • #1 - Scales mimicking that of a carp or arowana.
  • #2 - Scales mimicking scutes.

Paint (Pt)

Paint is a dominant gene that creates numerous small bean or oval shaped markings anywhere on the phony's body. They must be single colored and hard edged. Paint shouldn't look too much like spots (be too round) or scales (be too sharp), but not every single paint spot has to be perfectly bean shaped. Single color if heterozygous (Pt) or two colored if homozygous (PT)

  • #1 - Paint covering only the neck and side of the head.
  • #2 - Paint covering most of the body.

Rosettes (Ro)

Rosettes is a dominant gene that creates many intricate rosette-shaped markings anywhere on the phony's body. They can be mimicking some animal patterns like leopard spots or turing patterns, or they can be more abstract as long as they have a degree of complexity/intricacy/detail/wigglysquigglyness to them. Must be hard edged. Single color if heterozygous (Ro) or multicolored if homozygous (RO). Hom rosettes can fill in hollow spots with a different color if desired.

#1 - Rosettes, mimicking those of a leopard.

#2 - Rosettes, mimicking those of the turing patterns in many fish.

#3 - Homozygous rosettes, mimicking those of the clouded leopard with a "fill in" of a different color.

#4 - Homozygous rosettes with abstract "silly shapes", each in a different color.

Stripes (Sr)

Stripes is a dominant gene that creates many tapered lines which may point any direction. They can wrap around the legs, but on larger areas like the torso they cannot wrap around the entire body. (That's what linework is for!) The stripes must be hard edged. Single color if heterozygous (Sr) or two colored if homozygous (SR)

#1 - Stripes all over the body.

#2 - Stripes on only part of the body.

#3 - Homozygous stripes in different colors.

#4 - Homozygous stripes with a gradient.

Banded (Ba)

Banded is a dominant gene that creates large, broad bands that wrap around a phony. Must be hard edged. The bands don't have to be present everywhere on the phony, but there must be at least one band. Bands must be thick enough to not be mistaken for Linework. Single color if heterozygous (Ba) or multicolored if homozygous (BA)

#1 - Just one band

#2 - Bands all over

#3 - Homozygous banding in different colors. Try not to have the bands much thinner than this.

#4 - Homozygous banding with multiple colors inside the band

Linework (Lw)

Linework is a dominant gene that creates numerous thin lines that wrap around a phony completely. These lines must be hard edged, and cannot stop or taper off at any point. The lines can be curved or straight, and go at any angle. The lines should not cross over or touch. The spacing of the lines and their thicknesses do not need to be identical, but the lines should not be so thick to be mistaken for Banded. Single color if heterozygous (Lw) or multicolored if homozygous (LW)

This mutation was created as a merger between Horizontal Line (Hz), Vertical Line (Ve) and Free Line (Fl). Phonies having any of those three mutations will pass on Linework to offspring instead of the old line genes.

Phonies on the ML with Hz, Ve or Fl can request their genotype be updated to include Lw instead in the Import Modifications thread, and you can do the same for genotypes in the Geno Edits thread. Existing phonies can only get a visible redesign if they use an editor vial while updating the geno.

#1 - Linework with different angles.

#2 - Linework with differing thicknesses.

Chevron (Ch)

Chevron is a dominant gene that creates numerous lines which always converge along the phony's lateral line. They may be anywhere on the phony and may also change direction. The markings must be hard edged. Single color if heterozygous (Ch) or two colored if homozygous (CH)

  • #1 - Chevron covering the whole body.
  • #2 - Chevron only covering the head.

Broken Trail (Bt)

Broken Trail is a dominant gene that adds lines that go in any direction (not too dissimilar from Linework) and can vary in thickness and amount. The main point with this marking is that these lines must be interrupted in some way. This can be making the line dotted, adding cuts into the line, so on and so forth. Feel free to get creative with it! Hom BT can be two-toned. Like regular linework, the lines must wrap around the phony and do not stop or taper off anywhere.

#1 - Broken trail making dashed lines.

#2 - Broken trail making a lot of dashed lines.

#3 - Broken trail making lines with "bites" taken out of them.

#4 - Homozygous broken trail making lines with holes in them, with a gradient.

Kintsugi (Kt)

Kintsugi is a dominant gene that creates hard-edged crack-like markings. These cracks cannot stop mid-body and must either connect to another crack or wrap around. Heterozygous Kintsugi (Kt) must be single-colored but Homozygous Kintsugi (KT) can either have a two-toned gradient or a hard-edged lighter set of cracks on the inside.

This gene was designed by Glitchy55 in the 2024 Summer Event's Gene Contest.

#1 - Kintsugi.

#2 - Kintsugi with cracks of different thicknesses.

#3 - Homozygous kintsugi with a different colored set of cracks inside.

#4 - Homozygous kintsugi with a gradient.

Top Layer Markings

False Eye (Fe)

False eye is a dominant gene that creates an eye-like marking (circular, with a dot in the middle) using as many colors from the bank as desired. Heterozygous false eye (Fe) can create one eye on each side of the phony, while homozygous (FE) can create up to three per side.

  • #1 - Heterozygous false eye using four colors.
  • #2 - Homozygous false eye creating three eyes.

Stars (St)

Stars is a dominant marking that creates small, pinprick points on a phony which can either be circular or star shaped. They must be in random placements, and can be either lighter or darker than the base. They can be in various frequencies from occasional dots to dense freckles. Single color if heterozygous (St) or two colored if homozygous (ST)

#1 - Stars.

#2 - Stars in a darker color.

#3 - Star-shaped stars.

#4 - Homozygous stars in different colors.

Trail (Tr)

Trail is a dominant marking that creates a single-file line of dot markings which travel down the phony's lateral line. Heterozygous (Tr) trail can show one trail, while homozygous (TR) can show multiple trails of dots. Dots may also connect to form dashes. Single color if heterozygous (Tr) or two colored if homozygous (TR)

#1 - Trail.

#2 - Trail with dots of varying sizes.

#3 - Homozygous trail with multiple trails.

#4 - Homozygous trail with multiple trails and multiple colors.