What is Het Leucistic (Fire) and Leucistic (Super Fire) in Crested Geckos?

Part 1 of our Morph Monday Series

Crested geckos continue to surprise enthusiasts with exciting new genetic developments. One of the most talked-about recent mutations is the Leucistic (also known as Fire or Super Fire) gene. Because this morph is still relatively new, there is significant confusion surrounding its names, appearance, and genetics. In this post, we aim to provide clear, accurate information to help breeders and keepers better understand it.

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Naming the Morph

This mutation goes by several names depending on the breeder and region:

• Some Korean breeders refer to it as Hypo and Super Hypo.

• Reptiles by Mack calls them Pinky and Mack Leucistic.

• Other breeders use Fire and Super Fire (or Blizzard).

• also sometimes Genetic Hypo and Super Genetic Hypo.

  
  

For consistency and clarity, we will refer to the heterozygous form as Het Leucistic and the homozygous form as Leucistic. Note that terms like “Het Fire” are not accurate and should be avoided.

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Visual Appearance

Het Leucistic animals can usually be visually identified, unlike some other morphs such as Het Axanthic. They often display a distinctive translucent quality with a matte or muted finish. Patterned individuals frequently show more yellow tones rather than the typical cream or white. As more combinations are produced, identifying hets by sight may become more challenging.

Proven Male Het Leucistic Imported from Korea

Leucistic geckos are striking and easy to recognize. They are almost entirely white, and very pale or translucent, with black eyes and minimal to no pattern. Their appearance has made them controversial within the hobby. With many comparing their look to raw chicken.

Leucistic Crested Gecko Juvenile

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Genetics and Inheritance

The Leucistic gene is incomplete dominant, similar to the Lilly White trait. This means the heterozygous (one-copy) and homozygous (two-copy) forms both have visible expressions, with the super form being more extreme.

Here are the expected outcomes from common pairings:

• Normal × Het Leucistic → ~50% Het Leucistic, ~50% Normal

• Het Leucistic × Het Leucistic → 25% Normal, 50% Het Leucistic, 25% Leucistic

• Leucistic × Normal → 100% Het Leucistic

• Leucistic × Het Leucistic → 50% Het Leucistic, 50% Leucistic

• Leucistic × Leucistic → 100% Leucistic

  
  

The heterozygous form should combine beautifully with many base colors and traits such as harlequin, quad-stripe, etc., opening the door to many exciting visual possibilities.

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Our Plans at Rockstar Geckos

We are particularly interested in pairing Het Leucistic animals with strong structure and bold pattern — our top priority when working with any new gene. We also see tremendous potential for developing unique base colors, including true pinks, purples, and blues.

We’re excited to explore what this mutation can contribute to both our collection and the crested gecko community as a whole.

Het Leucistic owned by Erly Gecko showing the possibilities of unique color variations

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Final Thoughts

As with any new morph, we strongly recommend purchasing from reputable breeders who maintain detailed lineage records. Unfortunately, questionable or mislabeled animals are appearing in the market.

The crested gecko hobby thrives when keepers and breeders think beyond simply producing more of the same. Instead, focus on creating thoughtful combinations that highlight the best qualities of each gene. That creative approach is what makes this hobby so rewarding.

Stay tuned for more in our Morph Monday series as we continue to explore new and established crested gecko genetics.

Have questions about this morph or want to share your own experiences? Feel free to leave a comment below!