Just when you thought you had seen it all...

[Toirtis]

I was a bit hesitant about creating this, another 'painted fish thread' (and if anyone gets stupid, nasty, or abusive, I will lock it and hand out reprimands in a flash), but I felt that it bore sharing, as I see things getting stupid.

Everyone here likely knows that I feel that artificially colouring fish is unethical at best, but today I saw something that made me need to share, and to ask you to please go to your LFS and ask them again to not stock such fish....because at the very leasty, it makes aquarists potentially look cheesy, and at worst...well, you be the judge.

As you know there are four methods of colouring fish....hormones, dye-bath, injection, and most recent, tattooing....well my story involves tattooing. Until now, I had seen Oscars, barbs and giant gouramis tattooed in a simple pattern in a single colour...today I saw some fresh imports that not only bore more complex patters and up to three colours each, but fish with messages tattooed on their sides...yes, messages....the one I saw read "I love you". This could lead to a potential fad/trend that could really make the hobby look poorly....so please, just say no.

 

[mr86mister]

i totally agree

things like that just need to become set in stone as illegal

its just like around here alligators are illegal to have in your back yard, not just because they could be dangerous but because they dont belong here and wont live long and wont lead a happy life

 

[Jchillin]

Thanks for bringing this up Toritis. There is no room in this hobby for this type of act. I'll be sure to bring it up today at my LFS, as I was planning on stopping by to pick up some...ahhh...

Kudos coming your way.

 

[Puriti]

That's just plain horrible for the fish.... I don't see how someone could tatoo a fish....

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I agree. Tattooing does not belong in this hobby. Leave the ink for people. If I ever saw one of those fish at the lfs, I would stop purchasing from there. That is sick.

 

[Fluff]

I'll be sure to voice my opinion should they ever come to my area. That's sad.

 

[QTOFFER]

Say it with flowers.....not fish!

This is so unbelievably tacky. Now it's only a matter of time until we start seeing Feng Shui symbols, team logos, and corporate logos etched on fish.

It should be illegal to import animals that have been deliberately mutilated to make them more marketable.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention

 

[talloulou]

Oooooh an I love you fish! How much did it cost?

Just kidding

 

[megladonsharky]

that is horrible :?

 

[severum mama]

Ugh... disgusting. Thanks for bringing that to our attention.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

That is horrible! :x It reminds me of the time when I saw white gouramis with a pink checkerboard pattern on them. I made sure that store didn't sell anymore tattoed or dyed fish

 

[Toirtis]

This is so unbelievably tacky. Now it's only a matter of time until we start seeing Feng Shui symbols, team logos, and corporate logos etched on fish.

Precisely the trend I am imagining...I suspect that the logos will show up within a year at some product release party or trade show.

 

[Joey17]

I had no idea parrotfish were dyed too. What do they look like undyed?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Not all parrots are dyed. That's a common misconception. I have 4 right now that I got when they were small and gray with black bars. Now they are in the process of turning yellow. I also have a large yellow one which is turning pink/red/orange (whichever color you see it as). The ones that are dyed are blue, purple, green, and so on. The yellow and orange/red/pink are not dyed.

 

[severum mama]

True, not all parrots are dyed, but even some of the yellow/orange/red/pink ones are dyed these days, presumably to cover up their drab juvie colors. The only way to be sure is to buy gray striped juvies.

 

[Zagz]

It's horrifying to me what some people will do to sell fish. I just can't get my head around how this seems ok to people. The unfortunate side to things is that consumers rarely know that dyed fish are dyed. Of course a fish that says I love you would obviously not be a natural state, but consumers would not necessarily know that they had been tattooed. I find it barbaric and immoral.

 

[Meredith]

That is so sad. And you know people will buy them. I know when I first started keeping fish, I bought two "painted" tetras. I had no idea what went into making them those colors. I found out and felt horrible. Luckily I haven't seen either of my lfs sell the painted fish. And petsmart used to have them, but I haven't seen them there in a long time. I hope I never see the fish with tattoos in person.

 

[Toirtis]

Of course a fish that says I love you would obviously not be a natural state, but consumers would not necessarily know that they had been tattooed.

Trust me, if you have seen a tattooed fish, you would know that there is no way you would not know.

 

[Toirtis]

Some photos of tattooed fish:

Giant gouarmis:
http://www.aquarticles.com/images/China4c/p18h Painted gourami.jpg

Koi:
http://www.aquarticles.com/images/China4c/p18f striped.jpg

 

[Fishyfanatic]

If I were to go into a store and see those, I may not know that they are not natural. The stripes look uniform. And most stores don't even post if they are painted or not. Sad.