What's the deal with colored glassfish?

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Devilishturtles

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jul 9, 2003
Messages
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Location
Frederick, Maryland
You know, they are the really cool looking fish that you can see through and have the bright flourescent colors on their body. I just wanted to ask a couple of questions about them.

How is that color put into them? I know it is artificial and I hear that they inject it in with needles. Is that true?

Also, in my pet dept. at Wal-Mart, they always seem sick. Customers haven't had luck with them and I haven't heard any good things about them. Has anybody successfully raised any of these fish?
 
Tis true devilish; the glassfish are dyed injected. And theres a good reason they are always sick. The process weakens them considerably and makes them susceptible to all sorts of diseases. I have an link to an real interesting post about dyeing fish. lemme dig it up.

*edit*

Found it: http://fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7123
 
What a cool article!! Many thanks to you! I think it is really sad about the whole situation....but...whatcha gonna do? I stopped carrying them at Wally-World. Got sick of them dying all the time and just didn't like watching them like....slowly die. And I didn't know that mixed fruit tetras were morphs of the black skirt. I think they are really pretty fish.

Another question.... Since some of those fish on the site are morphs...does that make them less likely to live longer, more succeptible to disease, etc?
 
Depends on the mix of genes. Just as with dogs, mutts tend to be hardier. But once a dog is inbred for certain characteristics, the probability of genetic disorders becomes more likely. Hence swim bladder problems with certain fancy goldfish, and mouth deformities with blood parrots.
 
Its a shame what we as humans have done to these animals just to make them look " pretty "


Specially with the goldfish and blood parots. Its aweful, I can't believe anyone could do that and not have any moral repricutions.

I could never do something like that to a fish that deforms it so bad that it can barely survive.


It makes me sick..
 
Ya know... I've never even found these fake fish (dyed, imbred etc.) to be particularly interesting. I find the color of the dyed parrots unpleasant, and the glow of the "colored" glassfish unappealing.

And I've never had any desire to buy these fish. I guess I've seen enough really, really, really cool and natural fish to feel that there's no reason to improve on something so beautiful.

Also, I think that when the fish are injected, any diseases present in one can jump into another via the reused needle, so that (even if the disease might have spread eventually) the fish get sick very quickly. That's just a guess, though.
 
Before I knew how painted glass were actually literally painted, i nver was interested...they always looked frail and unhealthy, most opetstore fish do to me. You can always tell the new ones. :(
 
Aha! Thank you Puffer; I have a post floating around asking about possible dyed rams. Sure enough, I see rams in the dyed fish list. That answers my question. Thanx for the link!
 
WOW! What an eye opener. So when I go and get food, how do I know what is a natural color enhancer to a chemical. I have read by giving the fish some natural live foods helps keep them fit and their color but what do I look for with the flake and pellet food. 8O
 
I have read by giving the fish some natural live foods helps keep them fit and their color but what do I look for with the flake and pellet food.
I would think the flake and pellet food used by people to feed their pet fish are different from the commercial "dyed" foods.
On the flake food I use--for color enhancement is states, "Highly palatable P.D.P. [Pre-Digested Plankton--A patented bio-processed natural pigment] enhances brilliant colors." Another container just states it has essential nutrients and added calcium.
Sounds like what I take in my daily multivitamin :wink:
 
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