Glowfish????

[AllElseFailed]

Ok, so I also have ethical issues with the Glofish, however, my almost 7-year-old daughter HAD to have pink ones when we stocked our tank. We bought 2 of the pink danios (they did have glofish tetras also) and they seem to be doing really well. They are pricey though, in comparison to regular danios. They are a bit nippy, but so far, they are mostly just nippy with each other and leave the other fish alone.

 

[Babakapusta]

I know that when I take my grand-daughter to the store to pick out the fish for my tank she will be attracted to them. After reading Kpoopnstein's response I feel better about buying them. At least I know why they were messed with.

 

[FreshwaterSean]

I had three of them and all of them died rather quickly. No matter what anyone says, these fish are not very hardy and whether it not they look cool, they don't last long and it's a shame.
I got them for my kids too and really wish I hadn't. What a waste!

 

[TXaggie]

Personally I don't much like the look of Glofish, but I don't really have any moral issue with them.

In my point of view, lab genetic modification is really no different than the selective breeding process save in speed of results. You pick a characteristic and breed for it (albinism in rodents, hairlessness in dogs or cats, etc) and create a "breed" of basically genetically modified organisms. Nature would not select for a breed of hairless cats or dogs like English bulldogs that cannot reproduce without a c section. To me Glofish seem like the bulldogs of the fish world.

That said, I'm not sure I'd personally ever get them. I do however love my betta fish, but I know his bright yellow color and long finnage would make him a quick meal in the wild. I also have some really fabulous orange eyed magenta (not dyed!) mystery snails purchased from these forums. It's all about where you draw your lines. I draw the line at injected dyes and tattooing of fish. But I much prefer the naturally brightly colored varieties to Glofish. : )

 

[wildroseofky]

The way glofish were created is a little worrisome. I do not want my food to have added genetic material from another species. However, it was done for a reason I can understand with the fish. Trying to find a way to identifying pollution in streams. Since this addition does not cause any harm to the fish, unlike balloon belly mollies, I am okay with it. For kids, it is a great way to add some wonder to their life. We push them to grow up so fast now days. That glowing fish tank may lead to such a love of the water world that the child goes on to make a contribution to the field of oceanography, or genetics, or aquarium keeping.

 

[hennaartist]

I have 4 of the glo tetras, one of each color (pink, purple, green, yellow). I told my daughter I would buy them if she got straight A's (now I realize she's fully capable of straight A's).
Anyway, they are simply genetically modified skirt tetras. I've had mine for about 6 months now. They seem just as hardy and have the same temperament as the other skirt tetras I've had experience with.
A friend of mine has one of each color of the danios (pink, purple, green, yellow, and blue). She has had them for quite some time now (the blue one was the newest addition for her a few months back). I haven't noticed much of a difference with them and regular zebras either.

 

[Sambo7475]

My oldest glodanio is nearly four years old. I think it's similar to any other breed of fish as far as longevity is concerned, some live long lives, some don't.
I say oldest because I wasn't going to purchase any more at all, but my daughter has begged me for them. So now we are back up to 7 glodanios, 7glotetras in my small tank. I really do think they are amazing looking fish, especially under the blue actinic LED.

 

[GodFan]

Its happening! Zombie thread apocalypse!

 

[Sambo7475]

Its happening! Zombie thread apocalypse!

at least they fluoresce, so you can see them coming...

 

[The Trooper]

This just isn't right, i had never heard of this before and wish i hadn't :/ .

Just doesn't seem ethical to modify something solely for aesthetic reasons.

 

[CanadianWaters]

They weren't designed for aesthetic reasons. They were originally zebra danios eggs injected with jellyfish DNA and their original purpose was that they would "glow" when in polluted water. We would be able to identify pollution in streams, lakes or whatever. Tuey have since been used in aquariums just like any other fish. I live in Canada and they're illegal to be sold here.

I don't think there's amything morally wrong I just find them a little unappealing.

 

[GodFan]

at least they fluoresce, so you can see them coming...

True but the moral argument is beginning again and Im not sure we can fight it off! Lol I need the zombie pic with a caption for zombie threads on it lol

 

[Old Scales]

Without getting into the debate one way or the other I thought it fascinating when I saw the difference between the original wild corn and wheat plants and what we grow now. Indeed, if man had not slowly modified many of our food plants, half of the world's population could not exist. I guess I'm OK with gradual genetic modification because what fails will naturally not succeed and die off. Instant gene mutation doesn't allow for that safeguard. Imagine genes combined of the great white shark and the piranha. LOL
Go for a swim, anyone?? or Stick your arm in THAT tank! OS.

 

[GodFan]

Without getting into the debate one way or the other I thought it fascinating when I saw the difference between the original wild corn and wheat plants and what we grow now. Indeed, if man had not slowly modified many of our food plants, half of the world's population could not exist. I guess I'm OK with gradual genetic modification because what fails will naturally not succeed and die off. Instant gene mutation doesn't allow for that safeguard. Imagine genes combined of the great white shark and the piranha. LOL
Go for a swim, anyone?? or Stick your arm in THAT tank! OS.

Dang it OS! I was hoping this zombie thread wouldnt last long but now you have brought up a valid point. How do we make a great white pirahna? I will buy it!

 

[Old Scales]

LOL OK We'll develop one BUT you have to stick your arm in the tank first!

 

[GodFan]

LOL OK We'll develop one BUT you have to stick your arm in the tank first!

You got it! Ill dunk it in when he is on the opposite side and rip it back out lol whats sad is this is from the guy who is terrified of stuff like that. If I touched my bumble bee cats and they moved I splashed water everywhere getting out of the way lol Id stand in front of anythjng to protect my family but when a dolphin at the beach surfaces to close and resembles a shark my father and sister get abandoned lol

 

[IShallNtEatFish]

Without getting into the debate one way or the other I thought it fascinating when I saw the difference between the original wild corn and wheat plants and what we grow now. Indeed, if man had not slowly modified many of our food plants, half of the world's population could not exist. I guess I'm OK with gradual genetic modification because what fails will naturally not succeed and die off. Instant gene mutation doesn't allow for that safeguard. Imagine genes combined of the great white shark and the piranha. LOL
Go for a swim, anyone?? or Stick your arm in THAT tank! OS.

Thank you, as an 8th generation farmer I'm glad someone finally said this. Gene mutation has become a part of the way we live. We humans have been doing it for a very long time. Maybe not as scientifically as glofish but never the less we have been doing it. How many of y'all own dogs? The dogs that you own are nowhere near their ancestors, the wild dogs, they have been genetically mutated and selectively bred to be the pretty show dogs that they are now. The question of morals of glofish really is a question of keeping fish period.

 

[Old Scales]

"Thank you, as an 8th generation farmer I'm glad someone finally said this."

As an 8th generation food consumer I thank you for your work feeding us. OS.

 

[mrvincent]

They are DNA modified fishs. You're probably talking about the colored zebra danios, you can keep them, choose one color and make a school of them. Or they'll be stressed.

IMO they're bizzare fishs resulting of a bad experiment. Originally they wanted them to colorize if there's a certain toxin in the water, but the cells were always activated, so they're permently colored...

 

[Tommy10]

I saw dojo loach glofish today at petco.. Before we know all fish will be glofish!