Glowing Fish!

[uclacsnerd]

Something interesting for all -- scary:



http://www.reuters.co.uk/printerFrie...oryID=40 7444

http://www.glofish.com


Btw: the page looks better and better everytime I log on!

[fidojoe]

Hmmm, another reason to keep my fw tank up, but the only concern I have is the effect the stuff they use to make them glow has on the fish itself, and the environment.

[SaltyQueen]

Horrible- absolutely horrible... I cannot beleive people would buy a genetically altered animal just becuase it looks cool. Imagine ALL the hundreds, probably thousands of fish that were killed or tortured during the process of making this "new & improved" fish. Appalling....

[Witfull]

the average not entusiest tank keeper will unfortunately buy them, ever see you fast painted glass fish and painted skirt tetras sell? and how much they sell for? the kids see pretty colors and mom and dad buy them for inflated prices. its sad but true.

[fidojoe]

I was only joking about buying them, I am taking my FW down next paycheck and starting my nano in there. I won't support it unless it is scientifically proven that these fish will not be affected in any way by the "glow" effect, even tho I won't have another FW tank for a while.

[Witfull]

it wasn't a knock at you joe, i was in the business for over 10yrs and i know what sold, its just a sad commentary on fish retail and the average buyer.

[fidojoe]

I figured it wasn't, I actually tried to make that 1st post look sarcastic, but forgot the smileys

[fidojoe]

BTW, the parents giving in on the "pretty fishies" is too, too true

[Aquatic Cat]

This type of thing has been done for decades you know with tetras,the dye they inject too make them more colorfull.

[ScottT1980]

Here is a comment I made on the "Really Crazy" thread:

Originally posted by fidojoe
Thats kinda cool, but cruel at the same time, I wonder how it affects the animal

It would not affect the animal (well, from a pain standpoint if that is what you are reffering to). Genetic transfers or transgenic animals are altered at the embryonic level, typically when the embryo is in the one cell stage up to the 8 cell stage.

This is not cloning, just a little genetic alteration. In fact, this is done daily in many of our domesticated species. FWIW, there is great hesitation to utilize transgenic livestock for our foodstuffs, and for good reason. THe liklihood of it hurting us is slim but any chance is really not worth taking, although we all have probably eaten transgenic crops.

I don't see this as a slippery slope by any means. Almost all of the scientific community knows that human cloning is unethical and that presently, human genetic alteration (say for inherited diseases) is unethical because the proper research has not been put into such, and perhaps never will. Of course, there are a few @#$@!#$ in the world that go and do embryo research (typically in China) that has never been validated and ends up killing fetuses in the first trimester.

Here is an article presenting some good in the area of transgenics (just one of many examples). Not edible at this point for reasons mentioned above but it certainly shows the potential benefits.

In fact, go here for days and days of biotechnology reading.

EDIT: I didn't mention that I do have HUGE problem with this transgenic fish going into the wild (for obvious reasons).

[wooddood]

sad so sad.just to make a buck.

[Craig Manoukian]

Wouldn't it just be better to buy a lighted fish lamp?