Glofish

[tmiller]

Glofish,
So the wife has seen these and wants to put some in her tank when it is ready.
When I looked for info on them I found that the are bred from stock with a modified or added gene.

What are if any the ethical and or health concerns with these?
Glofish website

 

[HAMBONE]

Glofish,
So the wife has seen these and wants to put some in her tank when it is ready.
When I looked for info on them I found that the are bred from stock with a modified or added gene.

What are if any the ethical and or health concerns with these?
Glofish website

I would not buy any of these, nor do I support the genetic modification of any living creature..

want to add color, buy guppys..

 

[ZoddyZod]

They are a genetically altered zebra danio.

 

[bae1994]

There in no way cruel and they don't affect the fishes health

they're zebra danios so stock as if they were zebra danios

And some people won't agree with them but it's not like they did it for fun or profit it was for science and shows a huge advance in what can be done and helped us learn a lot about genetics

Bae

 

[ZoddyZod]

I question the notion that it was done without profit in mind.

 

[Curiosity101]

The original inclusion of the GFP gene WAS for non profit genetic research. They were looking into whether they can put it into more than one type of animal and how it could be used. I would believe that they probably tried a different color of flourescent protein just to check that GFP wasn't a one off. But I do agree with ZoddyZod in a way cause I don't believe that all of the glofish colours were a result of genetic testing research. However the proteins themselves are actually extremely useful and having a multitude of colours allows us to trace things as delicate as neurone precursors into their final fully grown neurons (pic below).

As for the ethical and health implications. Like people have said this causes no issue to the fish at all in terms of health. Ethics wise however... well I don't believe that genetic modification for profit is acceptable. If it's a by product of research though I don't have too much of an issue with it.

 

[Staxx]

do you think there colour may stress other species of fish in a community tank environment?

obviously when you turn the lights off they will still be shining?

 

[Curiosity101]

I don't think the colour will stress the other fish.

And the proteins only flouresce under black light so they wont be glowing at night unless you have a black light over them.

 

[KISSfn]

I don't have any ethical or health concerns regarding Glofish. I almost bought some.

 

[tmiller]

Thanks guys,

I'm going to give the green light to the wife (she does what she pleases anyway lol).

I don't see a problem with these guys really either. The ones that give me issues are the blood parrot Cichlid and the likes because of the anatomical deformities...
But thought id run it by the masses.
Thanks for the input.

 

[ZoddyZod]

The original inclusion of the GFP gene WAS for non profit genetic research. They were looking into whether they can put it into more than one type of animal and how it could be used.

I stand corrected......although the as you mention, I don't think there was any need to 'make' them in so many colours, unless profit was the objective.

 

[tmiller]

The original inclusion of the GFP gene WAS for non profit genetic research. They were looking into whether they can put it into more than one type of animal and how it could be used.

I stand corrected......although the as you mention, I don't think there was any need to 'make' them in so many colours, unless profit was the objective.

Good point..
I would say that they are being bred for profit at this point without a doubt...
But the origin seems legit-ish.

This is defensibly a grey area, and to err on the side of ethics I would have to side with natural vs modified. However I do have to live with my wife so i will let her have these..
And reserve the right to object to any other "modified" fish as i see fit.. Fair???

 

[ZoddyZod]

And reserve the right to object to any other "modified" fish as i see fit.. Fair???

it's your tank and your decision......we're just discussing the point, not harranging you for the choice

however, put a common plec in a 20g tank and watch the massess descend upon you in rage

 

[tmiller]

And reserve the right to object to any other "modified" fish as i see fit.. Fair???

it's your tank and your decision......we're just discussing the point, not harranging you for the choice

however, put a common plec in a 20g tank and watch the massess descend upon you in rage

And so I have seen and so I will abide.
Common plec wouldn't even last in my 75 gal... Not in my opinion anyway..
I've seen these monsters straining for room in much larger tanks

I did start the thread for the exact reason of discussing the point and ALL opinions are needed for it to be valid

And it may the only modified fish she will ever get me to agree too.. as obviously I had issues with it.

Well in edit I am kinda taken by the OB Peacocks... yet another thread i think...

 

[MBOU]

Dont get OB Peacocks unless you have a Malawi tank 100% NOT a normal community fish!!!

-----------

That asides... as for Glofish... i'm really glad the UK has banned them and all GM fish. I know it doesn't hurt the fish or effect them in any way other than colour... however...

At what point does it stop? If you start allowing little things like this to be done to fish then it is 100% guaranteed to snowball out of control. If we have the chance to stop it and not take part before it gets too far then i'm all for it...

Look at parrot cichlids... that started off all innocently as well im sure, maybe an accidental cross breeding and someone thought it was great!... if we could go back to that point and still know what we do now... we would never let parrot cichlids come about!

Story of our lives this... its not learning from experience because some people are just too stupid to learn from their and others mistakes.

We all know whats done can't be undone... what happens to fish next now they flouresce in daft colours and others now glow in the dark... how far will people take it given free range? Will it stop at fish? I seriously doubt it! How long before these fish make it into the wild... because we all know they will... people ditch fish in rivers all the time... and if the gene can be passed on... how long before all the fish in our rivers glow? What happens when they cant hide from predators? The fish population drops, the predator population booms, its going to have very far reaching negative effects in the long run.

All because people want to play god and toy with nature. Just because they can't appreciate what we already have?


*and breathes*