stanleo said:
Glofish are genetically or chemically altered fish that glow in the dark. It's a cruel practice that drastically shortens the fish's lifespan and hinders their growth and other factors that make it a horrible thing to do to a living thing. It's done to tetras, danios, goldfish and probably others. I recommend never buying them, the more people buy them the longer the practice will keep going.
There is a glowlight tetra that is naturally occurring and quite pretty.
They are genetically modified, not chemically. This isn't cruel, it doesn't shorten their life span, it doesn't hinder their growth. It isn't done to a living thing, it was originally done to a fish egg, and now the modified gene is "locked in", they reproduce normally, and the offspring have the fluorescent colouring also.
You are getting confused with dyed or tattooed fish, which is cruel, and does shorten life span.
I am totally against both processes. Nature is beautiful enough. (And, yes, I do realise that many so-called natural species are selectively bred, I don't think this is the appropriate place to discuss that, if you want a discussion on it, make a new thread, PM me to let me know you have, and I will happily discuss that issue with you).
DreamertK said:
I thought it was only dianos that are genetically altered, since they're illegal in many places.
They originally carried out the process on zebra danios, but have since done so with black widow tetras and tiger barbs.
DreamertK said:
I have tetras and they certainly don't glow in the dark, they just have a little red band from head to tail.
Those are glowlight tetras, which are naturally occuring, as opposed to Glofish black widow tetras, which are genetically modified. There are also glowlight danios, which are again a naturally ocurring species.
As a genetically modified organism, it is illegal to import Glofish into the EU. I am unsure whether it is illegal to possess them, though.