Glow-in-the-dark fish

Yeah they do and I want some for my new fish tank. They cost $6 a pop at the local fish store here but it's the only place close that has them. What's the damn debate about, how are these fish harmful?

 

"... which have been genetically modified to flouresce red and green, trail neon streaks as they swim ..."

So, people hear "genetically modified" and cue the hand-wringing and wailing.

We've been genetically modifying things since pre-history. Do you plant the apple seed from the tree with big apples or the one with small, bitter apples? Do you breed the two pretty dogs, or the two mean, ugly dogs? Et cetera. We have slightly new tools, but it seems the same to me. I mean, one of the most offensive genetic engineering pranks is the breeding of dogs that are so deformed that they can't live healthy lives. I had a bulldog as a kid, and man did I ever love that dog, but it could hardly breathe and it died an early death. I thought the same thing today when I read poor A-train's dog thread.

Sorry, but anyway: cool fish! And from what I understand, their health isn't affected by this feature.

 

Hmmmmm.

I wonder how far this will go to dispell the fears people have about genetically modified food.

You know...the fear that it'll glow in the dark, and other silly notions.

 

I dont care much about "genetically modified"...but call me a purist...if it doesnt exist in the wild..I want no part of it in my tank.

then again...I dont go with cute little objects in my tank either..or colored gravel.

give me natural gravel...and natural fish...and natural looking plants...and that is what I like in fishtanks.

btw..at least these arent the ones where they inject the dye into them...those are a travesty.

 

A-Train, my kids would love those. Where do you get them (the Spongebob characters)?

 

Yeah, people who b**** about genetically altered food make me laugh. One of the few things I remember from my botany class, and as B-bob pointed out, we've been engineering our food forever. The standard yellow corn we eat today isn't even original. What's funny is that they eat engineered crops all the time and a lot of them probably have no clue about it just because they bought it at Whole Foods or Rice.

 

Yeah, Oski, it's interesting. I had never thought about it until all my biology pals started telling me about it. Also, reading Guns, Germs and Steel was eye-opening. Almost none of the crops or animals we consume as food these days has much relation to the original species.

That said, genetically modified foods can lead to big problems (such as having only one main strand of grain that can be suddenly decimated by a single new virus, et cetera), but to me, those problems aren't completely new. They didn't spring up with the new technologies, but they are even bigger worries now.

 

I recall reading somehwere that they don't really look as cool as you think they would... not sure haven't seen one myself. Would you need a special tank to put the black light in or can you put a black light on a standard tank without any problems?

Anyone own some of these fish or seen them in person?

 

You must have SBC DSL like me, but its pretty crazzy didnt the artical say there going for $5 a fish now?

 

Let's put them into the ocean and see what happens from an evolutionary perspective.

 

That's pretty sweet. I've got not problem with it, though I'm not much for "genetically modified" anything. But it looks harmless enough...


On a somewhat related and yet not Note: I've actually heard that there's a way to get a 'glow in the dark' tatoo on the human body. It glows under blacklight. Unfortunately, it's illegal and - of course - toxic, which is why it isn't done. Don't know if this is true or not.

 

Great Book!

A must for anyone interested in the where/how/why of why human societies developed so differently in different parts of the world. Why Euro's were the society to dominate all others (hint: its not a racial thing)

 

no thanks...I wear my SpongeBob shirt when I want to represent the greatness that is SpongeBob!.



a shame Im lazy today..I would take a pic of it and post it..but its a cool shirt..

 

that's my suspicsion too, that you need special lights and black background

R2K - there are some breeders who have bred a neon rainbow with the salmon red (new guinea) rainbow which most people say are two best looking rainbows... haven't seen one but supposedly they sensational while being sterile

 

yea...thats the problem with mules...inability to reproduce.

a real shame since some of the crossbreeds are really cool looking.

if you ever get a pic of one...I'd like to see it.

 

sure will have a look to see if there are any pics around, if i see them available I'll buy some, but damn due to the drought here 2003 we terrible for rainbows, the salmon reds have been unavailable in stores for most of the year although there are some around at the minute but at ridiculous prices.

 

Until reading this thread, I had no desire to own an aquarium.

But, glow-in-the-dark fishies? That's damn cool.

I want a glow-in-the-dark kitten next. Maybe if I let it eat some of the glowing fish.