"GloFish" Where do you stand?

[becky_e]

I wouldn't buy them, but only because I know what they are and there are plenty of nice-looking fish out there. I comfortable with genetic engineering, but making glowing aquarium pets sort of cheapens the whole concept to me.

Anyways, they definitely are not as pretty as neon tetras which seem to glow under regular lights!

 

[xytrix01]

Wow, I'm glad someone already posted this... I'm writing a thesis paper on this very subject and was going to start a thread asking how people felt. LOL! I'm totaly againt the idea of GE for cosmetic purposes. Please if anybody new reads this post your oppinions! I could use the research material! Also if you have already posted in here and dont want your name or comments used, then please let me know so I can leave you out.


Thanks all!

 

[Gambusia]

Can you say bait fish for fishing?

Can you say food for largemouth bass?

Glo fish would never survive in the wild.

 

[cgrabe]

I really don't have any problem with glofish. They're still Zebra Danios; they just happen to glow now. It doesn't give them any real advantage over their wild strains. Releasing a glofish into the wild is no more dangerous than releasing a plain ol' vanilla Zebra Danio into the wild (of course neither should happen).

As far as interfering with nature, think about a fancy goldfish for a minute. We've manipulated them to the point that I'm surprised they can function well enough to live past 'childhood'. Using gene-modification is just one more method we can use to screw with nature.

That being said, we do need to be careful with how we modify genes and how they are handled after modification. All glofish not intended for in-house reproduction should be sterilized before leaving the facility. I'm pretty sure that can be safely done, but I'm not positive. I do understand people's concerns with GM, but I don't think we should abandon it.

 

[fishpoor]

I've got 2 that i bought to cycle a new tank several months ago. Being genetically altered doesn't seem to affect their ego, and to me at least, they're much more attractive than many of the strange mutations of telescope eyed goldfish, for example. The lfs I bought then at didn't require me to sign away rights to future offspring,unlike many dog breeders. Think how many fish lives would be saved if beginners in the hobby could purchase fish that drastically changed color BEFORE their tank got so polluted it killed them. I'm also reasonably sure that they don't breed more readily than other "escapees",some of which are doing great damage to native species.

 

[Dapple2]

I have a huge issue with this statement:
"By accepting these fish, and as part of the consideration therefor, the recipient agrees: (1) not to, breed or propagate these fish, permit or encourage others to breed or propagate these fish, or otherwise intentionally engage in any activity that may result in or lead to the breeding or propagation of these fish by anyone without the express written consent of Yorktown;(2) not to sell or transfer these fish to anyone in the State of California, or to possess or otherwise engage in any activity that results in the possession of these fish in the State of California."

How can you trademark a fertile, living creature and all future offspring?

The same way they do to plants....

I voted no simply because I'm not fond of zebra danios, they make my killis nervous. Mostly though, I think snake summed my view up. The only thing that I have to add is that, while I don't see anything *wrong* with their sale...I'd rather see that tank go to something new and cool or rarely imported...then again if they are just replcing a tank of painted glassfish, then go for it!

 

[Dangerdoll]

SnakeSkinner - The fish were never actually used to detect any pollution. They were developed with that in mind, but never actually used which is why the scientist sold the recipe into the pet trade. The fish are altered by introducing the genes to the eggs themselves. It is theorized that if fish consume the escapees in the wild that their offspring will possess the mutation there by lowering the population of our wild species.

ok, so if they were developed for scientific use, and proclaimed to be sterile... why in the world would they scratch the whole idea and sell the recipe to the pet trade to contribute to this "red-danio" explosion, only for the company to remove them from the market.... seems a bit confusing for me. Also, I think it's quite obvious that these guys are breeding, they were all over the place.... I voted no, not because of the drama behind it, just because I'm not into Danio's as a whole as much as I used to be.

 

[orangefin]

Also I dont think that anything should be genetically altered just for a cosmetic value.

that said it for me too ... no painted fish for me either, yuk

 

[Brain]

No I wouldn't buy one.

The issue about them not being sterile misses the point. The bigger problem is will they cross with the regular strain and dilute the original genotype. Probably yes, but in the case of zebra danios, so what? - there are probably more i captivity than in the wild, given that they are used as a research animal. Before being captive bred there were probably as many different races of zebra danio as there were watersheds that they existed in. Doubtful that this diversity could be found now.

As for the genetic modification argument, people tend to be mis, or underinformed, and form emotional opinions that only tend to display that fact. We have been manipulating genes since Mendel. Of course now, we're more sophisticated in our abilities, but to proclaim this technology as an abomination is to refute all manner of beneficial dna recombinant medicines and industrial bacteria. Those that think that man is playing god or will precipitate the end of the world are talking out of their, ahem, southern orfice.

 

[aquariumfishguy]

I'm totaly againt the idea of GE for cosmetic purposes.

So what, do you find all of your fish and hand-catch them to put in your aquariums then? Perhaps further research should be done on what we Americans consider domesticated fish... do people actually believe there are not other species of fish out there that are genetically modified?