Fish Question - glass fish

Anyone know what kind of fish is the ones that are "dyed" the neon colors - like the blue, green, etc. They look like "glass fish".

DH saw them in the pet store. I think they are dyed or something but the color doesn't last. Any info?

You mean painted glass fish?

... I dunno, I wouldn't support any dye with my fishies... it can kill them or otherwise harm them.

I don't know what they are called. I have had them before, the color slowly fades and you are left with a see through fish.

There are different kinds of fish that people dye...the ones your talking about are called Glassfish.But when they are dyed (injected with dye...I must say,very cruel and alot of them don't even survive) they are called "Painted Glassfish".

White skirt tetras are also painted often and are labeled "blueberry","strawberry" or whatever tetras.It is stupid and just done to make the fish sell.

http://www.deathbydyeing.org/

Alot of info on the "dyeing" process. Personally I avoid any petstore that advocates this practice by stocking these fish. It's cruel and unnecessary for the fish, and I would rather enjoy all of the natural colours these beautiful creatures come in rather than seeing them so mistreated.

I would rather get a Glofish. They are genetically engineered to be brightly colored.

Not that we would buy one, DH was more curious. I do agree that if these fish are injected with the dye that's WRONG. Wasn't sure if it was a special food or what made them that color.

Thanks for the link - will read it and let DH read it too. (Wow - I just read the list they have of dyed fish - didn't know it was that bad!)


Personally my favorites are the fancy guppies with all their colors, zebra fish or the blue/red tetras.

Now if there was a humane way of coloring fish by food types, would that be ok? I know that the pink flamingos are pink cause of all the shrimp they eat. If not fed a lot of shrimp in the zoos, they will not get the real pinky color

Goldenkitty check out http://www.glofish.com/

Those are the fish that have a special gene bred into them which gives them a bright neon color. I believe they are zebra fish.

The process that people go through to "paint" those fish is very cruel and inhumane to the fish. It's pretty much like croping a dogs ear just for looks without having a valid reason to subject them to anestesia and a painful surgery, but much worse.

Both of these websites are excellent and have wonderful forums...please feel free to ask about that topic there i'm sure they'll elaborate better than I am right now (sorry it's late and i'm a bit exhausted tonight). Definitely do your research. Please do not buy these fish because it encourages sellers to subject even more fish to this inhumane treatment simply for money.

There are also very cruel people who are now "tattooing" fish as well. It's horrible
www.aquaria.info
www.flippersnfins.yuku.com

The glofish were the ones we saw. If it was bred that way, that's one thing. I was also thinking of those painted glassfish too - which are pretty but its cruel and I never would buy them.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

The glofish were the ones we saw. If it was bred that way, that's one thing. I was also thinking of those painted glassfish too - which are pretty but its cruel and I never would buy them.

Click to expand...

Yeah, the glofish are not painted. They are bred to be brightly colored.

You can get the natural glass fish (glass tetras) or white skirt tetras that are not dyed / painted. They are very nice fish, not sure why anyone would dye them...

You have to be careful now as well, because some fish are now being sold that are not called "painted" or "mixed fruit" or whatever, but have been injected with dye or tatooed. They usually give them an exotic name (i.e. polka dot gourami, etc.). I have seen it done to albino gourami, kissing gourami, oscars, and even cories and/or loaches. Bottom line...if the color looks fake, then it most likely is fake. Ask the retailer if there's any doubt.

Dying/injecting dye is far worse than cropping imo, as the fish aren't given any anethesia and with dying, their eyes are exposed to the acid solution, and with the injecting of the dye, they are basically injected with the equivilant of a gun-barrell sized needle (to us, that is).

Art