Difference Between GloFish and Dyed or Tattooed Fish

As the science of genetics progresses, we're beginning to see plenty of unusual creatures arising from laboratories across the world. From cloned sheep to glow-in-the-dark kittens, animals are being genetically modified in unusual ways and for varying reasons. Sometimes it's just because they want to see how far they can push the limits of the technology, and other times these scientists are working toward a particular goal and these animals are just a step in that direction.

The GloFish (which, being that the name has been copyrighted, is a proper noun and must be capitalized) was created by injecting the eggs of Zebra Danios, a common small aquarium fish, with the DNA for fluorescent colors found in a number of jellyfish species. Their goal was to create a tiny fish that could be used to detect certain pollutants in waterways. When exposed to a number of harmful chemicals, these fish begin to glow.

When GloFish began entering the freshwater aquarium hobby a few years ago, a number of people protested. The first concern they had was the potential for this "Frankenfish" to take hold in a local waterway, creating an environmental disaster. After it was discovered by US government regulators that this was highly unlikely, their sale was approved in the United States, though Canadian and EU officials remain skeptical; thus they have banned GloFish sale and possession in those countries, as well as the state of California, which bans all genetically modified fish.

Others worried that the process that created these fish was cruel. They would cite examples such as Jellybean cichlids, a hybrid freshwater fish that is often dyed bright colors in a process that is incredibly harmful and painful, causing the fish that actually survive the process so much damage that they rarely live as long as a non-dyed fish of the same type. Jellybean cichlids have also been tattooed to look like they are wearing lipstick, or they've had tattoos in the shape of hearts placed on their sides. Perhaps a more common example is the neon glassfish. These small fish have neon dyes injected into their see-through bodies. These procedures are widely believed among aquarists to be cruel, and many will boycott stores that continue to sell them even after they know just how these fish are "made".

The GloFish, however, has been genetically modified, and as such it doesn't need to be bleached, dyed, or tattooed. They are born in a fluorescent red, green, or orange, trademarked "Starfire Red", "Electric Green", and "Sunburst Orange", respectively. They are fertile, contrary to rumors that spread throughout the hobby that they were pressure treated to cause infertility. Their lives are not shortened nor are they hindered by their bright colors, and as their non-modified danio counterparts have been sold throughout the world for years without ever becoming established in local environment.

While the debate still rages about the safety and ethics behind the sale and creation of GloFish, hobbyists are beginning to open up to them. Small tanks fitted with blacklights, made specifically for children to keep a few GloFish, are now easily found in pet stores. They have brought some of the bright colors of the typical saltwater tanks and allowed freshwater aquarium enthusiasts to enjoy a hearty, colorful fish without having to resort to cruel and unusual techniques. In the meantime, GloFish are steadily becoming more popular here in the United States, and sooner or later their sale will most likely be permitted in Canada and the EU.