Genetically modified Zebra danio fish

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/gmfish

I was doing some online research on this fish and I currently have one in my aquarium. I was surprised that it is actually a genetically modified fish.

Anyone keeps these? Are they live bearers?

Apparently this fish is created by researchers from Singapore!

http://www.aboutfishonline.com/articles/glofish.html

Extract:

Glofish is the name given to genetically modified zebra danios (Brachydanio rerio). Their name is correctly spelled as glofish, but is sometimes incorrectly spelled as glowfish. This is a common mistake because the fish do seem to glow when they encounter environmental toxins.

The difference between regular zebra danios and glofish are that researchers in Singapore added a fluorescence gene from a sea coral to zebra danio eggs to produce glofish. This gene causes the genetically modified fish to fluoresce or light up in the presence of environmental toxins.

Other than this, they are identical to regular zebra danios, with the exception that the genetically modified glofish have neon colors. Regular zebra danios are gold and blue striped or gold and silver striped fish. Both glofish and regular zebra danios are peaceful fish that do well in a community tank.

Originally created to detect environmental toxins, glofish have been for sale in pet stores since 2003 for the general public to buy and place in their aquariums. There is some concern about what might happen if these genetically altered fish find their way into natural rivers and streams. The creators of glofish state that they don't pose an ecological threat because glowfish, like regular zebra danios, won't survive in the wild because they are tropical fish and need a water temperature of about 24-26 °C (75-79 °F). It's been five years now and so far there doesn't seem to be a problem. Although some people do question the ethics of selling genetically altered fish to the public just because they are prettier than the original fish.

[Doraemon82]

Hmmm ... Interesting .. I have a few in my tank and my dad tank

interesting. but is it found at local fish shop

[smokescreen]

Yes. You can find them in LFS.

[^GeNoME^]

nope.. they lay eggs.. i believe they fluorescent under UV light.. i got tons of them! By right they are not suppose to be available in LFS.. i guess pple import them from Taiwan. There are alot more varients.. hehe

oh. u meant it is not legal to have it in sg?

[WiNd.feNg]

have some in my other department

[azon]

Originally Posted by ^GeNoME^

nope.. they lay eggs.. i believe they fluorescent under UV light.. i got tons of them! By right they are not suppose to be available in LFS.. i guess pple import them from Taiwan. There are alot more varients.. hehe

can jab some fluorescent genes into my rays?

[^GeNoME^]

Haha.. normally they will inject (yup, literally) gene into the fertilized embryos and not all eggs will incorporate the gene but it is still relatively ez to get this kind of mutant considering u can do microinjection on several hundreds of embryos at any one time.. ray much more difficult as they r born alive.. too much surgical procedures involved liao n too few embyos liao.. gd chance mother ray may die as a result but it is completely doable juz like in mice..

Am I too serious in answering ur question bro? Lol