Finding Forever Homes: Successful Rehoming Stories

[wandg]

I'm at a point with my livebearers where I'm on the verge of being overstocked. My local big-box pet stores weren't interested in taking my new additions, but fortunately, I found a local family-owned store that's more than happy to take as many as I'm willing to part with. CTE Aquatics is really something special - their selection of fresh and saltwater fish, plants, and inverts is incredibly diverse. Plus, the owners are genuinely passionate about what they do. They're only open Thursday through Sunday, but that's because they spend the other days building custom tanks and maintaining saltwater setups for people in the area. While I've got your attention, I was wondering if anyone can help me identify this particular fish?

[Bisco]

That's a long finned, genetically modified black skirt tetra, Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, if I'm not mistaken. These fish are social creatures, thriving in groups where they establish a pecking order. Personally, I've always been drawn to the wild types of any species.

[wandg]

That color does look a bit too vibrant to be natural. I'm with you on this one.

[jackgulf]

I think it's more likely a glo-fish white skirt tetra, probably genetically modified or dyed. Some local fish stores, even the ones that cater to hobbyists, are stocking these. I suppose they appeal to the younger crowd, like Little Timmy types.

[sSjey]

Glofish have a jellyfish gene inserted into their embryo to produce a range of colors. Initially, they were created to fluoresce in the presence of certain pollutants in waterways, but then someone saw an opportunity to profit from them in the tropical fish hobby trade, and now we have multiple species of Glofish. The jellyfish gene gets passed down from generation to generation, so they're now mass-produced like any other fish.

Dyed fish, on the other hand, are a different story altogether. The dye is injected into the fish, and a lot of them don't survive the process. Some countries have banned the practice, but they still allow the import of dyed fish as long as the dyeing is done elsewhere.

[jackgulf]

Glofish have a jellyfish gene inserted into their embryo to produce a range of colors. Initially, they were created to fluoresce in the presence of certain pollutants in waterways, but then someone saw an opportunity to profit from them in the tropical fish hobby trade, and now we have multiple species of Glofish. The jellyfish gene gets passed down from generation to generation, so they're now mass-produced like any other fish.

Dyed fish, on the other hand, are a different story altogether. The dye is injected into the fish, and a lot of them don't survive the process. Some countries have banned the practice, but they still allow the import of dyed fish as long as the dyeing is done elsewhere.

That's actually a really intriguing background on Glofish. I find it way more captivating than having them swimming around in a tank.