12/9/2003: GloFish, first genetically engineered pet
 

http://cellar.org/2003/glofish.jpg

IotD is a little late to this as news, but I hadn't seen a photo of them until now... this is the GloFish, which was announced to be the world's first genetically engineered pet. Its color is the engineered part; it's fluorescent in day and glows at night.

The company says it's safe if eaten, won't live to procreate in the wild if it ever escaped. It was made by taking an "ordinary" zebra fish and inserting genes from jellyfish or sea anemone.

I thought Sea Monkeys were the first genetically engineered pets. ;)

If only I could get them in blue...

I have a "blue" theme around my house. My PC light is blue, my carpets are blue my walls are blue and I'd say that at least 70% of the things my gf wears are some shade of blue.

Blue glowing fish would be cool...

Energy Star Compliant
 

If I get enough of these I can get rid of all my lamps.<br><br>

Re: 12/9/2003: GloFish, first genetically engineered pet
 

I had not been aware that there was a big market for eating zebra fish.

But then, I don't like any kind of seafood!

Nature has a very informative article on this. Check it out here.

Many scientists don't seem happy about the fact that there's little to no regulatory process involved in selling genetically altered pets. Some nonsense about "unpredictable effects on the environment".

Re: Re: 12/9/2003: GloFish, first genetically engineered pet
 

Blasphemer!!

Geeze, will people ever just get over that whole african killer bee fiasco??? Friggin' troglodytes...

juju wrote:
http://www.onlyinternet.net/awinterr...thra-larva.jpg

Nonsense? :)

Re: Re: 12/9/2003: GloFish, first genetically engineered pet
 

Fish and zebra. Two great tastes that go great together!
Actually, I don't eat seafood either. Or zebra.

Do you have to hold them up to the lamp for 20 seconds to make them glow?

(these might be perfect pets for slang.)

Boo. The fish does not actually glow

From glofish.com

Yawn. Aren't there already flourescent fish? Those little skinny ones that are almost transparent with a flourescent looking stripe?

Those (IIRC) are stained glass fish. The color is not naturally occurring, but results from the fish being injected with a flourescent (and toxic) dye.

Dagney

Wow.. that's pretty immoral. I guess they are just fish, though. And it wouldn't be any more wrong than, say, locking them up inside a small glass cage. :)

Maybe you're thinking of neons