Thoughts on Transgenic, Genetically Modified reef creatures

[Sean Irwin]

So a while back I read that a guy in England was arrested and fined for importing zebra fish genetically modified to express a fluorescent pigment derived from corals. What are your thoughts on genetically modified reef creatures? Would you buy corals with artificially enhanced coloration? Urchins engineered to stay really small? Fish genetically modified to resist ick or to be able to live in freshwater permanently?

 

[fanaglethebagle]

I dont know, but I do think this belongs in the advanced reefing forums.
I kind of feel that it takes some of the "sport" out of finding really nice coral if they start making some that are really exotic and grow like GSP.

 

[mr.gaboozlebag]

Do you mean the Glo-fish Zebra danios?http://www.glofish.com/default.asp

Edit, posted wrong link.

 

[TomD]

I would not buy them.

 

[susyq458]

I think that this fundamentally rots the spirit of why we keep our tanks. I have always felt that we were all preserving a little bit of something natural and wild for our children to have and appreciate for years and years. If we start introducing genetically modified corals and livestock to our environments then we are tainting a legacy.

I mean, it is that kind of thinking the stretches logic to start modifying pets so they don't have dander and then children so they don't inherit bad teeth or crooked noses. It's a razor thin line of benefit/cost and it just doesn't seem worthy for the sake of having pretty colors. Nature is full of beautiful colors without needed to get the technicolor treatment. Just my 2 cents.

 

[pillowfish]

I find with enough actinic's even detritus looks great!!...

 

[waltm]

Hm, thought provoking to say the least.

I'm opposed to painting/dying animals for the sake of appearance and wouldn't buy those.

But what if zooxanthellae of a certain color was taken from a coral or anemone and inoculated into another. Your really not altering the animal, just introducing a new symbiotic relationship. Would this be any worse than cross breading of flowers? Take your favorite color Zoos and imagine a rock covered in yellow polyps that have been inoculated with the bright color of the zoos, would you buy them? Would you ask a premium price for the frags due to the unique color or give them away because they are not a unique natural color morph and are then worthless?


I guess I'm really not sure how I feel about this.... well, I guess I'd buy the florescent purple polyps if I could afford them

 

[Kiah]

I'd not support the effort through purchase.