Gfp babies

[CamoMom99]

How early can u tell if your babies are GFP... do u need to wait awhile or can u tell after they hatch... my babies are 3 weeks old

 

[Boomsloth]

How early can u tell if your babies are GFP... do u need to wait awhile or can u tell after they hatch... my babies are 3 weeks old

was one of the parents GFP?

GFP is a dominant type of gene. I would guess you'd have to wait for pigment to start forming on the babies but that shouldn't take long. GFPs have a greenish tint but will fluoresce under a black light. This shouldn't be something that is done for too long or too frequent as it is super stressful to the axolotl.

 

[CamoMom99]

was one of the parents GFP?

GFP is a dominant type of gene. I would guess you'd have to wait for pigment to start forming on the babies but that shouldn't take long. GFPs have a greenish tint but will fluoresce under a black light. This shouldn't be something that is done for too long or too frequent as it is super stressful to the axolotl.

yes the dad was a GFP and i did check my 3 week olds and about 60% of them are gfp

 

[Sweetie]

I'm still wondering - and please, guys, this is a genuine question, and not one I'm asking to be negative or to start one of those massive arguments - what is the rationale behind breeding (or owning) these fluorescing axies? If it is stressful to the animals to put them under the black light that demonstrates this unique characteristic, why breed it into the axolotl in the first place? Or is there a laboratory purpose to this, as with the albinos originally bred to facilitate laboratory research?
I'm really hoping to hear that this is not simply an exercise in producing something 'different' - a talking point. Is there, in fact, an actual point?

 

[Bette]

I'm still wondering - and please, guys, this is a genuine question, and not one I'm asking to be negative or to start one of those massive arguments - what is the rationale behind breeding (or owning) these fluorescing axies? If it is stressful to the animals to put them under the black light that demonstrates this unique characteristic, why breed it into the axolotl in the first place? Or is there a laboratory purpose to this, as with the albinos originally bred to facilitate laboratory research?
I'm really hoping to hear that this is not simply an exercise in producing something 'different' - a talking point. Is there, in fact, an actual point?

It is my understanding that GFP axolotls were developed in labs because the glowing protein makes it easier to view their regrowth while being studied.
As a novelty, I think they are pretty cool to own & view. Mine don't show any stress when I use the blue or white led lights, but that is probably because I have sufficient plant cover and hides. Haven't tried a black light, but if I did, I would only use it for a few minutes to show a friend and thats it. As with other stress factors, owners need to be aware of this and care for their animals responsibly.

 

[Sweetie]

Okay. That makes sense. Laboratory animals exist purely to be experimented on, so anything that facilitates the experiment would be justifiable to researchers.
However, whether these axies should be pets is another matter. Wanting a novelty animal that glows in the dark seems a questionable attitude to getting a pet, given pets aren't a novelty but a responsibility for the pet's lifetime. (What happens after watching it glow a few times? Does it get boring?)
In a world where we factory farm and slaughter animals to eat, perhaps this entire discussion is hypocritical in the extreme. At least pet gfp lotls aren't being deep-fried in batter and served up with salad! (Personally, I'm a vegetarian.)

 

[Bette]

In a world where we factory farm and slaughter animals to eat, perhaps this entire discussion is hypocritical in the extreme. At least pet gfp lotls aren't being deep-fried in batter and served up with salad! (Personally, I'm a vegetarian.)

Yikes, what a thought!
I think that as long as the pets are loved and cared for properly, it's basically all good. Many people go and get a pet because it's sort of a novelty... whether they want to admit it or not.
Some people then develop a lifelong appreciation of their new family member/pet.
But certain people of course are the flakey type that quickly get bored with their new "toy" (whatever it is). I'm sure that we all know someone like this, right?

 

[keiko]

I don't have a gfp axie, but I wouldn't be against getting one. To my understanding the protein doesn't cause any harm (like pain, diseases etc.) to the animal so as long as you care for it as well as you would care for any other axie then there's no harm to it. Ofcourse you can't keep it under a black light 24/7 without any hides, but I don't keep my normal axies under a bright light without any hides either so why would I be any less responsible with a gfp axie. I think the gfp thing s pretty interesting scientifically so that would be the reason I would get one, not to see it glow all the time.

 

[auntiejude]

GFP axies are not available - or legal - in Europe, so I'm never going to have to deal with them. Even if they were a ailable I wouldn't want one.

The gene was originally used to map regeneration in limbs etc, and inevitably some of the axies made it home as pets to some researchers who would rather adopt them that see them euthanised - I can't blame them for that. And it's not the 'artificial' nature of the gene that bothers me as such, but the attitude of owners who think a making their axie glow and distressing it is OK.
To me, making an axie glow and causing it distress is about the same as saying 'hey, if I pull my dog's tail I can make him snarl - cool huh?!'

 

[ClockworkParrot]

I almost ended up getting a GFP when I was picking out my axolotls not because of the 'cool glow' pet factor which leads to people using lights on them, but because I really like some of their pale colors. If I ever had one I'd never by a black light for the tank or anything like that, but I am sure that there are others who just appreciate their coloring.

 

[Bette]

To me, making an axie glow and causing it distress is about the same as saying 'hey, if I pull my dog's tail I can make him snarl - cool huh?!'

Well, I certainly wouldn't liken it to something like that. That act is just pure cruelty. It's hard to liken it to anything, because it is such a unique feature.

The gfp axies I have are beautiful and endearing creatures, regardless of the fact that they can glow under a blue or black light. I love them for all of their qualities. It seems to be pretty accepted that it is fine to show their glowing quality for a few minutes without harm.
And of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

 

[auntiejude]

It seems to be pretty accepted that it is fine to show their glowing quality for a few minutes without harm.

No its not. Its generally accepted that all the cells in a GFP axie glow when exposed to blacklight - including the insides of their eyeballs - and since they have no eyelids they can't close their eyes to the light the way we can. This distresses the axie, often to the point where is starts darting round the tank looking for a really dark place to hide.
There have been dozens of threads on this as well as scientific research - look it up.

 

[Bette]

No its not. Its generally accepted that all the cells in a GFP axie glow when exposed to blacklight - including the insides of their eyeballs - and since they have no eyelids they can't close their eyes to the light the way we can. This distresses the axie, often to the point where is starts darting round the tank looking for a really dark place to hide.
There have been dozens of threads on this as well as scientific research - look it up.

I do know this already. I have researched it myself before.
I have also seen it being discussed before on the forum(not all the threads/posts, mind you, - but some anyway). Many people seemed to be in agreement (and some were not of course!) about the safe use of BLUE (not black) led lighting to show the gfp characteristic for ONLY a minute or so. And like I said, mine show no stress when I do rarely turn on the blue led (I would think that's because of all the plant cover).