Glowing Fish !!!

[matt]

To answer your question I am completely for genetic modifications for pets and food.

As far as the fish are concerned I have already located a pet store in my area that is going to supply them when they become available for sale on Dec. 5th furthermore I have already ordered and received 100 UV LEDs all the way from Hong Kong so my fish will have the light needed to make them glow (like in the picture above).

Also, I completely agree with Rob. What’s the difference you have a pet. You have a pet mostly for your enjoyment or other self fulfilling reasons knowing it was either taken from the wild or breed in captivity to serve a purpose(s) for man so why not go all out. Once they have a glow in the dark dog for sale I will be the first in line.

 

[tara]

If you actually read the page about glofish you will see that they were not genetically modified to create interesting pets but were modified for the sake of science. http://www.glofish.com/

To take a passage directly from the glofish website
"GloFish™ fluorescent fish are beautiful and unique fish that were originally bred to help detect environmental pollutants. It was only recently that scientists realized the public's interest in sharing the benefits of this research. GloFish™ fluorescent fish are safe for the environment and make wonderful pets for new hobbyists and experienced enthusiasts alike."

 

[sari]

I don't know if I can really rationalize how I feel about GMO's, but I know that to me it just intuitively feels wrong. And there's a big difference between keeping a pet, and toying with its genetic structure.

As for what Rob said, I don't know if there is a moral difference, but I there *is* a difference. In the case of selective breeding, the traits already occured naturally in at least one member of a species. It's crazy things like taking the web spinning abilities of a spider and adding it to a goat so that the goat grows hair as strong as spider's web, so that bullet proof vets can be woven out of it (I know it sounds insane, but I have actually heard that people are actually trying to do this... I don't even know if it would be possible...) that bother me. Not because we are modifying organisms for our own pleasure or comfort - that's a whole other story - but just that we don't know what could happen by doing all this. I just get this feeling that if we keep messing with things like this, eventually someone's going to really mess up and something bad and irreversible will happen because of it... I don't really have a problem with these specific fish per se, but more with what could happen if we continue at this rate.

 

[rob]

Hi Sari,

I agree with you 100% that such animals could lead to disaster if you're not careful, but the same could be said about most species of animals that could end up released in an area where they are not native.

Don't hold me to it, but I heard rumour of a salmon place making some salmon that lived their life cycle in one-two years, allowing them to provide mass quantities of salmon with less time investment or fishing. These 'super salmon' were raised in a fenced off portion of some area from my understanding, and someone several escaped. Tests were being done to see if they would overthrow natural salmon and take over in it's place, and what that could cause to the food chain. Again, this is hearsay, so don't hold me to it.

But, anything done without thought or care can lead to bad consequence. I don't see these as any more or worse then other choices we make.

And you're right, there is a difference that they can modify it to a greater degree instead of selective breeding, but the end result is still producing something that never/nearly never would have existed in the wild.

Rob

 

[matt]

I heard about the goat thing on NPR maybe a year or two ago

The hair of the goat was normal, but the goat was used by having it lactate the protein spiders use to make spider silk

The did make reference to the bullet proof vests on this bit because spider silk is 8 times stronger than steel

To me this kind of technology is what I hope to see in the future
Imagine a silk shirt that is can deflect a bullet WOW!
I can wait

God knows I need one of these invincible shirts for when I go camping or work on my boat