Glowing fish raise ethical questions

The Columbus Dispatch ^ | January 5, 2004 | Michelle Simakis

[flutters]

Genetically modifying zebra danios does not pose risk, aficionados say

Genetically modified and trademarked, these aren’t your typical household pets. Then again, the ethical questions swirling around the fluorescent Glo-Fish aren’t typical pet issues either.

The fish have been banned in California because of objections to genetically altering fish just for the pleasure of pet owners. But the early word from local pet stores is that GloFish are making a splash with fish enthusiasts.

"People are excited to see something new," said Ed Soja, manager of Aquarium Adventures on Dublin-Granville Road. "But they act just like normal fish."

Aquarium Adventures sold 30 of the GloFish, zebra fish that have been infused with genes from either coral or jellyfish that make them glow bright red or green.

GloFish were developed more than a decade ago to help scientists protect waterways by glowing when they encounter certain pollutants, according to Yorktown Technologies, the Austin, Texas-based company that is distributing the fish. They also are being used in genetics, molecular biology and vertebrae development, according to the company’s Web site.

Now the GloFish are being introduced to home aquariums, where pet owners can use an ultraviolet light to make the fish particularly bright. The zebra fish absorb the light, then reemit it, causing them to glow.

They initially were to be sold beginning today, but because of high demand, local pet stores were able to order them in early December, said Brian Quigley, an associate from Byerly’s Aquarium Supplies on W. 5 th Avenue.

The ethical questions about the fish don’t bother him, he said.

"They are trademarked, which is kind of weird," Quigley said. "But the fact that they are genetically engineered doesn’t bother me personally."

Byerly’s has sold about 24 fish since they arrived Dec. 2.

"Most just look at them because they are so much more expensive," he said. "But it’s a new fish for the hobbyist, so they like them."

The head of a local animalrights group criticized the new pets.

"It seems kind of frivolous to us that they would make this discovery and use it to exploit animals," said Rob Russell, director of Protect Our Earth’s Treasures. "This is not something that we look forward to."

Despite the modifications, the GloFish are the same as ordinary zebra fish in every other way; they can survive only in tropical waters, have a life expectancy of about five years and grow up to 2 inches.

But they cost 10 times as much. Regular zebra danios cost 79 cents to $1.99, while the glowing fish range from $9.99 to $12.99 at local aquarium stores. According to the Glofish Web site, each is worth $5.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Dec. 9 that it would not regulate the new zebra danio because they are not intended for consumption and pose no threat to the food supply. Because the inserted genes are natural, scientists say, they are not harmful if ingested by another animal.

California’s Fish and Game commissioners weren’t concerned about health or environmental risks when they voted 3-1 to ban the fish, said department spokesman Steve Martarano.

"They denied it mainly because of ethical reasons," he said, noting that department officials had recommended they be allowed to be sold.

The fish are important to science, said Konrad Dabrowski, professor at Ohio State University’s aquaculture department, and are no more risk than other aquarium fish brought into the country.

"There are hundreds of new species brought into this country because of the aquarium business that are released daily, those that have much more potential for creating ecological disasters," Dabrowski said. "I am very much for the GloFish based on the evidence that there are benefits down the road."

But Russell said there may be unintended consequences to the environment down the road: "You really don’t know what might happen somewhere along the way."

[Triple Word Score]

Wake me when they make ants that will clean the house.

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[StatesEnemy]

because of objections to genetically altering fish just for the pleasure of pet owners

Better get rid of Golden Retreivers then.

Selective breeding is just the primitive way of genetically altering our pets.

[discostu]

I swear these people have never heard of dog breeding. The only thing the glo-fish represents is a faster more efficient way of doing what we've always done with pets, food animals, decorative flowers and even crop food: breeding for desired results. These people must think dachshunds just sprung out of the ground looking like wieners.

[hgro]

Watch how you speak about Howard Dean. He is phosphorescent but is only slowly reaching the rotten stage.

[Triple Word Score]

This isn't exactly selective breeding. They are inserting some jellyfish genes in the DNA of the fish...so it can make a particular protein that isn't native to the fish at all. The protein has the characteristic of absorbing one invisible frequency of light and emiting a visible one. Thus it glows...and it's a pretty benign, ethically neutral change.

Perhaps in ten years we'll have cats and dogs that glow in the dark. Might cut down on roadkills. (Should we do this to the deer population, too? LOL)

Diabetics use human insulin made with similar technology--one organism is given the gene to make insulin, when it naturally wouldn't do so. The insulin made this way is just as if it were made by the human pancreas, and far cheaper and safer than sheep insulin.

It's not good or evil in and of itself--genetic engineering is just a tool. There's no doubt that harmful things could come of it. Osama Bin Laden would surely love to have a few dozen experts at his command.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[Aliska]

But Russell said there may be unintended consequences to the environment down the road

There may be unintended consequences to the fish and anything else that has been genetically modified down the road. We don't really know and shouldn't proceed willy nilly with all this as if we did, especially for fun and profit.

[Aliska]

Selective breeding is just the primitive way of genetically altering our pets

Selective breeding is not the same as genetic modification, unless the selective breeding includes meddling with internal genetic components.

[StatesEnemy]

Ok Ok Ok... But selective breeding often takes what are rare and recessive genes, and promotes them to the point that the animal/plant they end up with is hardly the animal/plant with which they started.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[skunkytown]

Wish Somebody would genetically alter fire-ants...

[alnitak]

Selective breeding is not the same as genetic modification, unless the selective breeding includes meddling with internal genetic components.

Different technique, obviously, but the end results can be almost as dramatic. Selective breeding turned a wolf into the Pekinese. What is different is this ability to take genes from completely different species/genera and inject them into a new germline. Can't say it bothers me particularly. No one ever died from a genetically modified pet :-)

I wonder if they have tried this with snakes? I bought a little hypomelanistic (*) corn snake over Christmas, and there are all sorts of colour morphs available because the market demands it. You can get red and white ones - just add some blue and away you go!

(*) Hypomelanism is due to a recessive gene which reduces the amount of melanin (black) pigment in the snake. Such snakes only exist because humans selectively bred them, in nature they get eaten preferentially due to their higher visibility.

[Aliska]

Well, you can mess up with selective breeding that doesn't involve genetic modification through the manipulation of genes. The pit bull is a good example.

To every good thing, there is a downside anyway, it seems. You breed a pekinese and they can't protect you. You breed a pit bull and it is a menace to others and sometimes your own.

If there was a downside to Mendel's peas or Burbank's daisies, I haven't learned of it yet.

[Made In The USA]

Hmmm... maybe if fish glowed I'd be a little better at catching them...

[Thoro]

Wake me when they make ants that will clean the house.

I remember watching a show on Animal Planet about different ant species, and one of the ones they covered was a South American(or was it African?) breed whose colony makes it's way through every house in a village essentially "cleaning" the house of any debris on the floor. The people openly welcome them inside their abodes.

They were particularly nasty looking insects too.

[B4Ranch]

Nobody seems to have any problems with women having breast implants, or is that considered physical modifications only.

[Major_Risktaker]

Wish Somebody would genetically alter fire-ants...

________________________

Mosquito's To!

________________________

Which one require a blood meal, top or bottom?

Yummie....
Now how can I get into that tent?

________________________

Genetic Mistake...

[Aliska]

Nobody seems to have any problems with women having breast implants, or is that considered physical modifications only.

Breast implants don't involve genetic manipulation.

Apart from that, I have a major problem with breast implants. Why do women do it? To feel better about themselves? Why does it make them feel better about themselves? Sometimes it doesn't. Usually the purpose is to please men or for vanity.

I wouldn't want a man who was attracted by my boobs. I would rather he just liked me the way I happen to be.

This is from someone who was not well endowed in that department.

The only ones who really profit from breast implants are the technicians who get paid for installing them.

I don't object to correcting disfigurements. I know a woman who might do well with some breast reduction. Huge flappers are uh kind of unsightly and too heavy to tote around really.