Painted fish

So I went to the LFS today to get some advice about what to put with my
CAE that will go with the Loaches and Rainbows when we get the big
tank. (I would appreciate your input on that subject as well). While I
was there, I noticed some 'Diamond barbs'? I think thats what they were
calling them. As I was looking at the tanks and talking to the lfs
guy, I remarked about some fish that were about 4 in long, and white
with a flourescent diamond pattern on them. He told me that they were
albino something-or-others and that they were painted! I was amazed
that someone would even think to do this.

That leads me to wonder:
1) Who does this? is it the LFS? they are the only game in town outside
the chains, and if they are painting fish, I would be inclined to not
return (see the guppies in betta bowls thread)

2) What other fish might be painted?

On 13 Sep 2005 15:09:00 -0700, "Glengoyne"
wrote:

So I went to the LFS today to get some advice about what to put with my
CAE that will go with the Loaches and Rainbows when we get the big
tank. (I would appreciate your input on that subject as well). While I
was there, I noticed some 'Diamond barbs'? I think thats what they were
calling them. As I was looking at the tanks and talking to the lfs
guy, I remarked about some fish that were about 4 in long, and white
with a flourescent diamond pattern on them. He told me that they were
albino something-or-others and that they were painted! I was amazed
that someone would even think to do this.

That leads me to wonder:
1) Who does this? is it the LFS? they are the only game in town outside
the chains, and if they are painting fish, I would be inclined to not
return (see the guppies in betta bowls thread)

2) What other fish might be painted?


http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://fins.actwin.com/articles/paintedglass.php

http://www.aquarama.com.sg/aquaramam...business2.html

http://www.petfish.net/painted_glassfish.htm

Charles wrote:
On 13 Sep 2005 15:09:00 -0700, "Glengoyne"
wrote:


So I went to the LFS today to get some advice about what to put with my
CAE that will go with the Loaches and Rainbows when we get the big
tank. (I would appreciate your input on that subject as well). While I
was there, I noticed some 'Diamond barbs'? I think thats what they were
calling them. As I was looking at the tanks and talking to the lfs
guy, I remarked about some fish that were about 4 in long, and white
with a flourescent diamond pattern on them. He told me that they were
albino something-or-others and that they were painted! I was amazed
that someone would even think to do this.

That leads me to wonder:
1) Who does this? is it the LFS? they are the only game in town outside
the chains, and if they are painting fish, I would be inclined to not
return (see the guppies in betta bowls thread)

2) What other fish might be painted?



http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://fins.actwin.com/articles/paintedglass.php

http://www.aquarama.com.sg/aquaramam...business2.html

http://www.petfish.net/painted_glassfish.htm


Speaking of painted fish, sometimes fish stores get them in by mistake
so don't necessarily boycot a store that has some. I was talking to a
manager in one of our newer stores and asked if some unusual-looking
cories with a pinkish-red stripe from the anal fin to the caudal fin
were painted. He said they were, and came from the supplier that way.
The store didn't order them painted.

Even worse, they ordered cherry barbs, and got pink-dyed white skirt
tetras. He sadly said that the tetras were selling like crazy even when
he told people they were painted and wouldn't keep the color or even
stay healthy. I had the same experience with "neon glass fish" that had
clearly visible lymphocistis infections when I worked in a fish store.
I always tried my best to offer naturally colorful fish like neon or
glowlight tetras instead, and sometimes it worked.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

That's crazy... I never knew they painted cories.
I wonder what the economics are like surrounding painted fish... maybe
it's because I don't understand fully how they do it? All I've read
says that they inject the fish with some stuff... wouldn't that be
really time consuming? Dye probably isn't very expensive, and if the
fish sell like hotcakes to people that either don't mind or don't know
then I'm sure that's a trivial issue. But if it takes a lot of time
then I don't know why they would do it.

It seems counterproductive to me... I want fish that are soothing and
natural to watch. I don't want to look at my fish tank and get confused
and think that I'm on a vegas strip full of crazy neon lights.

m wrote:
That's crazy... I never knew they painted cories.
I wonder what the economics are like surrounding painted fish... wouldn't that be
really time consuming? Dye probably isn't very expensive, and if the
fish sell like hotcakes to people that either don't mind or don't know
then I'm sure that's a trivial issue. But if it takes a lot of time
then I don't know why they would do it.

It seems counterproductive to me... I want fish that are soothing and
natural to watch. I don't want to look at my fish tank and get confused
and think that I'm on a vegas strip full of crazy neon lights.

maybe
it's because I don't understand fully how they do it? All I've read
says that they inject the fish with some stuff...

There are 2 different types of "painted fish". Some are injected, as
you have read about, the other is worse.
The fish are put into a vat of caustic solution with burns off their
slime coat. 80% die right then...80%!! Isn't that nuts.
Then, after being dipped in acid and had their slime coat burned off,
they are dumped into a vat of dye.
Most fish are so unhealthy from the process, if they're one of the 20%
that made it through the process, that they don't live very long
anyway.
If they do survive, their color will fade completely over time anyway.
I truly beleive this practice should be outlawed. There is no question
whether or not this practice is abusive. It's disgusting, and I ask
every shop owner that carries thewm if they are aware of the process.
If they are, and still buy them, I don't go back, and tell them why.

Elaine T wrote:
Charles wrote:

On 13 Sep 2005 15:09:00 -0700, "Glengoyne"
wrote:


So I went to the LFS today to get some advice about what to put with my
CAE that will go with the Loaches and Rainbows when we get the big
tank. (I would appreciate your input on that subject as well). While I
was there, I noticed some 'Diamond barbs'? I think thats what they were
calling them. As I was looking at the tanks and talking to the lfs
guy, I remarked about some fish that were about 4 in long, and white
with a flourescent diamond pattern on them. He told me that they were
albino something-or-others and that they were painted! I was amazed
that someone would even think to do this.

That leads me to wonder:
1) Who does this? is it the LFS? they are the only game in town outside
the chains, and if they are painting fish, I would be inclined to not
return (see the guppies in betta bowls thread)

2) What other fish might be painted?




http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/a.../article3.html

http://fins.actwin.com/articles/paintedglass.php

http://www.aquarama.com.sg/aquaramam...business2.html

http://www.petfish.net/painted_glassfish.htm


Speaking of painted fish, sometimes fish stores get them in by mistake
so don't necessarily boycot a store that has some. I was talking to a
manager in one of our newer stores and asked if some unusual-looking
cories with a pinkish-red stripe from the anal fin to the caudal fin
were painted. He said they were, and came from the supplier that way.
The store didn't order them painted.

Even worse, they ordered cherry barbs, and got pink-dyed white skirt
tetras. He sadly said that the tetras were selling like crazy even when
he told people they were painted and wouldn't keep the color or even
stay healthy. I had the same experience with "neon glass fish" that had
clearly visible lymphocistis infections when I worked in a fish store. I
always tried my best to offer naturally colorful fish like neon or
glowlight tetras instead, and sometimes it worked.

The LFS's I use actually advertise that they will neve sell painted or
dyed fish along with information on why not

Gill

You must be a newbie. This has been going on for at least four decades.

I must say I also only recently just heard of this phenomenon - I
haven't come across it where I live in Australia. I find it phenomenal
that people would do this - some people just don't know the process of
colouring the fish and buy them for their bright colours! From what I
hear they don't live very long.

Well it makes me feel better knowing that this isn't something that the
store is doing. I can't really fault a business for stocking what will
sell, although it is still mind boggling.

yeah, but if they are fish enthusiests, they would have more in mind
than just profit, like stocking a quality item is also important for a
business. In a way it's a bit gimmicky. And by stocking the fish,
they are condoning the act.

I know this isn't the same thing, but I recently went to one of those
jewellery chain stores. They were selling these things called "mystic
fire" topaz, which they described to me as a "coloured topaz" - they
look kind of black but have lovely holographic colours in them.
Anyway, after asking the girl whether the colour would eventually come
off she said no. I already knew the answer, as if you turned the ring
side on you could see where the PAINT on the stone ended at the sides -
of course it would have chipped off.

So anyway, I guess the point of the story is, if the fish store is
stocking a shoddy product for profit, then don't expect them to ever
have any good products. Like pets paradise in Australia - I cant tell
you how many fish I bought from them over the years, what a waste of
money.