Have you ever heard of genetically modified fish? If not, the article is worth reading as we will be sharing one type of genetically modified fish - Glofish. Sounds interesting right? Without further ado, let's dive into the article!
Table of contents
- Where does Glofish come from?
- Glofish species
- Interesting facts about Glofish
- Is it difficult to keep Glofish in the tank?
- Glofish Beginner Tips
- Memory
Where does Glofish come from?
What is Glofish?
Glofish are a type of freshwater species that have been genetically modified with fluorescent protein genes. They need care and are suitable for community aquariums. There are currently five species of Glofish, including zebrafish (Danio rerio), tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi) and tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona), rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum), and betta (Betta splendens).
How is Glofish developed?
Glofish evolve by adding genes from other organisms, such as jellyfish, sea coral, and sea anemones. The genes are called fluorescent proteins, which make the glofish glow. The developer is Yorktown Technologies, L.P., and Glofish is owned by Spectrum Brands, Inc. For example, the green zebrafish was first developed in 1999. The researchers inserted the green fluorescent protein gene into the zebrafish embryo. The gene comes from jellyfish and can naturally produce a bright green fluorescence.
How does Glofish inherit?
Glofish offspring inherit one allele from each parent. In addition, the color is inherited for life.
Glofish species
1. Zebrafish - Funny damage
Danio rerio are small schooling fish. They have two patterns: zebra and leopard. They are peaceful most of the time, but sometimes fight and chase others. The ideal pH value and water hardness are 6.5-8 or 5-19° dH. And the accepted temperature is 65-75℉. Also, they are very pretty when kept in aquariums with dark gravel.
Name | Zebrafish - Funny damage | ![]() |
Size | 2 inches | |
Diet | Omnivore | |
attention level | Simply | |
lifespan | 2-4 years |
2. Hymns – Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
The black tetra loves planted aquariums and is not picky about water quality. If you are keeping fish in aquariums, a bare bottom rearing tank is required. Because adults can eat eggs. And you must remove the eggs after releasing them. 75-80℉ is suitable for them. And the accepted pH is 6-7.5. Also, they are peaceful.
Name | Hymns – Gymnocorymbus ternetzi | ![]() |
Size | 2 inches | |
Diet | Omnivore | |
attention level | Simply | |
lifespan | 3-5 years |
3. Tigerfarp – Puntius tetrazona
Tiger mullet like in groups of five or more. Aside from the fluorescent color, they also have dark vertical stripes. They are also semi-aggressive. And it is not recommended to keep them with slow, long-finned fish. In addition, they feel comfortable at a temperature of 70-78℉. And the accepted pH is 6-7.5.
Name | Tigerfarp – Puntius tetrazona | ![]() |
Size | 3 inches | |
Diet | Omnivore | |
attention level | Simply | |
lifespan | 5 years |
4. Rainbow Shark - Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
Rainbow Sharks are aggressive and you can provide them with hiding places by decorating the tanks with caves, plants or rocks. And it is recommended to keep them with fish of a similar size. Additionally, they accept temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees F and enjoy a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.
Name | Rainbow shark – Epalzeorhynchos frenatum | ![]() |
Size | 6 inches | |
Diet | omnivores and herbivores | |
attention level | Simply | |
lifespan | 5-8 years |
5.Betta – Heller Betta
Bettas are suitable for beginners. They are peaceful when kept with ideal tankmates. But they can be aggressive when kept with large finned fish. They can also live 3 to 5 years. But if you keep the perfectBetta-Aquariumenvironment they can live longer. Incidentally, factors such as tank setup, diet, water changes, and nitrogen cycling all affect their lifespan. Besides, the suitable temperature and pH for them are 75-80℉ and 6-7.5, respectively.
Name | Betta – Heller Betta | ![]() |
Size | 2-5 inches | |
Diet | carnivore | |
attention level | Simply | |
lifespan | 3-5 years |
Interesting facts about Glofish
Glofish are special fish. And here are some interesting facts about them.
Glofish are schools of fish. If tetras and tiger mullets are not in groups, they become more aggressive. And if you keep some of the same species of fish in your tanks, they will get lonely and even die sooner. Also, Glofish was originally developed for detecting environmental pollutants, not for the ornamental fish trade. Additionally, there are six attractive colors for the Glofish, including Moonrise Pink, Sunburst Orange, Electric Green, Cosmic Blue, Starfire Red, and Galactic Purple. In addition, Glofish are born bright. They get their color from their parents but are not painted, dyed or sprayed. And they can absorb and emit light again. If heaquarium lightincreased, its fluorescent colors become brighter.
Is it difficult to keep Glofish in the tank?
Glofish are easy to keep and suitable for beginners if they follow a few rules. Below we will likely address a few factors to look out for when keeping Glofish, such as: B. Lighting, food and water parameters.
Turn on
The burn time should not exceed 12 hours and the blue light is ideal for Glofish. Because blue light is conducive to fluorescence. You should leave the blue light on during the day, on the other hand, white light is also needed. Best light absorption for Glofish with enough blue and white light.
Essen
A balanced diet is useful for the growth and reproduction of fish. Don't overfeed. You should feed him food that he can finish eating in 3 to 5 minutes. But if you give them frozen food, you need to soften the food first.
water parameters
Proper water conditions are extremely important for the Glofish, or it will lead to fish stress and even death. You should also change the water regularly - 20-50 percent of the water every two weeks. In addition, it is also necessary to check the temperature and quality of the water.
Glofish Beginner Tips
turn off your lights at night
Because your fish need to sleep in the dark at night, you don't need to turn on the blue light for 24 hours. Also, it's best to keep the lights on within 12 hours or algae will thrive.
A heater is required
A heater is required for Tropical Glofish. The right temperature for them is 75-80°F. And too cold leads to stress-related illnesses. In such a case aaquarium heatercould avoid it.
How many fish should be kept in an aquarium?
Because glofish train fish, it's best to keep six of the same species in a tank, at least five. The ideal number will keep them comfortable and reduce aggression. And you can save them in different colors. For example, you can hold six danios of different colors. On the other hand, you should keep in mind that tiger barbs are aggressive fish. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to keep them in another single tank.
How do I choose the right tank?
Glofish are active and tend to swim. In general, it is recommended to provide 3 gallons of water for each Glofish. For example, if you're going to stick with Danio and want an 8 gallon tank, it's best to have 2-5 Danio.
In particular, it is not recommended to keep Glofish in a 5 gallon tank as this will lead to health issues and aggressiveness. Also, a 10 gallon tank is great for danio and tetra but not for rainbow sharks and tiger barbel. Also, a 20 gallon tank can hold 5-6 Glofish. In short, the larger the tank, the better for the Glofish.
Memory
After reading this article, are you looking forward to keeping a Glofish if you've never owned one? Here's another tip! Different types of Glofish are suited to different tankmates. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing tankmates. Take the rainbow shark and tiger barbel for example, they are aggressive and can bite and bite other fish. In this case, aggressive roommates may not be suitable for them, peaceful ones may be better.
So much for today! I hope you enjoyed this article and thanks for reading!
FAQs
What type of fish is GloFish? ›
GloFish® fluorescent fish come in a variety of species and colors of tropical fish. From danios to tetras, barbs and even sharks - all are brilliant under white LEDs and their color dazzles under blue LEDs!
Do GloFish actually glow? ›These genes produce proteins that fluoresce which give Glofish their “Glo!” Glofish absorb light in a specific wavelength then re-emit light, giving them their glowing appearance. Their color can be enhanced by blue LED, actinic, and black lights.
What is the best glow in the dark fish? ›Well the most famous bioluminescent fish is the deep sea Anglerfish, which has a special 'lure' which glows to entice smaller fish. The smaller fishes think the glowing light is a tasty treat and swim towards it before becoming dinner themselves!
What do GloFish need in their tank? ›- Set up your Tetra GloFish® Aquarium. Kit contains aquarium, LED lighting, filter and filter cartridge. ...
- Add GloFish® brand décor and accessories. such as fluorescent gravel and plants, and ornaments with glowing accents.
- Add and treat water. ...
- Add GloFish®.
The average Glofish lifespan is 3-8 years; however, this varies based on the species and care they receive.
How often do you feed GloFish? ›Experts suggest feeding your fish relatively small amounts of food once or twice a day. If they eat all of the food within a few minutes, it is okay to add a bit more, as long as they eat all (or at least most) of it within a short period of time.
Do GloFish sleep at night? ›Yes, do not leave the blue light on for 24 hours a day because the fish need to sleep in the dark at night and algae can grow if you turn on the aquarium light more than 12 hours a day.
What makes GloFish happy? ›Water Changes. Along with proper feeding, partial water changes are the most important way to ensure that your fish are healthy and happy with GloFish® Set Up and Care.
What size tank do GloFish need? ›Housing Them: They should have a tank of at least 5 gallons but 10 gallons or more is best. The tank should have a good power filter and heater. In tanks of 10 gallon or more we recommend an outside power with an air pump and a biological sponge filter. They like to swim in the middle water layers.
How many GloFish can you have in a 10 gallon tank? ›We recommend keeping just one Tetra per gallon of tank space.
What is a GloFish shark? ›
While GloFish Sharks are members of the minnow family, not actual sharks, they can reach up to 4 inches in length, making them the largest variety of GloFish. Like all other GloFish Danios, Tetras and Barbs, they get their natural color from their parents and are not injected, painted or dyed.
Do fish like glow sticks? ›Do glow sticks attract fish? Yes. Glow sticks are useful at attracting fish in murky or dirty water but you can also use them to attract fish in deep water where sunlight does not reach. Popular glow sticks to attract fish include 1 inch, 3 inch and up to 6 inch glow sticks.
How long can GloFish live in a bag? ›On average, fish can survive for 6-9 hours in a sealed plastic bag as long as other conditions are met. It is strongly encouraged to only keep fish in a bag for a few hours at most, though.
Do GloFish need light at night? ›Do GloFish Need Light At Night? It is not recommended to leave the lights on at night. Undoubtedly, GloFish requires light just like any other fish and also for the fluorescent feature. They also need to be kept in the dark so that their food intake and sleep time go in the perfect cycle.
Are GloFish easy to keep alive? ›They are a peaceful fish that's great in a community tank, but they might nip the fins of slow-moving tank mates like Bettas. You should keep them in a school of at least five, but larger numbers are always better. They're very easy to care for and will readily accept flake, pelleted or frozen foods.
How often do you change GloFish water? ›Twice a month if you have a lot of fish, or if you have fish that produce more waste, such as goldfish or cichlids. Clean your filter of any sludge, particularly if it has an impeller, every other month. Do a 25% water change once a month. Reduce the amount of food you feed your fish.
What is the best food for GloFish? ›GloFish eat a diet of fish flakes, pellets, and frozen or freeze-dried foods formulated for ornamental pets. They are an omnivorous species that do best on a diet specially formulated for them. GloFish are a species of fluorescent, transgenic zebrafish. GloFish benefit from foods high in carotenoids and beta carotene.
Can GloFish go 2 days without food? ›How long can GloFish Tetra go without food? Most healthy aquarium fish can go three days to a week without eating. However, it usually isn't recommended to go more a day or two without feeding unless completely necessary.
Can I use tap water for my GloFish? ›GloFish Water Conditioner is safe and effective for all tropical fish. Makes tap water safe for GloFish fluorescent fish.
How do I know if my GloFish is hungry? ›- Your fish is digging around the substrate (searching for food).
- Waiting and the top of the aquarium (for feeding time).
- Behavior changes (aggression).
- Noticeable weight/size changes.
- Slow or sluggish behavior.
How can you tell if a GloFish is happy? ›
Your fish are happy and healthy when they: Swim actively throughout the entire tank, not just hanging out or laying at the bottom, floating near the top or hiding behind plants and ornaments. Eat regularly and swim to the surface quickly at feeding time.
Can GloFish have babies? ›Glofish reproduce like their original species. The female releases pheromones to initiate courting while the male releases a gonadal hormone to cause ovulation in females. The female Glofish can lay every two to three days until it has produced a single clutch of several hundred eggs.
Do GloFish keep their color? ›Each new GloFish inherits its unique color directly from its parents, maintains the color throughout its life and passes the color along to its offspring.
How do I know if my fish is happy? ›- They swim back and forth freely and energetically around the tank.
- Quite like humans, happy fish might have a vibrant glow to their skin. ...
- They do not appear fearful of the other fish in the tank. ...
- They are breathing normally.
Shimmying is a symptom rather than a single disease, and an indication that a fish no longer has proper control of its nerves and muscles. It occurs when fish are under severe stress, most often because of environmental problems.
Why does my GloFish stay at the top of the tank? ›If dissolved oxygen levels are low, fish hang at the surface and gasp, as the surface area has the highest oxygen level in the tank because its in contact with the air.
How big do GloFish grow? ›Cichlid. Originally from the brackish lakes of Africa and Central and South America, cichlids are a bold and interesting species. They come in many bright and colorful varieties, and can grow anywhere from just a few inches to over three feet long.
Can you keep 2 GloFish together? ›GloFish Sharks can be semi-aggressive, so we advise keeping only one shark per aquarium. They can, however be housed along with other GloFish Tetras, Danios, and Barbs. It should also be noted that our GloFish Barbs can potentially become aggressive if they are not kept in groups of five or more.
Do GloFish need a heated tank? ›Yes, glofish need a heater, because all the Glofish species are derivatives of tropical species. That means they're used to warm waters and require heaters in captivity. The temperature for all the combined species falls within the range of 61 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is the biggest GloFish? ›GloFish Sharks are the largest species in the GloFish family and recommended to keep them in a 20 Gallon aquarium or larger. Sharks like to have places to hide in the aquarium and are a great addition because they clean up leftover food.
What is the smallest GloFish? ›
Depending on the species of glofish, once the tank is established, he can have 1 or 2. We would recommend the danio version as the smallest, and hardiest.
What temp should GloFish be at? ›The GloFish® Submersible Heater is designed to keep your aquatic fish comfortable, with an electronic thermostat that automatically maintains a consistent water temperature of 78 degrees and prevents overheating, extending heater life.
How many colors of GloFish are there? ›There are 12 different lines available for purchase, each displaying a diverse range of lively colors—including Starfire Red, Moonrise Pink, Sunburst Orange, Electric Green, Cosmic Blue, and Galactic Purple.
Do GloFish have teeth? ›Fish Teeth Exist
Specific types of swimmers—like goldfish—hide their pearly whites near the back of their throats. Similar to shark teeth, goldfish lose and replace teeth throughout their lifetime.
The light underside glows, attracting fish, whales, and sharks. It attaches itself to the prey and uses its serrated bottom teeth to cut out a perfectly circular chunk of flesh.
What breed are GloFish sharks? ›GloFish sharks are similar fish to rainbow sharks, and they have pretty much the same care requirements. These fish are members of the Cyprinidae family, having the scientific name Epalzeorhynchos frenatum. GloFish sharks are artificially created variants of the rainbow shark, and you won't see these fish in the wild.
Do fish like LED lights? ›Fish are not as reliant on light as plants. In general, aquarium owners can use incandescent, fluorescent, or LED lights for fish but should be aware of the heat issues that incandescent lights cause.
What light color do fish like? ›What color light attracts fish the best? Overall, green light attracts the most fish. Green has a high lumen output of 130 per LED alongside a 520 nm wavelength. Shrimp and insects have both of these wavelengths in their color vision alongside green light receptors around 530 um.
Do fish enjoy TV? ›They have no idea what they're watching, which means they can't appreciate the images; they only show interest strictly based on movement and light. Animals with more complex brains, like cats and dogs, will also understand what they see, like people and other animals.
Can fish survive in tap water? ›Ordinary tap water is fine for filling up the aquarium as long as you let it sit for several days before adding fish (the chlorine in the tap water will kill the fish).
Does GloFish glow in the dark? ›
Alan Blake of Yorktown Technology explains, "The glofish is a fluorescent zebra fish. It is bright red under regular room light. And in a dark room under black light, it will appear to glow in the dark."
How long can GloFish go without food? ›Most healthy aquarium fish can go three days to a week without eating. However, it usually isn't recommended to go more a day or two without feeding unless completely necessary.
Are GloFish male or female? ›Look at each tetra's belly. Male glowlights' stomach areas are less rounded than females of this subspecies, because the girls' bellies become bloated from carrying eggs when they are fully grown. Boy tetras usually have a much sleeker look than the girls.
Can GloFish fight? ›The answer is yes. Goldfish do sometimes fight each other. However, it's difficult to know in advance whether your goldfish will be aggressive. Different goldfish have different personalities, so some goldfish will fight more than others.
Do GloFish need special lights? ›Now, these proteins can't be expressed unless they're exposed to light in the blue to UV range. That's why although your Glofish appear colorful and bright in white light, they don't actually sparkle unless they're illuminated with UV light.
Are GloFish real fish? ›GloFish are tropical fish and are unable to survive in non-tropical environments. Their non-fluorescent counterparts have been sold to aquarium owners worldwide for more than fifty years. Despite all these years of widespread distribution, they are only found in tropical environments.
Is a glow fish a betta fish? ›Are GloFish® Bettas different than typical bettas? GloFish Bettas offer a unique opportunity to the world of betta fish. While nearly identical in behavior to traditional domesticated bettas, GloFish Bettas produce a fluorescent protein that allows them to fluoresce under blue LED lights.
What is GloFish made of? ›Scientists created the GloFish by inserting fluorescent genes from jellyfish and sea anemones into the eggs of a silver and black zebra danio, a tropical fish from India. The fish was designed to help scientists determine when waterways were contaminated. If they glowed, it meant there were pollutants in the water.
What kind of shark is a GloFish? ›GloFish Sharks are members of the minnow family, not actual sharks. Since these fish can reach up to four inches in length like their counterpart, the Rainbow Shark, they should only be placed in aquariums 20 gallons or larger.
Where are GloFish banned? ›Despite Brazil's ban on sales of the fish, local farms keep breeding them, and stores all over the country sell them as pets. They may soon colonize other parts of the country: Isolated Glofish individuals were spotted in ponds and streams in south and northeast Brazil in 2020.
How big of a tank do GloFish need? ›
You can keep about 1 Glofish for each 2.5 gallons. An ideal tank would be 20 gallons or more with a school of six or more. Glofish in tanks under 5 gallon? - Not recommended. In smaller tanks try some white clouds or a betta.
Can GloFish give birth? ›GloFish are not live-bearers and therefore can't be said to undergo pregnancy. Females will release eggs in the presence of males.
Can I put female betta with GloFish? ›Female Betta – As colorful as GloFish male bettas, females are less aggressive than their male counterparts and can be kept with other female bettas, GloFish Tetras, Barbs, Danios and Sharks as well as other tropical fish.
How long do betta GloFish live for? ›Betta fish lifespan.
Betta fish on average live to be 2-4 years old. The length of your betta fish's life is directly related to the environment you keep them in. By maintaining a clean tank and watching their diet, you can help them live a longer life.
All GloFish except for the danios need a heater because they are tropical fish that require temperatures of approximately 75-80°F (24-27°C) to stay healthy.
Why does my GloFish keep dying? ›There are many reasons why fish in your tank keep dying. A few reasons include stress, incorrect tank setup, overfeeding, diseases, and much more. To a beginner, it could look like your fish died for no reason whatsoever.