Have you ever heard about fish that are genetically modified? If not, the article is worth reading as we will share one kind of genetically modified fish – Glofish. Sounds interesting, right? Without any ado, let’s dive into the article!
Where does Glofish come from?
What is Glofish?
Glofish is one kind of freshwater species, which have been genetically modified with fluorescent protein genes. They need care and are suitable for community aquariums. At present, there are five species of Glofish, including Zebrafish (Danio rerio), Tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), Tiger barb (Puntius tetrazona), Rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum), and Betta (Betta splendens).
How is Glofish developed?
Glofish is developed by adding genes from other organisms, such as Jellyfish, sea coral, and sea anemones. The genes are called fluorescent proteins, which make Glofish glow. The developer is Yorktown Technologies, L.P., and the ownership of Glofish is Spectrum Brands, Inc. For example, in 1999, the green Zebrafish was developed at the beginning. Researchers inserted the green fluorescent protein gene into the Zebrafish embryo. The gene is from Jellyfish and can produce bright green fluorescent naturally.
How does Glofish inherit?
The offspring of Glofish will inherit one allele from each parent. Besides, color is inherited and lifelong.
Species of Glofish
1. Zebrafish – Danio rerio
Danio rerio are small schooling fish. They possess two patterns – zebra and leopard. They are peaceful most of the time, but they will sometimes fight and chase others. The ideal pH and water hardness of them respectively are 6.5-8 and 5-19° DH. And the accepted temperature is 65-75℉. Besides, they look very beautiful if kept in tanks with dark-colored gravel.
| Name | Zebrafish – Danio rerio |  |
| Size | 2 inches | |
| Diet | Omnivore | |
| Care Level | Easy | |
| Lifespan | 2-4 years |
2. Tetra – Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Black Tetra loves planted tanks and is not demanding of water quality. If you keep the fish in aquariums, a bare-bottom breed tank is necessary. Because the adult ones may eat eggs. And you need to remove the eggs after releasing them. 75-80℉ is suitable for them. And the accepted pH is 6-7.5. Besides, they are peaceful.
| Name | Tetra – Gymnocorymbus ternetzi |  |
| Size | 2 inches | |
| Diet | Omnivore | |
| Care Level | Easy | |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
3. Tiger barb – Puntius tetrazona
Tiger barb like in groups of five or more. Except for the fluorescent color, they have dark vertical striping too. Besides, they are semi-aggressive. It is not recommended to keep them with fish that are long-finned and moving slowly. Moreover, they feel comfortable within a temperature of 70-78℉. And the accepted pH is 6-7.5.
| Name | Tiger barb – Puntius tetrazona |  |
| Size | 3 inches | |
| Diet | Omnivore | |
| Care Level | Easy | |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
4. Rainbow shark – Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
Rainbow sharks are aggressive, and you can provide hiding places for them by decorating tanks with caves, plants, or rocks. And it is recommended to keep them with similar-sized fish. Besides, They accept temperatures of 75-80℉ and enjoy a pH of 6.5-7.5.
| Name | Rainbow shark – Epalzeorhynchos frenatum |  |
| Size | 6 inches | |
| Diet | Omnivore and herbivore | |
| Care Level | Easy | |
| Lifespan | 5-8 years |
5.Betta – Betta splendens
Bettas are suitable for beginners. They are peaceful if kept with ideal tank mates. But they may be aggressive when kept with fish with large fins. Besides, they can live for 3–5 years. But if you keep the perfect betta fish tank environment, they may live longer. By the way, factors, including tank setup, foods, water change, and nitrogen cycle, have an impact on their lifespan. Moreover, the suitable temperature and pH for them respectively are 75-80℉ and 6-7.5.
| Name | Betta – Betta splendens |  |
| Size | 2–5 inches | |
| Diet | Carnivore | |
| Care Level | Easy | |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
Interesting facts about Glofish
Glofish are special fish. And here are some interesting facts about them.
Glofish are schooling fish. If the tetra and tiger barbs are not in groups, they will be more aggressive. And if you keep a few of the same fish species in your tanks, they will feel lonely and even die earlier. Besides, Glofish is originally developed to detect environmental contaminants, not for the ornamental fish trade. Moreover, there are six attractive colors for Glofish, including “Moonrise Pink”, “Sunburst Orange”, “Electric Green”, “Cosmic Blue”, “Starfire Red”, and “Galactic Purple”. In addition, Glofish is born brilliant. They get their color from their parents, but not painted, dyed, or injected. And they can absorb light and re-emit it. If the fish tank light is increased, their fluorescent colors will be brighter.
Is Glofish hard to keep in tanks?
Glofish are easy to keep and suitable for beginners if they follow some rules. Next, we are likely to cover some factors you should pay attention to when you keep Glofish, such as lighting, food, and water parameters.
Lighting
The time of lighting should not be over 12 hours, and the blue light is ideal for Glofish. Because blue light is beneficial to fluorescence. You should keep the blue light on during the daytime, on the other hand, white light is also needed. With enough blue and white light, the better light absorption for Glofish.
Food
The balance of nutrition is helpful to the growth and breeding of fish. Do not overfeed. You should feed them food that they can finish eating within 3–5 minutes. But if you feed them with frozen food, you should soften the food first.
Water parameter
Suitable water conditions are critically crucial for Glofish, or it will cause stress for fish and even death. Besides, you should also change the water regularly – 20-50 percent of the water every two weeks. In addition, checking the water temp and quality are also necessary.
Tips for Glofish Beginners
Turn off your light at night
Because your fish need to sleep in the dark at night, it is no need to turn on the blue light for 24 hours. Besides, it is better to keep your light on within 12 hours, or it will thrive the algae.
A heater is necessary
For tropical Glofish, a heater is necessary. The suitable temperature for them is 75-80℉. And too cold will lead to sickness because of the stress. In such a case, an aquarium heater could avoid it.
How many fish should be kept in a tank?
As Glofish are schooling fish, it is better to keep six of the same species in a tank, at least five. The ideal number will make them feel comfortable and reduce aggression. And you can keep them in different colors. For example, you can keep six Danios in different colors. On the other hand, you should notice that the Tiger barbs are aggressive fish. If you are a beginner, it is recommended to keep them in another single tank.
How to select the right tank?
Glofish are active and likely to swim. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you should provide 3 gallons of water for each Glofish. For example, if you want to keep Danio and have an 8-gallon tank, it is better to keep 2–5 Danios in it.
Specifically speaking, it is not recommended that apply a 5-gallon tank to keep Glofish, because it will cause poor health and aggression. Besides, a 10-gallon tank is ideal for Danio ad Tetra, but not suitable for Rainbow sharks and tiger barb. Moreover, a 20-gallon tank can keep 5 to 6 Glofish. In summary, the larger the tank, the better for Glofish.
Reminder
After reading this article, are you eager to keep one Glofish if you have never kept it before? One more tip here! Different species of Glofish are suitable for different tank mates. So when you choose tank mates for them, you should be careful. Take the Rainbow shark and Tiger barb as an example, they are aggressive and may nip and bite other fish. In such a case, aggressive tank mates may not be suitable for them, the peaceful ones may be better.
So much for today! Hope you have enjoyed this article and thank you for your reading!
Related Products
Leave a comment