# How do they dye fish?



## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

I've seen dyed convicts, parrots, and oscars.

Just wondering how it's done? Is it something injected into the fish, added to the water that they somehow absorb, or other way?

thanks for the info

Now who wouldn't want a pink piranha if that was possible







j/k


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## smb (Jun 1, 2003)

They inject the fish.


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## bgshortys (Apr 7, 2003)

My dad had a purple clown loach in his 75 gal. I didn't know it was dyed because I was like 5 years old.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

they dip the fish into a highly acidic solution, which removes the fish's slime coating.
then they get a hypodermic needle, fill it with ink color of choice, and insert it, squeeze a little ink in, then take it out and repeat, until all areas of the fish that are to be dyed have been filled in.
then they dip the fish in a highly basic solution, which causes the fish's slime coating to rapidly re-form.

Doesnt sound very fun.


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## SnowCichlid (Jan 10, 2003)

this will also shorten the life span of the fish, and usually the die will run out and fade within months...


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## thoroughbred (Mar 14, 2003)

piranha45 said:


> they dip the fish into a highly acidic solution, which removes the fish's slime coating.
> then they get a hypodermic needle, fill it with ink color of choice, and insert it, squeeze a little ink in, then take it out and repeat, until all areas of the fish that are to be dyed have been filled in.
> then they dip the fish in a highly basic solution, which causes the fish's slime coating to rapidly re-form.
> 
> Doesnt sound very fun.


 mna thats just wrong thats cruel !!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

this is why I will not buy painted glassfish and other dyed fish - its just wrong


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## JesseD (Mar 26, 2003)

its a very cruel thing to do









NEVER BUY A DYED FISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

not only will it encourage people to continue doing it, but the dyed fish often has a shorter life span.


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## Poseidon X (Jan 31, 2003)

Thats why i buy expensive colorful flowerhorns to being with.


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## marcc420 (Jun 14, 2003)

yes that is very cruel i heard from someones cuzns brother that some where they do this thing they call fishing they actually put a hook on a string and hook the fish! when i heard this i was outraged! i was like danm thats cruel! we must stop thez ppl at once.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

marcc420 said:


> yes that is very cruel i heard from someones cuzns brother that some where they do this thing they call fishing they actually put a hook on a string and hook the fish! when i heard this i was outraged! i was like danm thats cruel! we must stop thez ppl at once.


 I agree - good point


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Dr Stan MacMahon and Dr Peter Burgess explain the damage done to fish when they are barbarically injected with dye.

Some fishkeepers, and possibly even a few traders, may be puzzled as to why so much fuss has been made about dyed fish. On the face of it, the practice of dyeing or "painting" the fish seems fairly innocuous and the artificially dyed specimens are certainly very eye-catching in their various "day-glo" colours. So why push for a voluntary ban on selling them? Our investigations have revealed the truth behind the dyed fish saga.

Disco fish 
Our first encounter with dyed fish was back in the late 1980's. Thousands of artificially coloured glassfish, Parambassis ranga (formerly Chanda ranga) were imported into the UK.

The glassfish, so named because of its naturally semi-transparent body, obviously makes it an ideal subject for "painting".

They were seen with fluorescent shades of either blue, purple, red, yellow, orange or green produced by dyes.

They were (and still are) imported under the names "painted glassfish" or "disco fish" (presumably because their almost fluorescent colours resemble discotheque lights).

How is the dye applied? 
Intrigued as to how the dye was applied we decided to carry out a little research. A few coloured glassfish were sedated in MS222 anaesthetic and observed under a binocular microscope. It became apparent that the dye is not on the surface of the fish, but lay under the epidermis.

Furthermore, the dye appeared fluid and could be moved slightly by gently squeezing the coloured area.

This suggested that it must have been injected into the fish at various sites over the body in order to form the distinctive colour patterns. Our fears were confirmed a few years later when we were shown photographs of the colouring process, revealing that each fish is individually injected using a syringe and needle.

The practice of dye injection is undertaken by fish farmers in some regions of Asia (but not Singapore as far as we know). Clearly, the common name "painted glassfish" is a cruelly misleading description.

If one considers the relative bore size of the injection needle with that of a glassfish, it would be the equivalent of us receiving several jabs using a needle of pencil-sized diameter - not a pleasant thought.

As experienced fish scientists, we would never dream of injecting fish of such small size. No wonder the injection process is alleged to cause high mortalities.

Increasing the risk of disease... 
A survey which we carried out in the south of England revealed that over 40% of painted glassfish appeared to be suffering from lymphocystis virus. This disease manifests itself as a small whitish growths on the fish's body and fins.

An examination of the white growths under the powerful electron microscope confirmed our diagnosis. In contrast, less than 10% of the natural (unpainted) glassfish had lymphocystis.

It is possible that the injection process increases the risk of this disease, perhaps by transmitting the virus from fish to fish via the needle (the same needle is used to inject tens or even hundreds of fish).

Alternatively, the stress of being injected with the dye may lower the fish's natural immunity to lymphocystis. It must be said that, in our experience, those glassfish which survive the injection process go on to live fairly normal lives, despite the gaudy dyes present within their bodies. In time, the dye fades.

Moral issue 
Many people believe that fish do not feel pain and so injecting them with dyes is perfectly acceptable. In fact, increasing scientific evidence suggests that fish are indeed capable of feeling pain, though we have no way of telling whether they perceive painful events in the same way as we do.

So dye injection is likely to be a painful experience for the poor glassfish. In fairness, many traders and hobbyists were mislead, just as we first were, into thinking that these fish were simply painted with the dye. 
Now that the truth is out, it's time to stop this cruel practice, once and for all.

Other species which are sometimes dyed 
Glassfish are not the only species which are subjected to artificial colouring.

Many types of albino fish also make ideal "white cavasses" for colouring. We have observed the following artificially coloured fish in the UK, and suspect there may be others.

Albino versions of Corydoras catfish, such as aeneus; Tiger barbs; Albino Epalzeorhynchus (formerly Labeo) such as the Red-finned shark; Black widow tetras; Rams and some Botia species.

Typically these exhibit red or blue on part of the body, but the dyes are not as bright or gaudy as those used to inject glassfish.

Fish which have pale or semi-transparent bodies such as the glassfish, Kryptoterus, also suffer.

The PFK Ban Dyed Fish Campaign

Practical Fishkeeping ran an award-winning campaign which started in 1996 and asked aquatic retailers to sign a pledge that they would not sell dyed fish. The majority of British retailers signed up and dyed fish are now relatively uncommon in the UK.

This article was first published in the March 1998 issue of Practical Fishkeeping.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Great info Frank - I have not seen these fish for years, it looks like the campain is working.


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## ViBE (Jul 22, 2003)

LOL, Im sorry to interrupt, but you say dying fish is cruel? What about those endless amount of feeder fish you feed to the piranhas? What about those small mouse? Well anyway, dont get me wrong, but IM just chuckling how you find it evil. I do not have dyed fish, painted fish, nor do I do that stuff. So dont hate me.


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## bobme (Feb 17, 2003)

Petsmart and Petco sells them still, but they do not tell any one, Black skrittetras


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## Death in #'s (Apr 29, 2003)

frank with the info rescue agian


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

piranha45 said:


> they dip the fish into a highly acidic solution, which removes the fish's slime coating.
> then they get a hypodermic needle, fill it with ink color of choice, and insert it, squeeze a little ink in, then take it out and repeat, until all areas of the fish that are to be dyed have been filled in.
> then they dip the fish in a highly basic solution, which causes the fish's slime coating to rapidly re-form.
> 
> Doesnt sound very fun.


 There you go!


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

great info. Thats why I will never buy a dyed fish


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## Alexraptor (Jan 30, 2003)

all those who dye fish or will do it i just say: go die scumbags


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## Hannibal (Dec 2, 2002)

is it illegal to dye a fish though? WHy dont the save animal rights people do something about it.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

Innes said:


> Great info Frank - I have not seen these fish for years, it looks like the campain is working.


 very good info







thanks frank for sharing


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

ViBE said:


> LOL, Im sorry to interrupt, but you say dying fish is cruel? What about those endless amount of feeder fish you feed to the piranhas? What about those small mouse? Well anyway, dont get me wrong, but IM just chuckling how you find it evil. I do not have dyed fish, painted fish, nor do I do that stuff. So dont hate me.


 good point, yet feeding predatory fish their natural diet of smaller fish and small mammals does not compare to injecting a fish with an artificial substance. Its a nature vs. non-nature thing.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

Hannibal said:


> is it illegal to dye a fish though? WHy dont the save animal rights people do something about it.


 its not illegal, and animal rights groups probably protest about it alot, its just that they get ignored as usual.







I hate alot of activist groups.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

> good point, yet feeding predatory fish their natural diet of smaller fish and small mammals does not compare to injecting a fish with an artificial substance. Its a nature vs. non-nature thing.


Exactly.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

Xenon said:


> ViBE said:
> 
> 
> > LOL, Im sorry to interrupt, but you say dying fish is cruel? What about those endless amount of feeder fish you feed to the piranhas? What about those small mouse? Well anyway, dont get me wrong, but IM just chuckling how you find it evil. I do not have dyed fish, painted fish, nor do I do that stuff. So dont hate me.
> ...


 it is cruel to feed your piranhas with mice, and also to use feeders that do not die instantly, like large oscars with a bite out of its belly and intestines hanging out as it tries to escape the piranhas which sit watching it a little while longer before they finish the job.

perhaps I am too vegetarian and animal rights, but it is just plain cruel


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## Anko (Oct 2, 2004)

I saw dyed fish at my LFS its the same thing as the Glow-fish its just some sh*t to make some money...and p-s getting fed goldfish is not their natural diet...p's get native fish to their habitat ahnd also mice arent their natural *DIET*...once in a while a mice may go into piranha waters and get eaten but it is not a diet...and oscars are not a diet...convicts are not a diet...all these things you feed your p's are not really natural diets...


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## Pufferpunk (Mar 9, 2004)

Death by Dyeing


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Great link, good points Anko, and, oh yeah,...


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

Nobody here is simulating their piranhas diet in the wild so don't even try it. Red bellies pick off the sick and weak they come across, basically like hyenas as I read on Frank's website. That means that unless you have a ready supply of old, injured fish from the amazon, you aren't doing anything "natural" in your tank. People wonder why they have to starve their fish to get it to eat a big feeder... well it's because the 4 piranhas would probably leave a 8 inch aggressive cichlid alone in the wild if it was healthy. Feeders are no more natural than defrosting fish fillet and dropping it into the tank.


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## WolfFish (Jun 30, 2004)

You do realise how old this thread is don't you?

Goldfish are just rats of the water, feeding a few to piranhas is hardly worth bitching about, and it brings joy to thousands (5000+ pfury members?). I'd get some if they weren't so freakingl expenisive (in the UK). They usually die withing seconds, which is faster than whatever the f*ck a lion wants to eat.


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