| The process of painting started in the late 1970's | | | | 2) Dye Injection - |
| with the Glass Perch (Chanda ranga or Chanda | | | | Needles are used to puncture and inject dye |
| wolfii ) and was soon noticed by the aquarium | | | | under the skin, like a tattoo. This process can only |
| keepers of the day, protests followed and it | | | | colour a small area each time so fish will receive |
| seemed that the process had been stopped. | | | | many, many injections to achieve the desired |
| However in the late 1980's early 1990's the | | | | effect. The dye remains as liquid until the fish's |
| process started again but this time spread to | | | | immune system removes it. Many fish will |
| many more species. The rather worrying fact is | | | | succumb to other infections cause by the |
| that most people who buy these modified tropical | | | | puncture wounds. The fish who survive this |
| fish are totally unaware of the disgusting process | | | | process will begin to lose their colour after six |
| involved to juice their tropical fish or are unaware | | | | months. Only 10% of fish that survive this ordeal |
| that their tropical fish have been modified at all. | | | | will keep their colour for any length of time. |
| There is more than one method to alter the | | | | 3) Dipping in Dye - |
| colour and appearance of tropical fish. Some are | | | | If you thought injecting was barbaric then dying is |
| more barbaric than others but all have some | | | | even worse. The fish are bathed in a caustic |
| significant health consequences. Coloring fish | | | | solution that strips off their protective outer slime |
| stresses them and makes them more susceptible | | | | coating (mucoprotein coating), dipped or injected |
| to disease. Young fish that are not fully grown are | | | | with dye and finally bathed in another chemical |
| often stunted by the painting process. The | | | | that stimulates re-growth of the slime coat. Again |
| mortality rates are a staggering 80%. This | | | | the fish undergo extreme stress and not |
| process shows another example of man's | | | | surprisingly the death rate is very high. It is |
| disregard for nature and is obviously fueled by | | | | rumoured that foreign breeders have even |
| greed. The methods for painting are:- | | | | offered to dye words or emblems onto fish with |
| 1) Treated Food - | | | | a laser. |
| Fish, normally young fish are fed treated foods | | | | The only real way to stop this despicable trade is |
| that will tint them. This dye certainly stunts their | | | | to stop buying them and boycott any fish store |
| growth. Once these fish have been purchased and | | | | that still supplies or offers to supply them. Always |
| are no longer fed the modified food then their | | | | ask your dealer if the fish are painted or juiced |
| colour eventually fades. | | | | before buying. |