Tank Talk Editor's Note
Since this article was published more than 15
years ago, the practice of artificially colouring or
even tattooing ornamental fish has continued and
expanded in some countries. It now seems to be
part and parcel of practices that seek greater and
greater “novelty” at any cost to the individual
fish's health and well-being. Dyed and tattooed
hybrid cichlids are now quite common in the hobby
as are, perhaps even more worryingly, fish that
have been mutilated at an early age to produce
bizarre tail-less monstrosities like the “heart fish”
pictured. Combining these practices with
deliberate selection for genetic deformities, such
as scoliosis (ie. “balloon” and “bonsai” fish),
hybridisation and even genetic engineering is delivering a confusing mix of “man-made” fish to
the hobby. While views about the ethics and implications of some of these practices do differ,
most serious fish clubs side with those who would like to see these f ish eliminated from the
hobby and the industry. Like CDAS, they don't allow such fish to be traded or auctioned at club
functions and they often alert their members to the serious downsides of these practices.