GFP??

[luckybutton]

Hi, Ive seen gfp mentioned quite a bit on here and i have no clue what it means...could someone please enlighten me

 

[Neil C]

It mean Green Fluorescent Protein. In other words the animal glows under an ultraviolet light.


Regards Neil

 

[memojo1979]

Not available in the UK, because it's genetically engineered / modified, in case you were planning on hunting them down

 

[Dragonteen]

i wondered what that ment...hmm i wonder if they're available in Australia...why can't you get them in the UK?

 

[Neil C]

Not available in OZ either.


Regards Neil

 

[Azhael]

I wish i could say they are illegal in europe because our laws are based on decent ethics that protect animal welfare over cosmetics, but it´s much more likely that this is just the result of the whole transgenic phobia.
Either way, at least the end result is a good thing.

 

[luckybutton]

Ah clears that up then, thanks muchly...im glad their not available in the uk...would probably result in them becoming a novelty pet that people would get bored of and not take care of

 

[imzunicorn]

I wish i could say they are illegal in europe because our laws are based on decent ethics that protect animal welfare over cosmetics, but it´s much more likely that this is just the result of the whole transgenic phobia.
Either way, at least the end result is a good thing.

I'm not trying to be rude, but what exactly are you trying to say? The GFP in the axolotl wasn't done for show, it was done for genetic and cellular research. So the GFP cats are just for show too then and not for HIV/AIDS study at all? And what does "decent ethics that protect animal welfare" mean? Are you saying Americans don't care about animals? So because we grow ears on the back of rats to transplant on a soldier who lost his ear in battle, we don't have decent ethics. Okay...

 

[Azhael]

My point is exactly that these kind of alterations are fully justifiable under the umbrella of research, but are not justifiable when they are spread into the hobby as a cosmetic novelty.
If GFP cats where sold as novelty pets i would have exactly the same issue.
I´m not saying americans don´t care about animal welfare, in fact i don´t remember saying anything about americans at all, but at least in this respect (and i´m aware of others), clearly, the standards are less strict.
I would urge you not to confuse research with the pet-trade....they are two completely separate things. GFP axolotls in your aquarium at home are not doing anything for soldiers...

By the way, i think it was clear in my previous post that it wasn´t about european superiority in any way...quite the contrary, my fear is that european laws are what they are for the wrong reasons.

 

[imzunicorn]

Oh, okay. Like I said, i wasn't trying to be rude, but the way you worded it, it did sound like you were saying that Americans don't care about animals, since GFP axolotl are legal to have here. At least, that what I got from the post.

And I'm not confusing research with the pet trade, but these animals exist as a result of the research done on them. In my opinion, it shouldn't really matter if people want to own some as pets. It's not like anyone made the animals GFP for that sole purpose, but now that the glowing genes are there, why is it so wrong to breed and own them?

 

[Azhael]

I think it´s wrong because it causes distress to the animal, and the only (very negligible) gain is purely cosmetic. I´ve said it before, axolotls are a lake species, which are used to murky, deep water. As it is well known among axolotl keepers, they dislike strong lights and prefer to hide in shadowy, sheltered areas. However, the whole thing about GFP axolotls is that they fluoresce. This literally means that they light up from the inside. They can´t hide from this source of light because it´s happening inside their own eyes. This causes distress and given that as i said, the only gain is purely cosmetic, i think it is morally unjustifiable.

 

[Bellabelloo]

It is a point of preference. I personally really dislike the idea of animals being gfp for novelty reasons, and being sold as a gimmick.

 

[luckybutton]

Now i know what it means i completely agree with Rodrigo... it causes great distress...research is one thing, but people wanting them as pets creates a demand which means it happens more and more... people will buy them with no clue how to look after them, then once the novelty of having a 'glowing pet' has worn off these creatures end up being dumped either back in a pet shop or neglected. The same happens with pets like bearded dragons...people buy them when their babies and they look all cute but the amount of adults that you see in pet shops that noone wants anymore is very sad!

 

[Madfox777]

I admit that I bought a GFP a couple weeks ago. Its a neat thing but at the same time I was not expecting to find one for sale. I would have bought it to take care of regardless if it was a GFP or not.

 

[imzunicorn]

I mean, I personally don't like the GFP because I don't like the green tint it gives their skin and I don't think the glowing is cool anyway, but I've actually never seen the GFP so saturated that their eyes glow. And their eyes are on top of their head, so they'd hardly see the glow from the rest of their body. Besides, someone that buys an axolotl and dumps it later could do that with any colour, GFP or not. The very fact that they're available as pets is the cause of this, not GFP. In my opinion, GFP would make it less likely that they'd be dumped because when they're not cute and little anymore, people still show them off for the fact they glow.

Anyway, I'm just saying I don't think it's so bad.

 

[Azhael]

http://www.thomsenlab.org/images/GFPaxlotl.jpg

It´s not just that the fluorescence from the body reaches their eyes, is that the tissues in their eyes fluoresce too. This is an inescapable source of light they can never hide from....even if they had eyelids.

You can try to rationalize it away and tell yourself it´s not that bad, all you want, i´m personally not interested at all in mere opinion. I´ve seen too many cruel things being dismissed because they are judged (from an external, subjective, interested point of view) to not be that bad...
It doesn´t have to be SO bad....it just has to be SOME bad.

 

[Jenste]

I have never been one for GFPs but adopted one back in April due to the poor care it had received in it's previous home (over crowded and underfed resulted in most of it's limbs being bitten off).
I have not and will not buy a black light to put on my tank, I find it quite interesting that his/her body already has a nice sheen of green when s/he swims around and the flash on my camera picks it up nicely with out having to put a black light over it.

So aside from the "glowing" aspect, I think they are lovely due to the green shimmer they have when they swim.

 

[Azhael]

That green tint they have is because natural light includes ultraviolet which produces some degree of fluorescence. If there was no ultraviolet, there would be no fluorescence and therefore no green at all. Of course the use of a black light greatly increases the radiation, but even without it, there´s some fluorescence.
It should not be legal to commercialize animals whose "appeal" is dependent on the animal being bothered.

 

[Jenste]

Well, Like I said I did not go out to intentionally purchase a GFP, but rather was offering a home to an Axolotl in need who happened to also be a GFP.

I do not approve of genetical enhanced "pretty pets" and have been a big opposer of dyed ACF and fish. I would not purchase either but would offer a home if I found one in need.

 

[Azhael]

I understand, i meant no criticism to you. I mean, unless you were breeding it or something which doesn´t seem to be the case.