Coloured Widow Tetras -dyed?

[xostrawberryox]

Went into my LFS today and saw these coloured widow tetras. They had pink, blue and green stripes on their backs. The colours were so vivid they looked dyed to me, and someone before told me that widows only come in black or white. So i asked the guy if they were and he said 'no they're just hyrbids'. This LFS has signed the PFKs non dyed fish pledge but im not convinced. Anyone seen this before. I snapped a pic on my phone when no one was looking and i'll try to upload that onto this thread. x

 

[chibi]

Sounds dyed to me. There's no way they could breed two fish and make a pink-striped tetra. Upload the pic and I'll see.

 

[wendywc]

Yeah, I've seen dyed widow tetras before. That's probably what they are. '

See this page: http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/setting-...s/dyed_fish.htm

 

[xostrawberryox]

yes wendy the stripes on their backs were exactly like that top picture but instead of glass fish they were widows. http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/setting-...s/dyed_fish.htm

 

[wendywc]

Did you scroll further down and see this pic?

Poor guys.

 

[xostrawberryox]

yes like that!! they were green blue and pink. the lfs have signed the dyed fish campaign though! how can they do that?!

 

[chibi]

They probably joined for publicity or something. That's so not cool.

 

[Gill]

MY LFS sells them as Fruity Tetras.

Its easier for him to get Dyed White Widows then it is to get Normal White Widows. The Colors do eventually fade away IF THEY Survive.
People who like White tetras buy them as they have no choice if they want White Widows.

 

[xostrawberryox]

I know its a bit irritating , my bf and i spend hundreds of pounds with them for our 4 tanks, 1 marine and 3 tropical. We also saw some bright pink heart parrot fish in there recently too, i loved them at first til i heard about dyeing. i emailed the PFK last time my suspicions were aroused but they didnt reply or take them off the list.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Email them again, I reported an LFS a few weeks back and they replied the next day.

 

[diademhill]

Email them again, I reported an LFS a few weeks back and they replied the next day.

I PM'd the OP & passed on the shop details - It has now been removed from the PFK list.

I was at GLEE & there were some suspicious looking Malawis from a wholesaler who also had dyed BP & jellybeans on display.
IMO the best way to deal with this practice is to not spend any money with shops that sell them.
Not just fish but goods too.

Occasionally a reputable store will get some dyed or hybrid fish sent as a substitute & if the box is from overseas they are stuck with the fish I have seen various ways this has been dealt with but trying to pass them off as something the're not is deplorable.

Sue

 

[xostrawberryox]

Thanks for the help sue x