Question About Dyed Fish

[GoinNuts]

On Friday, I purchased a botia from a LFS and he only lasted about 47 hours. Of course, the LFS guarantee is only 48 hours, and yep, my 48 were up 15 minutes after closing time on Sunday evening. The LFS refused to replace/reimburse (and he wasn't a 'cheap' fish. He cost $9).

Well, following a link on another thread earlier, it appears that I bought a painted botia. Purple with red fins. I'm not a happy camper at ALL because I would never have purchased him had I known he was injected with dye.

My question is, while selling 'painted' fish isn't illegal, are there any laws in place that require the LFS employees to INFORM you that they are? (I'm in the US.)

I'm really steamed about this. He probably would have led a much longer life minus the dye. If I'd been informed, I would never have bought him and I'd have let the LFS know why. Also, I wouldn't have gotten attached to the little guy, only to find him dead on the bottom less than 2 days later.

Lisa

 

[kimmers318]

If there are laws in place none of the LFS I have been to will admit to having dyed fish....so forewarn yourself before purchase. I purchased 2 "fruity tetras" for my daughter in the beginning, and since the coloring wasn't bold and obvious, they were just nicely light colored pink, didn't think anything of it. Since then I have tried to find undyed white ones to make it a school and have had no success. Since I won't buy anymore dyed or genetically modified fish now that I know what the heck is going on, these little guys will have to stay as they are. Make sure you know what the fish you want to buy are supposed to look like, and I imagine if you ask outright if they are dyed they should tell the truth. Since that purchase I have seen several species of brightly colored fish and have always asked "are they dyed, or is that their natural color" and they tell me. Good luck in the future.

 

[k.o.d]

Unfortunately while there are people who (unlike you) will buy dyed fish, because they look 'cute', there will be people willing to supply them
The downside is exactly as you say, ill, stressed fish that are prone to disease and secondary infections. The fish that do survive return to their normal colouration fairly quickly.
Considering how many beautiful 'natural' fish there are and the range of colours they show it is a pity people still want 'Frankenstein' fisn

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

On Friday, I purchased a botia from a LFS and he only lasted about 47 hours. Of course, the LFS guarantee is only 48 hours, and yep, my 48 were up 15 minutes after closing time on Sunday evening. The LFS refused to replace/reimburse (and he wasn't a 'cheap' fish. He cost $9).

Well, following a link on another thread earlier, it appears that I bought a painted botia. Purple with red fins. I'm not a happy camper at ALL because I would never have purchased him had I known he was injected with dye.

My question is, while selling 'painted' fish isn't illegal, are there any laws in place that require the LFS employees to INFORM you that they are? (I'm in the US.)

I'm really steamed about this. He probably would have led a much longer life minus the dye. If I'd been informed, I would never have bought him and I'd have let the LFS know why. Also, I wouldn't have gotten attached to the little guy, only to find him dead on the bottom less than 2 days later.

Lisa

Isn't there a botia that is naturally coloured this way?

 

[GoinNuts]

Isn't there a botia that is naturally coloured this way?

That would be great if there is, he was really a very beautiful fish. But, how would I know if it were natural or dyed? Aside from trusting the LFS employee, which I'm learning to be hesitant of.

Lisa

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

theres pics of one here
http/www.loaches.com/species_pages/botia_modesta.html
thats the one I meant

 

[wendywc]

You're not alone, GoinNuts. Several years ago, I too unknowingly bought dyed fish... three botia modestas - two dyed blue and one red. After a few months, they were all steel grey body colored. This is exactly what mine looked like.

Dyed and the colors look splotchly...

After a while, the color does go away... to a smooth steel grey body with maybe some black spots/markings near the tail.

If you spot them as they look in the second picture, that is definately natural... at least in my experience, anyway.

EDIT: Server changed. Pictures moved.

 

[GoinNuts]

That's exactly what he looked liked. So, if he wasn't dyed, what could have killed him so quickly? The first 24 or so hours, he appeared to be in perfect health and I didn't notice any of the other fish bothering him. I have a rock formation in the tank that provided him a place to hide underneath and he seemed to be very content with it.

The following day, though, he started laying on his side and appeared to be dead about 3 times. Each time, when I came back with the net and a bag to get him out, he was recovered and acting like not a thing in the world was wrong with him. The fourth time though, he didn't snap out of it.

Lisa

ETA: Wendy, we must have been typing at the same time, lol. The one I bought wasn't splotchy, he looked like the one in the link aberdeen gave. Could he have been 'freshly' dyed? The steel gray color looks much, much healthier in the pics you posted!

 

[wendywc]

I've never had or seen such a dark-bodied modesta, so I don't know personally if that is natural or not. But it is somewhat common for a new fish to die, because of acclimation problems usually... and who knows how clean and healthy the fish's previous environment was.