Practical Fishkeeping continues its anti-dyed fish campaign with a few timely reminders…
Valentine's Day should be about making a gesture to your loved one, only for some tropical fish that gesture involves cruelty and pain.
Fish can be artificially dyed using a needle, dipped in coloured baths for a period of time or tattooed for permanent effect — and the latter practice has evolved into creating symbols and writing text.
Aquatic victims include Parrot cichlids and mollies, and one new picture we found online today illustrated white Convict cichlids with shortened bodies.
In addition to dyeing, injecting and tattooing there's the even worse practice of creating "heart" fish, by cutting off the tails of young, live fish and leaving them to grow on without a tail.
Tail-less, the dorsal and anal fins of Parrot cichlids, flowerhorns and even Discus curl around to form a superficial heart shape.
Practical Fishkeeping is yet to see either heart-shaped fish or tattooed love messages on fish in the UK, but it pays to be vigilant and make exporters know that we don't want to see these fish turn up in our shops.
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