I know the fish being imported from overseas are coming in with amazing color, then losing it. Some of them almost completely. These are not dyed fish, just hormoned up. I heard it used to be legal to buy/sell in the US and you would just add it to the water. Is it legal to get from anywhere? Do any foods have it in them? I know it can make the fish sterile but I don't care because I have an all male tank.
Fish hormones legal to buy?
- Thread starter haywood
- Start date
You might be able to get the hormones on the grey market, but the hormones just bring out their adult colors, they'll get that color again when they become adults.
Using fish hormones is a really bad and unethical idea. Going sterile is just one of the many side effects which can include death if not used in the proper dosage (not for noobs). It is used in some cases in small doses in fish farms for fish that wont breed in captivity. If you want fish with amazing color I would suggest you buy better quality fish and feed them good quality food. Using hormes just to increase the color is animal cruelty in my book.
Lots of wild caught fish from overseas are poisoned temporarily to stun them before capture, with a high overall mortality rate. There are also fish that are injected with color, that process also having a high mortality rate.
Is it still done - yes
Does that make it right - not necessarily, many would say no
Potentially sacrificing the health of your fish for beauty is up to you, but IMHO doesn't define a true aquarist.
Try krill, live foods, and a variety of dry types (flake, stick, multiple pellet sizes and types), and some that have color enhancers. Just freeze dried krill a few times a week can do enough on it's own.
Is it still done - yes
Does that make it right - not necessarily, many would say no
Potentially sacrificing the health of your fish for beauty is up to you, but IMHO doesn't define a true aquarist.
Try krill, live foods, and a variety of dry types (flake, stick, multiple pellet sizes and types), and some that have color enhancers. Just freeze dried krill a few times a week can do enough on it's own.