The Texas-based Yorktown Technologies has licensed
to sell as pets the zebra fish, originally developed to detect
environmental toxins.
"These fish were bred to help fight environmental
pollution," company spokesman Alan Blake said on Friday.
"They were bred to fluoresce in the presence of
toxins," he said.
Scientists have for decades used a gene called green
fluorescent protein, taken from jellyfish, to help in research.
GloFish
The fish, sold under the trademarked name GloFish,
carry similar gene taken from a sea coral that makes it glow all the
time.
Blake said there is no evidence the fish will pose
any threat to the environment.
Normal zebra fish are commonly used in aquariums and
cannot survive in non-tropical waters.
"They are very bright under any type of light,"
Blake said.
"Under ultraviolet light in a dark room they will
appear to be glowing in the dark," he explained.
The fish, developed at the National University of
Singapore, will sell for about $5 apiece at pet stores from
January.