Genetically Engineer Tangs to be small?

[AetherealKnight]

Well after just witnessing a very tense thread about how many tangs can you keep in a reef tank or how big the tank has to be for tangs.

Let’s focus on the a hypothetical future sprinkled with some science fiction?

Perhaps maybe one day science be will able to genetically engineer tangs to be smaller and maybe more docile like a gobby. Maybe they can make a new dwarf blue tang or a yellow tang that only grows to a max size of 2-3 inches. Allowing people to keep them in smaller tanks like 30-50 gallons.

After all we managed to do it with “glofish” by splicing genes from a jellyfish and inserting them into a non fluorescent fish. Or making farmed salmon to grow faster.

Though that is probably way easier than trying to make a fish smaller. But let’s see what you guys think.

 

[steveschuerger]

Sure why not. Make em guppy sized lol

 

[AetherealKnight]

Sure why not. Make em guppy sized lol

lol if that were the case people would be keeping them in pico reef bowls

 

[JayM]

Not sure about genetic engineering, but selective breeding could produce smaller variations, but it would take probably decades to do it with a reasonable assurance that they’ll stay small.

Aggression is an entire different can of worms.

 

[areefer01]

Rachael : Do you like our owl?
Deckard : It's artificial?
Rachael : Of course it is.
Deckard : Must be expensive.
Rachael : Very.

 

[AetherealKnight]

Not sure about genetic engineering, but selective breeding could produce smaller variations, but it would take probably decades to do it with a reasonable assurance that they’ll stay small.

Aggression is an entire different can of worms.

Yeah that’s true but we did it with dogs lol. Just compare a chicuaha to there ancestors or modern day wolves. But yeah, that did take thousands of years.

 

[AetherealKnight]

Rachael : Do you like our owl?
Deckard : It's artificial?
Rachael : Of course it is.
Deckard : Must be expensive.
Rachael : Very.

We’ll have to wait for some billionaire to do it then lol

 

[BeanAnimal]

If that is your definition of "very tense" - I suggest steering clear of my household when I forget to make the bed or take out the garbage....

 

[crazyfishmom]

We just have to cross check databases for genes associated with dwarfism and generate targeted mutations and voila small tangs. But… just because we could doesn’t mean we should.

 

[BeanAnimal]

We just have to cross check databases for genes associated with dwarfism and generate targeted mutations and voila small tangs. But… just because we could doesn’t mean we should.

Meh - waste of time. Now cow size bacon..... mmmmm

 

[crazyfishmom]

Meh - waste of time. Now cow size bacon..... mmmmm

The largest pig ever was 2500 lb so I’d say we are already there.

 

[BeanAnimal]

no - like this

 

[AetherealKnight]

If that is your definition of "very tense" - I suggest steering clear of my household when I forget to make the bed or take out the garbage....

Ok well I didn’t mean like very intense lol. But there was some mild confrontation, just a tiny bit.

 

[crazyfishmom]

no - like this

And that will haunt my dreams… I’ve seen a sow eat a piglet… just… ummm no.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Ok well I didn’t mean like very intense lol. But there was some mild confrontation, just a tiny bit.

Ohh the guy that called me mean things? Yeah he, doesn't like me and wears it on his sleeve. All in all I think it was a rather cordial conversation even if no minds were changed.

 

[PharmrJohn]

We just have to cross check databases for genes associated with dwarfism and generate targeted mutations and voila small tangs. But… just because we could doesn’t mean we should.

Yeah, we are SO much further ahead with Genetics than we were 40 years ago when I was first introduced to it. They're actually talking about bringing back the Wholly Mammoth. There's still a hole in the ecosystem where they once resided. So with that rational.......

I think they just want to see if they can do it. We also have enough of the Neanderthal genome mapped out to take a shot at that. However, reintroducing them to Europe may be problematic!!!!

 

[crazyfishmom]

Yeah, we are SO much further ahead with Genetics than we were 40 years ago when I was first introduced to it. They're actually talking about bringing back the Wholly Mammoth. There's still a hole in the ecosystem where they once resided. So with that rational.......

I think they just want to see if they can do it. We also have enough of the Neanderthal genome mapped out to take a shot at that. However, reintroducing them to Europe may be problematic!!!!

My scientific background is primarily in human population genetics (or at least what I focused on during grad school). The reality is that while we have a lot of genetic information on most hominids resurrecting them is a giant ethical dilemma considering that they became extinct since they were not able to compete resources with us not to mention that an intelligent being brought back for academic purposes is just terrifying on so many levels… just too many variables and too much that can go wrong. I have so much respect for life in general that perhaps I’m over cautious with how we use genetic engineering. Genetic engineering to better the current species on the planet from a health perspective and not enhancement? Yes, I’m all for it. The rest starts to become very gray. But again, a limited personal perspective like anyone else’s. I can only see what’s in front of me and what I might imagine. Reality is a whole other ball game.

 

[AetherealKnight]

My scientific background is primarily in human population genetics (or at least what I focused on during grad school). The reality is that while we have a lot of genetic information on most hominids resurrecting them is a giant ethical dilemma considering that they became extinct since they were not able to compete resources with us not to mention that an intelligent being brought back for academic purposes is just terrifying on so many levels… just too many variables and too much that can go wrong. I have so much respect for life in general that perhaps I’m over cautious with how we use genetic engineering. Genetic engineering to better the current species on the planet from a health perspective and not enhancement? Yes, I’m all for it. The rest starts to become very gray. But again, a limited personal perspective like anyone else’s. I can only see what’s in front of me and what I might imagine. Reality is a whole other ball game.

Wait.. isn’t there still a debate that we “blended” with them instead of.. well outcompeting them?

 

[crazyfishmom]

Wait.. isn’t there still a debate that we “blended” with them instead of well outcompeting them, many years ago?

There’s some Neanderthal DNA in the modern human population yes but a little trickle of DNA and blending are two different sides to this coin. Neanderthals were more successful than other hominids in that their genetic fingerprint lives in the current hominid populations, most other ancient hominids did not leave such a significant signature. Doesn’t mean there was no interbreeding just no fertile offspring from these matches or too few to leave a significant genetic trail.

 

[AetherealKnight]

There’s some Neanderthal DNA in the modern human population yes but a little trickle of DNA and blending are two different sides to this coin. Neanderthals were more successful than other hominids in that their genetic fingerprint lives in the current hominid populations, most other ancient hominids did not leave such a significant signature. Doesn’t mean there was no interbreeding just no fertile offspring from these matches or too few to leave a significant genetic trail.

Ah okay, that makes sense