Sometimes, Ya Just Gotta Ask: “Why?”

My friends over at Theme Thursday have had some upheaval in the past week, and the Theme Thursday fun hasn’t been, well, fun. I’m happy to see there is new management. We’re back on track!.

And that leads me to today’s theme for this faboo Thursday: Fish

As usual, I started with a Google search to see what’s what, and I stumbled across the latest fad in China and Singapore: Tattooed fish

Wait. What?

Yes indeed. Tattooed fish.

From my knowledge of Chinese culture, I do know that fish are seen as a symbol of good luck and also symbolize wealth, so to capitalize on this belief, someone has figured out how to laser dyed characters and symbols onto the side of parrot fish.

These tattooed fish are called “Fortune Fish” and are said to bring good fortune and happiness to their owners.

Here’s an example:




Image from People’s Daily Online

Evidently, a normal, unmodified parrot fish costs about 10 Yuan (about $1.50 USD) but a tattooed fish costs about 25 Yuan (roughly $4 USD), so this is a bit of a money maker. If you want your fish with a customized personal tattoo, it’ll run ya more like 100 Yuan ($15 USD).

The tattoo is applied using a “low intensity” laser to apply dye which, it’s claimed, doesn’t cause the fish any pain. *ahem* Sure. Ask the fish, I’ll bet he’s got a different story.

Capitalizing on superstition is nothing new, but this one seems pretty gosh darn wrong to me.

What’s next! Tattooed pigs!?!?!

Oh wait. Nevermind. (<- also found in China, I might add).


About Author

Karen Fayeth

Comments

  • Mike Patrick

    Wow! The information highway. Everything one wants to know and a few things out on the weird fringe. Gotta admit, it’s fun to read about.

    • Karen Fayeth

      Mike – True, I personally love reading weird news. And it sparked a fun discussion at happy hour last night too. But still….really weird!!

  • Ur Bro

    You have not even scratched the surface on Good fortune in Asian culture. The things I have seen….

  • brian

    that is kinda crazy…interesting….def on the news of the weird side…haha…

  • Mrsupole

    Hi Karen,

    This is some really neat info here. I truly enjoy reading about something new in the fish world. I think it was just last week that they were showing something about fish that glow in one’s fish tank. I think they cost more and were genetically altered, not sure since I was not paying a whole lot of attention to the story. But they were pretty.

    Thanks for joining in on Theme Thursday.

    God bless.

    • Karen Fayeth

      Hi Mrsupole – I also love weird news…this was pretty gosh darn weird.

      Thanks for the comment and for taking on Theme Thursday!!

Comments are closed.