Instructions
Purchase the blacklight from any fish store. Most aquarium retailers that sell GloFish will also sell the accompanying blacklights for aquariums. Look for a light and hood that will fit the length of your aquarium.
Set the tank up in a dark area if you want to display them under a blacklight during the day. The coloring shows best in the dark. The GloFish website states that for tanks with good daytime lighting, a regular aquarium light or actinic light will also reveal their fluorescent colors.
Turn the blacklight on only at night or when the room is otherwise dark. The blacklight will only make the fish "glow" if the room is dark.
Turn the blacklight off when you are not viewing the fish. Having a natural day and night cycle benefits the fish and helps to keep them healthy. Lighting the tank for longer than what the fish would encounter naturally can cause stress and breeding problems.
How to Use a Blacklight With GloFish
Genetically engineered fluorescent zebrafish have made their way into the pet trade as GloFish. "Fluorescent zebrafish were originally bred to help detect environmental pollutants," reports the Glofish website. "By adding a natural fluorescence gene to the fish, scientists hoped to one day quickly and easily determine when a waterway is contaminated." Available in every state except California, these fish come in red, green and orange and require the same care as any zebrafish. It is their display that makes them unique in the aquarium, as they are brightest under a blacklight.