andre wrote:I'm so sorry Emma. I'm glad that I had a chance to meet her.
Me too. I will never forget the time in 2006 when a whole bunch of us stood in Emma's lounge in front of that magnificent aquarium and Emma tried to encourage Marge to come out of hiding. The others that form the superb shoal of Clowns in that tank were gorgeous in their own right and gave us all much visual pleasure.
And then Marge appeared. A room full of Loach keepers stopped breathing momentarily I think. Then a quietly spoken F-word eminated from many of our lips. It was the only expletive that remotely approached adequacy in reacting to this fish.
I don't believe there is anything that could adequately prepare a Loach enthusiast for a first sighting of Marge. She was so far beyond any other specimen you have ever seen of this species. You can
know that they get that big (or bigger in the wild), but unless you have ever netted a mature adult from its native stream you can't get your head around Marge.
She lives on, life-size on pages 222 and 223 of the book
Loaches. We fought to get this picture of her in the book so that people could see just what these fish can become. Because she was and will remain an icon of our hobby.
I cannot imagine right now how you must feel Emma. I know what she meant to you. Take pride that in your excellent care she flourished and continued to grow ever more magnificent.
Martin.
She was her usual self yesterday, but today we found her dead, with no external symptoms. Maybe it was just her time. 
http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/ad52 ... CN8695.flv
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
