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R.I.P. Marge

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:15 pm
by Emma Turner
It is with great sadness that I have to announce that my beloved Marge passed away today. :cry: She was her usual self yesterday, but today we found her dead, with no external symptoms. Maybe it was just her time.
She will be greatly missed - I am absolutely heartbroken. :cry: I thought I would share a few previously unseen photos of her, plus a video taken a while back of her shoaling with her stripy friends in the moonlight:

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For the video clip (around 30 secs) please turn the sound down, as this was taken with a camera that makes a bit of a noise when continually refocussing :arrow: http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/ad52 ... CN8695.flv

Rest in peace, beautiful Marge. X

Emma

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:22 pm
by Jim Powers
Oh, Emma!! I am so sorry!! :(
Marge was quite the celebrity!
I am sure that with the kind of care she got from you, it just must have been her time. You can take comfort in knowing that you provided her with a wonderful home and she is known and admired by people from all over the world.
Every time I do my loach presentation, Marge catches everyone's attention. She was quite a specimen.
Take care!!

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:40 pm
by plaalye
Sad news Emma! Marge was the benchmark for clown loaches everywhere. Thanks for sharing her with us!

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 3:43 pm
by Doc
Oh my Emma, you must be so heartbroken. Such a shame. I always wanted to make the time to visit you and hopefully get the chance to see Marge in the flesh. I don't think Marge could have wished for a better home and care. Possibly the worlds most famous Clown Loach in the world. She will be greatly missed. :cry: :cry:

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:28 pm
by andre
I'm so sorry Emma. I'm glad that I had a chance to meet her.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:28 pm
by Graeme Robson
Totally heartbreaking!!! She will be greatly missed. R.I.P Marge. XxX :(

Sincerely

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:34 pm
by onebto
I am so very sorry to hear such terrible news my thoughts are with you

Regards onebto

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:09 pm
by bookpage
Sorry to hear about Marge. It will be some time before there is another like Marge.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:34 pm
by Jim Powers
Possibly the worlds most famous Clown Loach in the world.
Without a doubt!!

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 5:34 pm
by Martin Thoene
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.

Image

Martin.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:50 pm
by Bully
:cry: :cry: Sorry for your loss.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:26 pm
by starsplitter7
Emma, I am so sorry. You know Marge had a wonderful life with you. I have her t-shirt on this very moment. I am sure it was just her time. She is an inspiration to all Clown Loach owners.

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:11 pm
by tariesindanrie
Very sad to hear this news. Hugs to you, Em.

Kate

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:29 pm
by helen nightingale
I am so sorry to hear about Marge. she was a wonderfull loach and i was priviledged to meet her, and i will miss her too. Martin summed things up well. she was majestic.

Marge definately had the best possible home, she had a good life, but its so sad that its her time

Em, my thoughts are with you, hugs my friend xx

Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:06 pm
by shari2
So sorry to hear this Emma. :cry:
She was unique and beautiful - like you...