I am sorry to announce on February 1, 2010, Soda our store mascot, a Gold Banded Maroon clownfish has passed. This has been a sad day for the staff of Blue World Aquatic, as Soda was not just a fish, she/he was a friend to all of us.
To most of our regular customers, he was an amazing personable clownfish.
Soda’s Story
In 2008, Aquarium Enthusiasts, received a maroon clown from Gary & Quinn, because his mate had died and he would not leave where the she was last found, clownfish mourning. Forcing the owners to bring him in to find him a new home.
Within days, the general manager at AE (now our manager), called Rachel if she would take him home, as Shannon just gave Rachel her own personal 15 gallon reef setup.
Soda had an amazing personality.
After a few days, Soda came up with a Gram Negative bacteria and lost his right pectoral. Giving him the short term nickname of “Lefty”. After 1 month in a 10 gallon QT, Soda was healthy enough to go back to his 15 gallon home.
Days later he came down with another pectoral fin issue, again it was a gram negative bacteria, this time it looked like the infection went into the body. The diagnosis was not good. Afterwards we found that these infections were brought on by Soda’s hosting in certain corals. After another month in QT, soda was good and healthy again.
This would be around March of 2009, and fearing Soda would get infected again Rachel asked me to care for Soda. I had no tank space for him, but we left him in the QT for the next few months. Hosting in a small clay pot.
Through out this ordeal, Soda was always happy, and due to his interactions with us, he became very personable with everyone.
In June of 2009 after I purchased the store, Soda was brought to BWA to spend the rest of his life in a place he can call home with his clay pot. He hosted in it for the next 2 weeks. Since now we had the resources, we put many different anenome’s in that tank, and almost overnight he hosted in a RBTA, a fish with expensive tastes.
August 2009, after my vacation to Alaska, I noticed a maroon clown at JL Aquatics that matched Soda’s color and shape. I had Jeff ship him to my store a few days later when I came home. Within days, Soda and his new roommate hit it off. Over the next little while, Soda he became a she. They were now connected at the fins.
The pot is now covered in coraline, and the anemone is a vacant reminder of a friend now gone.
February 01, 2010 – RIP
People think we are crazy, for what we spend on our tanks. This is a prime example how something as small as a single clownfish, it is amazing how much joy and love we can get from it.
Ken - BWA