Having a unique hobby is fun, but fish are not like LP's or vintage cars. This pursuit involves livestock. There was an event recently that prompts me to recommend to everyone, “please, name someone, and tell them that you named them as your back up!"
This solemn story goes like this: Peter Massad, a long time member Boston Aquarium Society (BAS) died unexpectedly on Saturday January 18, 2020. We were all shocked and deeply saddened by this unexplained death while he travelled for work.
Peter had 100+ fish in 4 large tanks. He was well liked and had been generous with his plants and fish over the years at the BAS. At the request of his widow, we stepped up to "take care of" (her words) his hobby room. There was a brief flurry of emails and calendar coordination, followed by a careful, if hasty, dismantling and distribution of all of Peter's aquarium things. Four of us rallied and found adopters for all his critters within 7 days. These were beautiful tanks. It was very sad to see his work be taken apart...
Thinking about higher things, I am making the suggestion to my BAS club members that we all ought to have contingency plans. I make the same suggestion to this forum, as well. Do you have a plan? Having a buddy system would be a way for fish to be cared for smoothly if the owner dies. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit floored by the whole event of Peter's passing to begin with, just as everyone was. In addition to dealing with Peter's demise came the surprise of being asked to help with his things; I was honored to do it. His family was in great distress, but club members came through great.
RIP Peter. Obituary for this good man on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/BostonAquariumSociety/