'One wished for a sob, a wail, any human sound'

Shock and dismay. That's the only way to describe the scene as fish-watchers slowly filed by the aquarium to see Fatty Arbuckle dying in a small isolation tank.

"I feel like I'm losing a member of my own family," said one fish-watcher who declined to be identified. "Fatty has been a part of this community since the very beginning, and I think it's shameful the way she was made to suffer at the end."

Even hardened journalists were moved to tears at the sight of the stricken fish.

"I have to tell you, it pulls at the heart strings a bit," said Sophee Townsend, commentator for Freshwater Adventures TV affiliate K-FISH. "When I heard the news this morning, it took the wind out of me. I was moved to come here, perhaps to touch history, but mostly to pay my respects to a remarkable fish."

There was an absolute hush that has fallen over the crowd here at aquarium-side. One wished for a sob, a wail, any human sound. Nothing. Only the sound of churning water as Fatty Arbuckle remained nearly motionless in the water.

"I don't know what to say," said one fish-watcher at the scene. "I'm so sad I'm speechless."

Another bystander managed to look ahead despite his sorrow.

"I think we're losing a fish that could have changed the future of our community quite a bit."