Orangejello, We Hardly Knew Ye

Editor's note: At our invitation, Corey Smith writes about her fish, Orangejello, and the special grace he brought to our aquarium for the seven and a half months that he was alive. This is her story:

The Plattform aquarium is first and foremost a family. And when a member of that family passes away, it is important to remember what made that brother, sister, father or mother special. And when a family member as special as Oragejello passes away, it's important to remember what that family member meant to all of us.

Orangejello was not the biggest fish. He was not the fastest fish, the most colorful fish, or even the most entertaining fish. Yet there was something about the little Platy that we all found engaging. Who among us wasn't fascinated with the little fish's discovery that day among the weeds? Who didn't watch him struggle and grow in the baby crib? Can any of us say we didn't give a little cheer when Orangejello survived his first few minutes in the big tank? And didn't we all smile when we saw Orangejello swimming with his fish brethren after his release? What other fish than he could have brought us all together in such an amazing way.

For me, and for many on the interactive side, the tank will never be the same without that little flash of orange among the green.

But every time I see a new baby born and released into that world, I will think of Orangejello. I will think of what he meant to Plattform Interactive, and of what he meant to me.