Fish has mark of Allah
An aquatic retailer from Lancashire has sold an Oscar to an Asian customer who claims the fish has the mark of Allah on its flanks.Tony Walker, the owner of Walker Aquatics in Rossendale, Lancashire, told the Manchester Evening News that a customer came into the shop and pointed out that the fish's pattern showed the Arabic symbol for Allah on one flank and the word Mohammed on the other.
The unnamed man bought the Oscar for a tenner, then bought an aquarium for it for £700.
Walker says he'll honour the man's offer to buy the fish, but told the paper that the fish is probably worth thousands.
He told Channel 4 News: "When he first told me about the pattern on the side of the fish I didn't know whether to believe him or not.
"I did wonder if he was nuts but then he said he was going to buy a £700 tank, so I thought he must be serious.
"The fish is about two years old and we've had it in the shop for about eight weeks.
"It just looked like a normal Oscar to me. I had absolutely no idea what was written on its sides.
"Once the writing was spotted though, we've had lots of people coming into the shop to have a look.
"Everyone seems to agree about the markings. It has caused quite a stir."
The new owner's aquarium isn't mature, so Walker is keeping the fish at the shop until it is ready for the fish.
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Matt Clarke: Wed February 1, 2006, 8:46 pmMatt Clarke: 1.2.2006
More: Manchester Evening News
Views: Read 9,678 times
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Reader comment
Date: Thursday September 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
"hehe many aquarist buy the koran semicirculatus angelfish coz of it's markings resembling the arabic characters in the koran,in acquaba jordani fisherman return juvenile imperator 2 the sea coz the white on it look likes the name allah.
"
Date: Thursday September 4th, 2008, 8:06 pm
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 | Editor-in-Chief, Matt Clarke, writes the regular Interesting Imports column on rare and unusual fish in the UK aquarium trade. He's kept fish for 30 years and holds a degree, two higher degrees and two diplomas in fish biology, taxonomy and computational biology. |
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"so what is it a tattooed fish or something?"
Posted by: Dan Thompson - 1 year, 2 months agoDate: Sunday August 31st, 2008, 10:35 pm