Library welcomes new finned friend

Published 11:40 pm Friday, February 11, 2011

Baby Big Fish arrived in Selma Friday afternoon to prepare for his new role as the library’s newest aquarium display. Library Director Becky Nichols and John Lipsey welcome the fish to his new home. -- Rick Couch

New Little Big Fish has arrived at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

The young Doctorfish began swimming in the 250-gallon aquarium in the children’s section of the library late Friday afternoon.

“This is great,” library director Becky Nichols said as the two polystyrene foam chests rolled into the library.

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Little Big Fish will take the place of Big Fish, who went into retirement in December after 16 years of swimming in the tank on the library’s second floor. Big Fish went to a retirement tank at the home of John Lipsey, who keeps the aquarium up for the library.

BankTrust provided the tank for the retirement of Big Fish. The bank also provided for the new baby Big Fish.

Lipsey also unloaded myriad other fish in the tank after transferring them from plastic bags to buckets into which he gradually poured in aquarium water.

The process took nearly 2 hours. Lipsey said the fish likely wouldn’t survive if they were just dumped into the tank without any adjustment period.

Children came in and out of the area as Little Big Fish made the transfer.

Lipsey poured Little Big Fish into the big tank. The Doctorsfish found a hiding place among some coral in the tank. It peeked out occasionally, and then darted back in.

“Welcome to your new home, Little Big Fish,” Nichols cooed as she looked for the fish in the tank.