Iris is gone. She is, right now, wrapped in a plastic bag, in a freezer awaiting burial. her place will be marked with a planting, and perhaps a wind chime above.I think she might like that.Iris died two days ago. I came home from work and found her laying on her side, her eyes regarding me sightlessly. I regarded her back, and then, getting the largest plastic bag I could find I gathered her up and placed her in the freezer...Before you wonder further, Iris and Grail are not humans, or dogs, or cats, or even my ferrets. Iris and Grail are/ were a matched pair of tiger oscars that were so large they wouldn't fit into my 18 quart soup pot. (my lobster pot)Iris was named Iris because her markings looked like a huge eyeball, and Grail has a cup turned on his side- I purchased them at the pet store when they were a scant half inch long, and they have been here - oh, - four years,I suppose, ever since I purchased the house. It seems that the pump failed, and that was that- and I got it working again after I removed her body, and it failed again today when I went to work. I came home and found Grail laying on his side, gasping at the bottom of the fish tank. Well, it took me a bit to remember that in the heat, the bacteria levels go through the roof, and Grail was so ill he didn't complain when I netted him in a net half the size it should be, and transfered him to a 32 quart plastic container with fresh water in it. for a while it was touch and go, he rolled on his side and looked at me and after a bit he rested and his color came back. you see, that is the key, for when they are ill, they go pale and you only see the markings on the tail, wild ones have multipule (eye) marks, ones bred in captivity at a fish farm (far better than the distruction of the eco system to harvest the fish for market) Grails color is back for now. I covered the temp fish box with the lid at an angle and I turned out the light for him. I don't know if he will die of lonelyness. You might laugh, and say, oh sure... but- oscars are the puppydogs of the fish world, they are smart, and will come to you and cuddle in your hand, and even come up out of the water and take things from your hand. I have no idea how long they live, or if I am delaying the inevidable. but they will be buried in the same - place, they came into this house together, and they will stay together, (unless of course he pulls through, and I am able to get the tank re established in time, and he grows to be HUGE as he and the cat fish are the only two in the tank now...if then, I will bury iris as planned, and when it is time, in another are of the same plot, place Grail in.I have photos, and I will measure them when I can (I found the ruler) he is huge.he could bite off my thumb to the wrist if he wanted to-(not that I would want that...)from Iris, will be a rose bush. My iris bush of memorys. For the rose, is one that we had the same plant in my parents yard. Nature will do the rest.I questioned, should I just- let him go- what am I delaying,and I knew, as he looked at me,I must do all I can, while I can...I must.Kath