Jesus Fish?
A pet store owner was surprised to find markings spelling out ‘Allah’ in Arabic on the body of a tropical swimmer in one of his tanks. A customer spotted the markings on the side of an Oscar fish at Walker Aquatics in Waterfoot, Rossendale. Rumor has it that the fish is also believed to have the word Mohammed in markings on its other side.
An unnamed Asian man immediately bought the fish for $10 and an additional $700 tank, the most expensive in the shop, for it to live in.
Shop owner Tony Walker said he would honor the man’s offer for the fish but believed that such a fish could be worth thousands.
Oscars are extremely intelligent fish, of the cichlid family, capable of being taught to do many little tricks. They quickly learn to recognize those that feed them and react accordingly (usually begging for food). They have a unique presence, intelligence, and attitude that makes owning them a true joy to those that enjoy keeping large fish. This combined with the fact that Oscar can live just as long as a dog makes them more like a pet than most other fish could ever be. Each fish seems to be an individual with its own unique nuances, making owning one of these fish even more appealing.
How common is it to find religious scripture on fish? This is not the first time that an Oscar fish has been known to carry the name of ‘Allah.’ A similar fish was noted in America, back in 1997. In addition to appearing on the sides of fish, Allah has also appeared in fruit seeds and, last February, a man in Texas claimed to have found the face of Jesus drawn out in scratches on his frying pan.
Last updated: September 10, 2010
Originally published: February 1, 2006
