Big Fish Thank You and a Plea for Turtle

[JLW]

Well, it's nearly midnight, and I'm just finishing putting stuff back away from the Big Fish Deal. It'll be a few days recovering, we are exhausted. I just want to give a big huge thank you to everyone who helped out at the BFD, either helping Batfish or at all! This was an incredible event, and I'm so glad to have been a part of it.

I hate to put a downer out there, though, but I have a small plea to make. Many of you guys have seen the small metal framed coffee table I bring every year -- this year, it had some African Butterfly Fish, a fake Mata Mata Turtle and a very real Stinkpot. The Stinkpot is "Miss Stinky," who has served for about two and a half years as the official Fish Culler In Chief at Batfish, and a personal pet. She's very much so loved as a personal pet, and means as much to us as your family dog.

Sometime between about 2-3 am Sunday morning and 8 PM Sunday evening, someone opened up the tank she was in and stole her. Angela and I are just utterly heartbroken. I've literally been sobbing. I'm in complete disbelief that someone would steal my pet turtle, and just devastated that she is gone like this.

If anyone knows anything -- saw anyone messing around with the tank, or walking off with a turtle, please, please please let me know.

 

[WorkingMan]

Thanks - and for vendors...

It was really nice - a lot of people put in a lot of work. I can't imagine setting up dozens of tanks like some did - and all the prepackaged fish was awesome!

I think vendors/hobbyists should have been more aggressive about self promotion - business cards linking their hobby site, real name and CCA Alias. As a newb to this board, it will be hard to connect to the dots. Some were awesome, having the pic/description etc on the fish bags, and I appreciate that.

All the best, and sorry about the turtle.

 

[CichlidDan]

Wow I'm really sorry to hear about your turtle, maybe the hotel can review security footage to hopefully catch the person who did this, I hope you get her back soon.

 

[mchambers]

That's awful about Miss Stinky. Hope you recover her.

 

[Frank Cowherd]

She was still there at 10AM, Carol and I saw her then.

 

[lkelly]

Does the hotel keep video of the lobby (likely). Have you tried contacting them?

I did see someone open the tank at one point but it was during the day with a lot of people around. I assume that they were just checking out how it was all put together. It sounds like you have a time frame for the incident and perhaps it was done intentionally when few people were around.

As epic as that little kid winning the Tank tank was, this is on the opposite end of the spectrum. I hope you find the turtle. You could also try posting on some of the DC area reptile FB groups.

 

[Pat Kelly]

Does the hotel have video in the lobby?

 

[TeamPisces]

Wow, that is really awful. I literally arrived around 11am and stayed about 50 minutes. I knew exactly what I was looking for. My wife and 2 year old looked at tanks in the lobby. There were a few people casually passing by and looking at the tanks, but I did not see anyone messing around by the coffee table. I hope your turtle is returned.

 

[FishEggs]

I don't remember exactly what time I noticed she was gone but l'm fairly certain it was before 1:00 PM. I hope she gets back home soon.

 

[dogofwar]

So sorry about the turtle, Josh!

You and Angela really outdid yourselves this weekend - wonderful set-up for selling fish, awesome giant tank display in the lobby...and the coffee table tank.

I'd talk to the hotel.

Matt

 

[Leffler817]

That sucks Josh! I'm saddened to hear that this happened and hope you're able to recover her.

As Matt said, you and Angela did a great job this weekend.

 

[Becca]

Moderators/admins/BOD - is it possible to send out an email to all attendees asking if anyone saw what happened to the turtle? We should also point out that, without proper care from her experienced keeper, she will suffer from nutritional deficiencies and die.

 

[F8LBITE]

Great job everyone. Josh, im sorry about your turtle. Boggles my mind that a fellow convention attendee and pet lover would steal someone else's pet.

 

[JLW]

As many of you know by now, Miss Stinky -- my pet Stinkpot turtle -- was taken from a display tank this weekend. She was my personal pet, and though "only a turtle," she is as much my pet as a dog, and very much so loved.

We've narrowed the window down to between about 10-AM Sunday and 8 PM Sunday to when she was taken from this display tank at the Big FIsh Deal. If anyone knows anything, please let me know. If anyone definitely remembers seeing her Sunday later in the day, that's also helpful.

The hotel has not yet gotten back to me about getting security footage of the area. I'm being told that I will have to file a police report to get footage, which will also likely result in the person responsible being prosecuted. I am NOT interested in seeing someone get a rap sheet over what was probably a drunken whim. I'm not interested in embarrassing or humiliating someone over this. I just want to see Miss Stinky safely returned.

If she happens to turn up in a bucket in the next 24 hours at the hotel or my place, I'll be ecstatic. If the person who took her is reading this, and wants to send me an e-mail, PM, or IM and let me know she'll be returned... well, I don't hold grudges; you don't have to give me an explanation, I'm going to write it off as everyone does stupid things sometimes (especially when fish events, alcohol, and female... turtles are involved).

If I haven't gotten the footage voluntarily from the hotel and she's still missing on Wednesday, I'm going to have to file a police report. Obviously, I want everything resolved soon.

 

[FishEggs]

Josh, I can say for certain that she was gone sometime before 2:00pm on sunday. I started breaking down my lego tank display at that time. It was before then though that return visitors were looking at the table and mentioned that the real turtle wasn't in there any more.

 

[jmessineo1]

I'm so sorry to hear about your turtle, It's a shame that someone would take a pet of any kind from someone. I can say that I went back to the marketplace at 10 and the turtle was still there.

 

[Jim Anderson]

Missing turtle

Josh, sorry to hear about your turtle. On Sunday I was leaving the marketplace and viewed the tanks in the lobby before exiting the hotel. Your tank caught my attention because of the fake Mata Mata ( I had to take a close look to realize it was fake). I was not aware that there was a real turtle (musk/stinkpot) inside and did not see one. That time frame was close to 12. I have kept baby musk/stinkpot turtles on and off for 40 years, most recently a couple of years ago. They make great pets and have never bothered my fish as baby's and are great climbers. There could be a possibility that it got out when someone lifted the top. As you probably know they can survive out of water for days. I wish you the best of luck.
Jim

 

[JasonC]

Josh, find out from hotel security what their procedure is for maintaining footage. Specifically, how long they keep it. I would hate for you to wait to file, and then find out that it is too late and the footage has been purged.

 

[CichlidAddict]

There is a possibility the turtle climbed out of the tank itself. I recalled seeing another turtle in the terrarium, not sure if it is the same species as yours. I heard a comment that the cute little turtle is fully aquatic, and I even asked how big they can grow. Unless I recalled incorrectly, it appears if someone wants to steal, it’s much easier to steal the other turtle than yours. There is no reporting of theft of other fish or critters.

 

[JLW]

Miss Stinky has been found!

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