Rolf Geisler (1925 – 2012) has passed away

One of the most influential aquarists ever, the German Prof. Dr. Rolf Geisler, has passed away today at the age of 86. Only two weeks ago he phoned me and asked for the well-being of our project. He was very delighted about my positive report and to hear that this homepage is presently translated into Chinese. He was a giant among many dwarfs. His research in the Amazon-region has influenced aquaristics fundamentally. The history of the aquaristic carreer of the Neon tetra, especially the need to understand the water chemistry of tropical black waters and clear waters is closely bound to his name. Later, he went deeply into the natural food of our fish. Often he was in Asia, too, formerly as a counsellor and governmental advisor for improving the breeding of fish for human nourishment. He always took the opportunity of travelling to the labyrinths, barbs and other aquarium fish. Since his eye-sight had been weakened more and more he had his wife reading to him new articles on nearly all aspects of the aquarium. He suffered from a stroke and had to visit the hospital daily in recent weeks.
We will pay hommage to him as a great man and friend.
(A laudatio that I held for him some years ago is to be read at
http://igl-home.de/makropode/2007.3.htm#finke (in German!)