(Obituary from TFH)
We were saddened to hear of the death of Dr. Paul Loiselle, who passed away in his home in New York. He was a towering figure in both the aquarium hobby and the scientific world, and yet he was always remarkably approachable—a man with a sharp wit, a deep love of fish, and a gift for making complex ideas accessible to anyone who shared his passion.
Paul served for many years as the curator of freshwater fishes at the New York Aquarium, and was a lifelong advocate for the conservation of freshwater species, particularly in Madagascar, where he helped bring attention to the plight of endangered endemic fish. He discovered and described numerous species during his fieldwork and was honored with several named after him—a quiet testament to the depth of his contributions to ichthyology. The American Cichlid Association named the Paul V. Loiselle Conservation Fund in his honor.
Though best known for his work with cichlids, Paul’s interests ranged broadly—including rainbowfish, killifish, and more. His deep knowledge and boundless enthusiasm made him a friend and mentor to generations of aquarists, friendships that included other giants in the aquarium hobby, such as Wayne Leibel (pictured here), George Barlow, and more. For many, he was the voice of reason, always ready to offer insight, encouragement, or a well delivered joke.
He had strong opinions—especially about scientific names and how they ought to be pronounced—no matter how everyone else on Earth said it. But, that same precision and conviction fueled his dedication to the hobby and to the fish he loved.
More than anything, Paul was a storyteller. Whether he was presenting at a conference, chatting with hobbyists, or writing for an aquarium magazine, he had a way of weaving together humor, science, and deep personal experience. He leaves behind a legacy not just of academic work and conservation victories, but of friendships, mentorships, and a better-informed, more thoughtful aquarium community.
He will be deeply missed.
Loiselle, in my mind was most notable for sorting out the Madagascar Pachypanchax by supplying 100% of the information and photos of these various species. It's unclear if without him we would have ever seen any of them let alone many.
