He made history by becoming the first to survive cancer treatment. His story, unusual from the beginning, ended up inspiring aquarium employees, veterinarians and even sick children who followed his path.
A giant grouper that lived at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago became a landmark case in veterinary medicine by being the first fish known to receive chemotherapy and survive cancer.
It all started in 1987, when the fish known as Bubba He was left at a young age outside the Shedd Aquarium, in a bucket, with a note asking only that he be given a good home. At that time, Bubba, a female, was about 10 inches long. The animal, of the species Epinephelus lanceolatuswas integrated into one of the aquarium’s exhibits, where it continued to grow.
Over the years, Bubba has become an imposing presence. In the mid-1990s, he already measured 1.37 meters and weighed 69.3 kilos. Nonetheless, had also changed sexchanging from female to male. The phenomenon is compatible with the life cycle of giant groupers, protogynous hermaphrodites: they first mature as females and can then transform into males.
In addition to his size, Bubba stood out for his behavior. Keepers described him as curious, attentive and with a strong personality. According to one of his caregivers, cited by , it was customary to get closer to observe what was happening around him and even reject food he didn’t like, spitting it back out.
But in 2001 worrying signs emerged. Aquarium staff discovered small lumps on Bubba’s head, initially mistaken for a bacterial infection. Treatment with antibiotics did not work and, after biopsies, it was concluded that it was malignant tumors.
In the fall of 2002, Shedd Aquarium’s veterinary team worked with two specialized oncologists on an unprecedented intervention: giving chemotherapy to a fish. Although the cancer returned shortly afterwards, a new operation, carried out in the spring of 2003, allowed more affected tissue to be removed and chemotherapy applied directly to the margins of the wound, using medical-grade connective tissue implants to promote healing.
The treatment worked. Bubba recovered and lived for several more years.settling in a new tank valued at 43 million dollars, alongside a companion fish of the species golden trevally.
The famous fish would end up dying in 2008, due to problems associated with age and medical history. Still, his legacy remained.
