Livingston

Species:	Lionfish
Occupation:	Pet
Status:	Active (2373)

For additional meanings of "Livingston", please see Livingston.

"'The anomaly… my ship… my crew… I suppose you're worried about your fish, too."

– Q to Jean-Luc Picard, 2370 ("All Good Things...")

Livingston was a lionfish kept by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in his ready room aboard the USS Enterprise-D for the duration of the ship's existence. The spherical aquarium was located in the corner of the ready room, next to the viewport. (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint")

In 2364, Lieutenant Commander Data examined Livingston's fish tank very closely with a magnification glass, as the android was implementing some of Sherlock Holmes' characteristics at the time. (TNG: "Lonely Among Us")

Livingston was seen while Captain Picard discussed the situation on Ventax II with Dr. Howard Clark. (TNG: "Devil's Due")

When visiting Picard in his ready room, Berlinghoff Rasmussen examined the fish and knocked on its aquarium. (TNG: "A Matter Of Time")

Hugh examines Livingston

The Borg Hugh examined Livingston very closely when he was beamed into the ready room in late 2368. (TNG: "I Borg")

Both Q and DaiMon Lurin took great interest in the fish in early 2369, closely examining Livingston in the tank. (TNG: "True Q", "Rascals")

Later that year, Captain Edward Jellico ordered that Livingston be removed from the ready room after he assumed command of the Enterprise. (TNG: "Chain Of Command, Part I")

When the Enterprise underwent a baryon sweep at Arkaria Base in late 2369, Livingston and his tank were removed from the ready room. (TNG: "Starship Mine")

When visiting a holographic representation of the NX-class Enterprise, Deanna Troi wondered how Captain Jonathan Archer could have survived without a fish tank in his ready room. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

Livingston affected by Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome

After being affected by Barclay's Protomorphosis Syndrome, William T. Riker attempted to break open Livingston's fish tank, possibly in order to consume him. Fortunately, he did not succeed. The fish had been affected by the Syndrome as well and was transformed into a jellyfish-like creature. (TNG: "Genesis")

Q thought Picard was probably worried about his fish as well as his ship and his crew after the captain saved Humanity from the effects of an anti-time anomaly in the Devron system in 2370. (TNG: "All Good Things...")

Livingston's tank after the Enterprise-D's crash on Veridian III

Livingston was given a much larger aquarium by 2371. Unfortunately, the Enterprise-D was soon destroyed, although Livingston's tank remained intact and survived the crash of the saucer section on Veridian III. (Star Trek Generations)

Writer Ronald D. Moore has been asked if Livingston had survived the crash in Generations on at least two occasions, and has given different answers. Initially, Moore claimed that he had survived the crash and was now living comfortably in the Starfleet Pet Retirement Home. (AOL chat, 1998) However, Moore later suggested that the fish was eaten by Data's cat Spot by commenting "Spot had to eat something in those long hours before Data found him." (AOL chat, 1998) Although the latter conflicts with the fact that Spot was found alive and in good health after the crash (as lionfish are extremely poisonous if not prepared correctly).

Appendices

Appearances

• TNG:
  • "Encounter at Farpoint" (Season 1)
  • "Code of Honor"
  • "Lonely Among Us"
  • "The Battle"
  • "Too Short A Season"
  • "The Big Goodbye"
  • "Home Soil"
  • "Coming of Age"
  • "The Arsenal of Freedom"
  • "We'll Always Have Paris"
  • "Conspiracy"
  • "Where Silence Has Lease" (Season 2)
  • "The Outrageous Okona"
  • "The Schizoid Man"
  • "Loud As A Whisper"
  • "Unnatural Selection"
  • "The Royale"
  • "Time Squared"
  • "The Icarus Factor"
  • "Pen Pals"
  • "Samaritan Snare"
  • "Up The Long Ladder"
  • "Where Silence Has Lease" (Season 3)
  • "The Ensigns of Command"
  • "Evolution"
  • "Who Watches The Watchers"
  • "The Offspring"
  • "Sins of The Father"
  • "Captain's Holiday"
  • "Tin Man"
  • "Hollow Pursuits"
  • "The Most Toys"
  • "Sarek"
  • "Ménage à Troi"
  • "Transfigurations"
  • "The Best of Both Worlds"
  • "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" (Season 4)
  • "Suddenly Human"
  • "Reunion"
  • "The Loss"
  • "Data's Day"
  • "The Wounded"
  • "Devil's Due"
  • "First Contact"
  • "Night Terrors"
  • "Qpid"
  • "The Drumhead"
  • "Half a Life"
  • "The Host"
  • "In Theory"
  • "Redemption II" (Season 5)
  • "Darmok"
  • "Ensign Ro"
  • "A Matter Of Time"
  • "Violations"
  • "The Masterpiece Society"
  • "Conundrum"
  • "Ethics"
  • "The First Duty"
  • "The Perfect Mate"
  • "I Borg"
  • "Realm Of Fear" (Season 6)
  • "Man Of The People"
  • "Relics"
  • "True Q"
  • "Rascals"
  • "The Quality of Life"
  • "Chain Of Command, Part I" (dialogue only)
  • "Face Of The Enemy"
  • "Lessons"
  • "Frame of Mind"
  • "Suspicions"
  • "Descent"
  • "Interface" (Season 7)
  • "Gambit, Part I"
  • "Force of Nature"
  • "The Pegasus"
  • "Sub Rosa"
  • "Lower Decks"
  • "Masks"
  • "Eye of the Beholder"
  • "Genesis"
  • "Bloodlines"
  • "Emergence"
  • "Preemptive Strike"
  • "All Good Things..." (dialogue only)

Background information

"Unofficial name given by the Star Trek production crew to the Australian lion fish that lived in the salt water aquarium in Picard's ready room. Livingston was named for Star Trek producer David Livingston. "I can see the resemblance," says Bob Justman." (Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 1, p. 483)

The Australian lion fish was originally selected by TNG Season 1 set decorator John M. Dwyer. It later became the responsibility of Jim Mees, who coordinated with Mark's Tropical Fish of Studio City to take care of it between filming. [1]^(X)

According to Ronny Cox, Patrick Stewart hated Livingston's presence in the ready room, and constantly petitioned the producers to remove the fish. Stewart, a strong animal rights advocate who opposes many forms of pet ownership, felt that using a captive animal in an ornamental display was "immoral" and inconsistent with TNG's core theme of exploring the inherent dignity of different species across the galaxy. Cox, who called Stewart's point "well taken", stated that Livingston's temporary removal in "Chain of Command" was thus a "sort of a bone they threw to Patrick". [2]

Livingston's aquarium was not readily visible in Star Trek: First Contact, but production photos of the set reveal that it was present. Livingston was not part of the set for Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek Nemesis.

Livingston was portrayed by a red lionfish (Pterois volitans) in nearly every appearance. Only between "Reunion" and "First Contact" (best seen in "Devil's Due") did the fish change species and appear as a radial firefish (Pterois radiata).

Livingston is the first of six recurring pets, which include Spot, Chester, Porthos, Number One, and Grudge.

External links

• Livingston (fish) at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• The changing face of Livingston at Ex Astris Scientia