Pick a river-dwelling type of fish (ie: trout) or a species which returns upstream to spawn (ie: salmon). Now pick a couple of initials which go with the name. "T. J. Trout" has a nice alliteration, whereas "B. A. Trout" has a hidden meaning. If you really worry about whether people will think of a fish when they see the word Salmon, use Catfish or something which includes -fish as part of the species name. By using initials, you avoid saying anything about identification. You also have the luxury of using the full name for emphasis or just the initials for breeziness. This way, you can also use repetition for effect, not desperation. You write, "he was now a floater"; that sentence can be rewritten to remove the gender-specific word. The Fish was now floating, watching the clouds drift by and ignoring all the snickers of the other fish. That said... I will argue against the so-called wisdom of going with the current. Carolly