# Fish for my Classroom



## Jamilah (Jan 19, 2009)

I teach in a private school (very small school) and I wanted to have a fish for the classroom. Just a small bowl, no filters or heaters. Any suggestions on what kind of fish would be best and how to go about this?


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## Fishychic (Dec 7, 2008)

Honestly, there isn't one type of fish that I could suggest. No fish should ever live in a fish bowl. 

Many people place goldfish in a fish bowl but this is a TERRIBLE idea. Goldfish get up to a foot in length and create a TON of waste. And in waste contains ammonia and ammonia is highly toxic to fish in small amounts. Placing a goldfish in a bowl causes stunting which results in a terrible and painful death. 

All other fish I can think of need some sort of heater too. 

If you can't spend money, why not get a hamster or something?


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## elvis332 (Dec 29, 2007)

cant a male guppy work?


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

they need a heater and like to be in groups. they also need air in the water where as a betta breaths air from the water and the oxygen on top of the surface


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## elvis332 (Dec 29, 2007)

betrtas could work i think


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## Jamilah (Jan 19, 2009)

Yes I'm leaning towards bettas... I think they will work well.


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## Sea-Agg2009 (Aug 2, 2008)

when we say betta's, we mean the species. Remember only 1 in a tank...


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

_betta splendens_ are the species. the common name is siamese fighting fish so you might so those at your LFS instead of betta or betta fish. and remember what Sea-Agg told you, one per tank as they are agressive towards its own kind


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## elvis332 (Dec 29, 2007)

yea so 1 betta might work


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## Bymer (Aug 22, 2008)

^
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agreed


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

You can keep ONE betta in a largish bowl without a filter so long as you keep it someplace very warm and change all of the water every other day.


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## adrianng1996 (Nov 23, 2009)

bettas will do fine


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## SunnyBoy (Dec 11, 2009)

Bettas MUST have a heater. They are warm water fish.


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## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

I was thinking you could do cherry shrimp pretty easily too.
Just put some potting soil in the bottom of the bowl.. throw some plants in, throw a piece of wood in with some java moss attached to it
put the bowl near a window for some direct sunlight a bam! a nice little low maintenance pet for your classroom
Id also put some sort of temp gauge on the bowl tho to make sure it doesn't get too hot or cold


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

She was asking this a year ago. I am going to guess that she has made her decision by now. Check dates folks.


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## Tallonebball (Apr 6, 2009)

damn spammers (adrian), i always just assume that no one would start commenting on an old thread.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

Guppies like 6 of em.


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