Classroom Fish

[VulcanNinja]

I am thinking about putting a small aquarium in my elementary sclassroom this year. The problem is that my classroom does not have AC and the room can get hot during warm months. It can get cold also during winter, but not to that extreme (but it still may be too cold for tropical fish).

Will a betta be hardy enough to endure these conditions, or should I consider something else??

Thanks.

 

[Guppylover]

I think that a great idea to have an aqaurium in a classroom, with the AC problem you can fix that. Are you going to have a filter and heater? At summer times you can have the heater off and winter you can have it on. Try to keep the aquarium near a window so that if it gets to hot you can open the window and a cool breeze could cool it down a bit. If that dosen't work ice place in a plastic bag in placed in the tank water always helped me kool my water down.
A betta will be hardy enough for these conditions

 

[Matty]

If that doesnt pan out, try some goldfish

 

[Guppylover]

You would need a 20 gallon tank for 1 goldfish and a addictional 10 gallon for every other one. So if you wanted 4 goldfish you would need a 50 gallon tank
I would either go with the betta or some tropical fish.

 

[lizard]

I am thinking about putting a small aquarium in my elementary sclassroom this year. The problem is that my classroom does not have AC and the room can get hot during warm months. It can get cold also during winter, but not to that extreme (but it still may be too cold for tropical fish).

Will a betta be hardy enough to endure these conditions, or should I consider something else??

Thanks.

Great idea! I wonder if I could convince my mom to put an aquarium in her classroom and to use it as a hands-on (well, not on the fish) teaching tool... Hmmm....

Not having AC isn't a problem. The apartment I'm in doesn't have AC and the fish have done fine this summer. I have a one gallon tank, and for most of the summer also had a 10-gallon (residents have now moved to a 29-gallon). If the tank temp started to get over 80 or so, I would put ice blocks (of dechlorinated water) or bottles of ice in the tanks. As far as winter goes - a heater will keep the tank warm enough.

I would recommend getting a tank that's at least 10 gallons. There will be fewer temperature fluctuations than there would be in someone with only a gallon or two of water. The temperature in my Betta's one-gallon fluctuates a lot more than the 10-gallon did or the 29-gallon does.

As far as fish go, my suggestion would be to get a few different varieties - like a couple catfish-type (Corys! perhaps) and some other types, so your students can see differences in the different varieites of fish.

Hope that helps. If you have more questions, feel free to ask.

Pamela
aka Married Lizard

 

[silent_one]

White clouds would work very well in those conditions, a betta would most likely work too.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Thats a great idea, your students will certainly remember you for it
Go for it!

 

[clutterydrawer]

How old are the kids? And what is going to happen to the tank throughout the summer holidays?

You really do need a heater and filter. Then get some fairly tough fish, and maybe if its a small tank and you're worried you could take it home for the summer? to keep an eye on it?

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Yeah, the school holidays would be a concern, so a small tank with a lone betta would be perfect, as you could easily transport the fish/tank to your home to look after him during the hols

A real small tank needs a real small heater. Remember that if the heater has a thermostat, then it won't come on if its too hot so you dont have to worry about turning it off during the summer, as it wont do anything anyway if the temp is right.

 

[clutterydrawer]

I saw a gorgeous small tank the other day, it was about 8 gallons and had a teensy filter AND heater, and a light, built in! they were tucked in a corner where you could hardly see them.

 

[VulcanNinja]

Thanks, guys.

I wasn't planning on a big aquarium. Just a little 2 or 5 gallon with a betta and perhaps some ghost shrimp or something. During summer, I would need to take it home, so I can't really have a big aquarium.

I have a small 2 gallon tank in reserve. Perhaps I could use that but I don't like to confine any fish to that, even a betta. Can you get heaters small enough for that?

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Thanks, guys.

I wasn't planning on a big aquarium. Just a little 2 or 5 gallon with a betta and perhaps some ghost shrimp or something. During summer, I would need to take it home, so I can't really have a big aquarium.

I have a small 2 gallon tank in reserve. Perhaps I could use that but I don't like to confine any fish to that, even a betta. Can you get heaters small enough for that?

Smallest I've seen was 25w... Dunno how small a tank that would handle.

 

[clutterydrawer]

The thing is that the smaller the volume of water, the more subject it is to temperature fluctuations. I believe 7.5W heaters are available in america but I don't think they're thermostatted which could be problematic.

Other than that the smallest I've seen is a 25W. I think it'd be cool if you can go with a 10g. Remember that kids are gonna be clustered round it staring at the pretty fishes . Also you could put some corydoras in a 10g which I think would be a hit with the kids.

 

[daniodude]

Danios are very hardy fish and My tank was at like 82 degrees the other day and my fish were fine, they didn't swim as much then, buyt other than that they didn't appear to be affected.

DD