Former Year 8-9 science teacher's zebrafish in 28 litre tank: Any advice you would give to her?

[elephantnose3334]

My former Year 8-9 science teacher at my high school keeps 3 (formerly 4) zebrafish in what I think is an average 28 litre aquarium starter kit with barely any space for them to swim in. I asked her many times to get a bigger tank for them and she said no. She said they are fine in that 28 litre aquarium, and that they stay small, which is not true. They go about 5cm long. Another science teacher next door also keeps zebrafish in another 28 litre aquarium. My science teacher does not have a pH testing kit either. The tank is sometimes dirty. I think that the local Petbarn or some other fish shop gave her this advice before either I came in to the school in Year 7 or came in the science classroom in Year 8. They may be a couple of years old now. One died, and there are three remaining now. Sorry, I don't have pictures of the tank, but I knew that by memory. She's still teaching today, but she needs to learn how to keep zebrafish properly. I will check on the zebrafish next year, but right now, I'm on school holidays.

Is there any fishkeeping advice you would give to my science teacher and the other science teacher next door? And did they break the golden rule of fishkeeping? I want my science teacher to improve on zebrafish care.

 

[Essjay]

Yes, the fish need a bigger tank. But no, don't tackle the teacher over it; most teachers don't like being told they are wrong by a student. If the teacher is one you can chat to (some will some won't) maybe get talking to her about keeping fish in general, not about the classroom tank, and see how she responds to that.
Don't forget teachers are busy people. They have a lot to do and things like looking after the class fish tank may get forgotten as other things take priority.

We have members who are teachers and ex teachers. Listen to their advice about what to say and how to say it.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Yes, the fish need a bigger tank. But no, don't tackle the teacher over it; most teachers don't like being told they are wrong by a student. If the teacher is one you can chat to (some will some won't) maybe get talking to her about keeping fish in general, not about the classroom tank, and see how she responds to that.
Don't forget teachers are busy people. They have a lot to do and things like looking after the class fish tank may get forgotten as other things take priority.

We have members who are teachers and ex teachers. Listen to their advice about what to say and how to say it.

I understand. I will discuss good fish keeping to her and hopefully she will learn. There are some things that teachers forget, and that includes the danios. That's why students sometimes feed them a small amount of fish food (I used to do that sometimes) so that the teacher do not forget about it.

 

[GaryE]

It's no crisis. The tank is too small, but it's actually a sadly common way to keep fish. I ran a program with small tanks for classrooms (70 ltr or larger) and there were times I barely had time to maintain them. There are people who will argue it's fine.

Online, we throw out advice. In the real world, I only offer advice when I'm directly asked for it.

I also don't own a test kit, and many fishkeepers consider them unnecessary. So to go in and tell her how to do things, you'd probably need to keep fish another ten years or so.

I imagine a teacher that knows you personally will listen to you politely. I have to confess, I had kids come in sometimes and give me absurd lectures, telling me I needed to feed the fish the wrong diet, or that someone online had said water changes weren't good, etc. I'd get some of the not very good advice the youtube stars sell, and I would listen. I would steer them toward resources they could look at and learn from. Most wouldn't go there, and just wanted to be bossy. The next week they'd be lecturing people on something else.

One of those kids popped up years later as an excellent aquarist. He took a few years to read, study and run tanks to get there.

 

[Archerfish]

I am guessing the school most likely purchased the tanks (or they were donated by a kind parent) since both teachers have the same one. Look at it this way, the teacher must be doing something right if the fish have lived for several years. Many zebra fish are sold as ‘hardy starter fish’ and end up in deplorable conditions. I had aquariums in my science and biology classrooms and can say the size of the tanks depended on space available, time available and budget. Here is a good idea: offer to assist the teacher with performing partial water exchanges and general maintenance. You will make a friend.

 

[Fishmanic]

Advise your teacher to become a member of TFF and to ask TFF members how big a tank is needed for the fish in question for them to not just to survive, but to thrive.

 

[anewbie]

dirty tanks visually are not an issue as long as the water itself is very clean; anyway teachers are a touchy lot and if you bother her too much she might send you to the principal. Sucks but that is life. While we would hope for an environment where being right rule; frequently one find that might makes up for being wrong.

 

[simonas]

educate her

 

[GaryE]

educate her

Are you trying to create trouble for the OP?

 

[simonas]

Are you trying to create trouble for the OP?

Not in the slightest . If she doesnt know how to look after the fish properly then he can educate her

 

[emeraldking]

Not in the slightest . If she doesnt know how to look after the fish properly then he can educate her

The way Essjay has recommended is the right way to do so. You won't help the situation when you push a teacher.

 

[anewbie]

Ultimately the situation here is that we don't know the teacher and how she will respond; that is not to disagree with suggestion of trying to have a casual discussion on fish-keeping; but if we actually knew the teacher a more precise suggestion would be feasible.

 

[GaryE]

The situation here is that some people on this site might not keep 3 zebras in a 7.5 gallon/28 ltr tank. 90% of the fishkeeping world would, and there are extensive sources suggesting it's just fine. You can argue it's okay. I will respectfully disagree with you, but I have to acknowledge the points you draw from. This isn't a 2 gallon/7 ltr.

It's nice to get all righteous, but those who think like we do are a minority, and this fishkeeper (who has no clue this "issue" is being debated internationally) can argue what she's doing is fine. She may have done her research with due diligence. The OP is approaching this with an opinion. An unsolicited, uninvited opinion, as a new fishkeeper with an overstocked 10 gallon herself.

People who live in glass houses full of glass houses full of fish should not throw stones, or something like that

We learn, we develop our knowledge and our skills, and we generally disagree with each other because there is never one answer. Before we educate others, we have to be very sure we've educated ourselves. Three danios in a 7.5, with reasonable filtration and water movement? That is not awful.

 

[MattW]

My experience with ZD's When I first wanted to get into keeping fish around 2013-14 I went to a big brand UK pet store (Pets at Home). They suggested a cheap 28L and 4 zebra danios. I also went to a proper chain aquarium store afterward (Maidenhead Aquatics). From which they suggested the same thing, the only difference was a 32L Tank.
In my local area, most of the fish keepers especially in my age bracket seem to have started with either danios, livebearers or goldfish in smaller tanks. Most got the fish and equipment from the known "pet shops" and even some as package deals at the time. From my POV it seems when a first-time customer asks an employee "What fish do you recommend to start with?" The zebra Danio is always in the conversation. Maybe because of its cost? Maybe because It's a coldwater "nano" fish?
In the end, I ended up with that 32L and 4 zebra danios. I kept them for 3 years with a mini castle decor, plastic fern, and an internal filter with even strangely at one-point breeding occurring. It taught me a lot. Now 8+ years later I like to have as many live plants as possible and attempt to have the fish in tanks with their needs met such as water quality and diet.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Hi everyone,

This thread is starting to get out of control now.

It's nice to get all righteous, but those who think like we do are a minority, and this fishkeeper (who has no clue this "issue" is being debated internationally) can argue what she's doing is fine. She may have done her research with due diligence. The OP is approaching this with an opinion. An unsolicited, uninvited opinion, as a new fishkeeper with an overstocked 10 gallon herself.

People who live in glass houses full of glass houses full of fish should not throw stones, or something like that

We learn, we develop our knowledge and our skills, and we generally disagree with each other because there is never one answer. Before we educate others, we have to be very sure we've educated ourselves. Three danios in a 7.5, with reasonable filtration and water movement? That is not awful.

I did poor research myself before I got my 10 gallon. I don't know if a 7.5 gallon tank is good for zebra danios. I went to the zebrafish profile at Seriously Fish and according to that, they need to be in a group of 8 or more in a 20 gallon aquarium. Like I said, I will discuss my science teacher about good fishkeeping next year when I'm back at school.