When it comes to choosing a pet for your classroom, the possibilities are endless, but not all pets will be the right choice for you.  Maybe you don’t want to take on a rabbit or a guinea pig just yet, or you don’t have a solid enthusiasm for lizards or hermit crabs.  That doesn’t mean you can’t still have a fun and fascinating classroom pet.

Goldfish make great pets and have a lot more “oomph” than they get credit for.  The large variety of species available gives you the option of different features, like veil tails or bubble eyes, and the option of different sizes too.  Some goldfish stay relatively small, while others can reach more than 12 inches!

Many people are also surprised to know that goldfish have extremely good senses of smell, sight, and touch.  They’ll quickly pick up on your movements, react differently to a variety of environments, and learn to recognize feeding time.  They only need to eat once a day, but there are treats, like live brine shrimp, that you can give them on occasion.

Housing your new goldfish might make a great creative project for your class.  Check out some of the different aquariums and accessories at your local pet shop. While goldfish can live for quite some time in a regular glass bowl, having a tank with a pump and filter will keep your new pet a lot happier and healthier.

Your goldfish might seem drab when compared to other pets, but there are many learning opportunities that come with it.  Your class will learn a wide variety of interesting new facts to take home and share with their families, such as goldfish actually have two types of fins – one to help stabilize it, the other to steer and guide it through the water.

With a little help from Pets in the Classroom, your new goldfish will bring some color to your room and a smile to your students’ faces.  Give the kids something to talk about, and start the process to a cooler classroom today.  Visit www.petsintheclassroom for more information and to apply for your educational grant today!