Some would debate this topic and say that having a class pet is a bad idea, probably for multiple reasons. But if done correctly and humanely, a class pet is a wonderful way to teach children compassion, responsibility, teamwork and gentleness. Now, you might think that a Gold Fish makes for a boring class pet, but I beg to differ! They are easy to care for, are quiet, aren’t messy, they won’t cause allergic reactions and their beautiful colours, calm nature and tranquility will encourage a calm and meditative environment. 

So, if you would like you students to share a pet, a goldfish might not be a bad idea. Before you do welcome your new fish friend into the class however, you might want to prepare your students and make sure they are all on board on handling the responsibility of keeping their pet healthy, happy and well looked after. 

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How To Prepare For A Class Pet Goldfish

1. Make sure you students are old enough to care for the pet properly. Students who are too young might innocently harm the little critter, and we definitely don’t want the fish to suffer.
2. Make sure you have a good spot in your classroom to set up an aquarium. This spot should not have direct sunlight but must still get a sufficient amount of light during the day.
3. Discuss the processes of caring for a goldfish adequately with your students and mention things like feeding times, cleaning the tank and refraining from tapping on the glass etc.
4. Set up a chore chart or schedule of which class member will be responsible for what, when it comes to caring for the pet fish that is. It is important that everyone in the class has some responsibility over the pet and that they accept this responsibility.
5. Make sure you have the sufficient funds available to buy all of the necessary equipment to house and care for a goldfish, as well as to nourish it properly. 

If you have gone through the above checklist and all of your students are on board with welcoming their new pet, then you can look for a goldfish to purchase from a reliable and registered breeder.

The Advantages Of Having A Pet Goldfish In Your Classroom

Having a pet for your students to love and share not only encourages responsibility, kids also enjoy watching and feeding goldfish (it’s fun!), and they can be quite educational too. You can you’re your students how fish use their gills and mouths to breathe underwater and you can also point out other aspects of fish anatomy. You can also use your fishy pet to enter a discussion about cold-blooded animals and how they are different from warm-blooded animals. The learning opportunities that this fishy friend has in store are endless!

Anatomy of a Goldfish - Image Credit

The Disadvantages Of Having A Pet Goldfish In Your Classroom

While fish can make excellent classroom pets, they do come with a few disadvantages. One of the most important is that they usually have very short life spans. If the beloved pet dies, you’ll have to deal with lots of disappointed and grieving students. You might want to run the fact that goldfish do not live for very past your students, and again, with reasoning, t is best to only take on the task of bringing a pet into your classroom if you have older students who are old enough to understand the life cycle of their scaly friends. 

A goldfish is an unobtrusive pet that provides tons of fun learning opportunities. As long as you have the time to keep the tank clean and your fish we fed and cared for, it should make a wonderful addition to your classroom.

With thanks from @mamameimei