Though students are permitted to raise a fish in a one-gallon tank or smaller, some professionals question the effects of a small environment on fish health.
University Housing’s 2013-2014 Resident Guidebook says no pets are allowed except for one fish per resident, and the tank size must be one gallon or less.
“The fish-only policy has been in effect for a long time, at least the last 10 years. It is a policy for all on-campus housing, including any north campus facilities,” said Pam Bentivegna, University Housing administrative  assistant. “The size requirement of the tank is due to size constraints of the room, but also as a prevention to bring in reptiles or other animals in the halls.”
Luke Williamson is a freshman majoring in music education who lives in Taylor Hall. Williamson has owned pet fish for 12 years now. His one-gallon tank was spherical, had color-changing lights, colorful ornaments and houses an active glo tetra named Neo.
Because the tank had not been cleaned for about two months, the water inside the tank was a little cloudy and there was algae growth on the gravel. Under the University Housing policy’s restriction, he has found it more difficult to care for the fish.
A smaller tank requires more frequent cleanings, which many students find difficult to make time for. With an 18-hour schedule,
Williamson confessed that he does not clean the water as often as he should. To be exact, he has not cleaned it since he set up his aquarium in January at the beginning of this spring semester. However, Williamson feels the policy is justified.
“[The policy] makes sense because if you have a larger tank, there is going to be more water everywhere if you were to accidentally drop it or it were to get knocked over, so it’s an OK policy, but I feel like one-and-a-half gallons would be OK too. You can fit more fish,” said Williamson.
He had two fish originally, but unfortunately, one of them died.
“The other fish didn’t fare out so well; we came back from Mardi Gras, and the other fish was dead,” said Williamson.
To properly care for a fish, students must do their research. Some fish, such as goldfish, cannot thrive in small tanks. Students must carefully choose their type of fish to take in order to raise a healthy pet.
Beaux Warren, pet care manager at Petsmart in Covington said, “You can keep a one, one-inch fish because in theory, it’s one gallon of water per inch of fish. And that’s a neon tetra. Betta fish can [also] do fine in a one-gallon tank. If the water quality is not properly maintained, it can cause the fish to be stressed out and pass, and the fish can develop disease such as ich. If you’re over-feeding your fish or not taking care of the water, it can cause excess fecal matter and the nitrates, ammonia and pH to go up, which can cause the fish to die.”
Mike Brown, owner and manager of Exotic Pets & Supply in Hammond, said if students do want to raise fish in their dorms, the best thing to do to give them the optimum care is buy a tank that holds as much water as possible. He said usually the gravel in a small fish tank is about an inch deep, but there are under-gravel filters that can be installed in a one-gallon tank.
“That way, you have a good harvest of bacteria that eats the ammonia and nitrites. If your water quality is bad, it will lower the pH. The normal [pH] range is 7.0,” said Brown. “Our water coming out of the faucet is higher than that, but that’s OK. We use the tap water out of faucets and treat it.”
To treat the water, Brown advises the use of tap water conditioner, which removes heavy metals, de-chlorinates the water and puts a slime coating on the fish.
“Although some people have success in keeping a fish in a one gallon tank, this is generally not a good idea. It is difficult to keep a fish alive in such a small space for an extended period of time,” said Frank Campo, the freshman biology lab coordinator who has been teaching biology for 17 years. “Toxins from waste can build up quickly, which can lead to the demise of the fish. If you wanted to keep a fish in a one-gallon tank, you would be limited to keeping only one fish. In addition, the owner would have to be diligent in monitoring the water quality of the tank on a daily basis. Most people choose a betta, or Siamese fighting fish, for such a pet. Although a goldfish may be considered, they are messy fish in general that require more water.”
Students with fish need to be aware that fish require just as much commitment and care as other pets.
“Overall, if someone wants to keep a fish in a one-gallon tank they should be aware of the commitment it requires to care for an animal in such a small space,” said Campo. “Unlike larger tanks that include filters and a more stable biological system, one-gallon tanks are more temporary and will require frequent care.”
Students must make sure they are prepared to provide optimal care for the safety and well-being of their fish. As the fish’s only caretaker, a fish owner should take into consideration what it means to be a responsible pet owner.
“It is the student’s
responsibility to maintain proper care of the fish as described by the pet store, provider, etc., as requirements vary per
species,” said Bentivegna.