Rachel Kaye

Staff Writer

The fish tank in the biology room has always intrigued me. It is probably the most beautiful and soothing phenomenon on campus. During biology, I often find myself mesmerized by the sight of the carefree multi-colored fish roaming around aimlessly.

There are two adjacent fish tanks in the biology room, into which saltwater and freshwater fish are separated based on the environment they have adapted to.

Friends of mine appear to be fascinated and fixated on certain fish.

“The big, clear fish was my favorite because it showed supremacy over all the other fish. During the Mitochondrion chapter all I did was stare at it,” Josh Rusheen ’13 said.

Some students focus on the amusing antics of fish.

“I think my favorite fish is the one that has the twin in the further fish tank because it does entertaining things, like eat rocks and spit them out, and hides in the corner,” Alexa Almany ’12 said.

Some teachers play favorites and feel that they have special connections to the fish.

“The monkey fish was my favorite fish. They transported him to a tank in Sherman Oaks a month ago. I have been feeding him every day since my first day working here,” Mr. Gray George, physics teacher, said.

Despite the gentle behavior of some fish, others struggle to maintain serenity. There have been bizarre occasions where fresh water fish turn homicidal and inexplicably murder the other inhabitants in their tank.

The fish have distinct personalities and possess emotions that resemble those of human beings.

“The fish are really aggressive and when you get them put together like that, there are territorial issues that arise,” George said.

Other people have also noticed odd habits of the fish.

“I think the weirdest thing was when the giant fish got super angry and kicked water over the side so it almost got my backpack wet,” Almany said.

While paying attention in class is important, occasionally you need some comic relief.  If you need some relaxation or like to practice transcendal meditation, don’t hesitate to enter a trance-like state by observing the fish in the tanks.