Long Island students raise fish at school lab

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - Forget having a class goldfish, some students in Southampton are taking care of more than 100 fish tanks.

Feeding, cleaning, and learning all about fish is part of the wet lab at Southampton High School on Long Island. Students are given an opportunity to study some of the marine science and aquaculture that surrounds their East End community.

Greg Metzger teaches a hands-on curriculum using fish and other species that were bought, donated or caught locally. He says the lab has 130 tanks, eight systems, and hundreds of individual fish that represent 50 species.

The algae room is one of the most important because it's the beginning point of the breeding process. Without the algae, they wouldn't be able to feed or keep any of the newly hatched fish alive.

The intro students are assigned to a tank and graded on how well they maintain it. Pablo Alvarez tested the waters. He is trying to see if a shrimp can be trained to differentiate color.

From seahorses to sharks and cinnamon clownfish, students also learn how to sell the fish to local pet stores.