Thursday, August 1st, the Lion’s Pride Journalism team arrived back on campus to plan for the year. Being the first time back on campus, the team took a moment to take in the new additions, one of which were the fish in the Grace Center fish tank. “It was neat to see the colorful fish swimming in a bright tank,” said Samantha McGill, 12th grade. Just inside the door of Grace Center to the left of the Storytime Cafe entrance is the ocean habitat created and donated by Waterbox Aquariums.

When the team returned on Friday, they found a vastly different scene. Three of the fish tragically leaped from their tank, plummeting five feet to their deaths. “I think the fish chose to jump out because other fish were mean to them,” said Jillian Wilson, 12th grade. The three dead fish were all the same kind of fish, which led the team to ponder whether there was a correlation to the type of fish and their likelihood of jumping out of the tank. 

According to Aquarium Experts, “lighting can cause stress to the inhabitants;It is also possible for the tank’s environment to not have been adequately adjusted to their needs, causing distress.” According to Dr. Jesse Sanders, “If your fish feels trapped due to poor water quality or another bully in the tank, they may jump to try and find a new home.” While it is evident the fish jumped out of the tank, it is unknown if it was intentional and if it was due to high-stress levels.

The colorful fish world was first introduced in 2022 when the Waterbox Aquariums set up the fish tank. Preston Rice, alumni, met with the Waterbox team to learn how to care for the habitat. Upon his graduation, Ms. Stephanie Payne, staff, took over care of the tank while looking for the next scholar to step in. Each day she stops by the tank on the way to the cafe and the fish gather near the top of the tank because they know food is soon to follow. She has watched the various personalities evident in the tank as parents watch over their babies and some fight for the opportunity to eat. As Payne says, “the drama is real,” in the life of the tank. 

So, was it a jump due to the conditions of the new home or due to a potential bully in the tank?