By Lexi White
Features Editor
Healthcare studies major Kayla Tirozzi, a sophomore, with her new pet fish and her decorated fish tank.
Students were bubbling with excitement as they received their very own water-breathing companions.
ProCon gave students the materials to build their own aquarium: a fish tank, a gravel pit, rocks, plants, a year’s worth of food and even provided students with their very own pet Betta fish.
“I never would have thought that I would be getting a pet from school,” exercise and sport science major Haley Fitzgerald, a freshman, said. “I cannot believe I just got a free pet fish.”
Fitzgerald said that she had six fish before and really wanted a pet for her dorm room.
Although the only choice was a fish, she said that she could not be any happier.
“Blue is my favorite color, and my new fish is the prettiest shade of blue,” Fitzgerald said. “I want to name it either Dexter or Nilla, like a vanilla wafer.”
Biology major Craig Huydic, a junior, was one of the members of ProCon helping to give students a new aquatic friend. He said this event was created to help encourage students to take on responsibility.
“By giving students something that they can care for, they can become better people,” Huydic said. “This gives them an opportunity to care for something living while being on campus.”
According to the university’s student handbook, fish in a maximum 10-gallon tank are the only pets allowed in West Campus, Brownell, Chase, Hickerson, Neff and Wilkinson Hall.
North Campus Residence Complex and Schwartz Hall also allow pet fish in the same size tank. In addition, other aquatic pets such as turtles, snails and frogs are allowed.
“Fish are pets that can be easily kept in a dorm without too much attention,” Huydic said. “As long as students remember to feed their fish and clean the tank, having this pet can be easily maintained.”
Psychology major Taylor Green, a junior, was another student who wanted a free pet.
She said that she did not expect live fish to be given away on campus and wanted to see what ProCon’s event was all about.
“I’m so happy to have a fish because he’s so cute,” Green said. “I think I’m going to name him Midnight because he’s a dark blue color.”
Green said that she was thankful that ProCon also provided the necessities a pet fish would need so she and other students would not need to spend money.
“Most schools wouldn’t give away free animals, and I think that being given everything I need to keep my fish healthy is amazing,” Green said.
Another student who said he was in shock at being given a free fish was computer science major Zachary Mercado, a junior.
He said that he has had four fish throughout his life and wanted another one because he is fascinated by them.
“I’m going to name my fish Blue because he’s blue,” Mercado said. “Being given all the supplies I need in order to take care of Blue makes things so much easier.”
