Every science project needs to help students answer any questions they may have. A science project about fish and their food shows students the effects of feeding different foods to the same fish. For most people who have a fish tank in their homes, the fish eat the same fish food every day. Sixth grade students may wonder what might happen if fish ate a more varied diet like humans do. Performing an experiment related to feeding fish can help answer that question.
Several basic materials are needed to complete this type of project, whether it is a project for the whole class, or one student is performing the project to report to the class. Like most science projects, you need a control group and a couple of other groups in which you introduce variables. While one fish can comprise each group, your results will be more accurate if you have two or three fish in each group. Each group of fish needs a separate tank unless you use glass or plastic tank separators to create multiple sections in one tank. You also need basic aquarium accessories, such as a filter, heater and ground cover for each tank, as well as various types of fish food.
To get a more accurate view of the effects of feeding fish different types of food, it is important to select fish from the same tank at the pet store. Separate the fish into their tanks and label each tank so you know which fish receives which type of food. Feed the fish at the same time every day and provide the same amount of food regardless of which type of food is being used. Another variation is to feed the fish one type of food for a week, and another type for a week to see if the fish prefers one type of food to the other.
The growth of the fish needs to be monitored. You can weigh the fish in a plastic sandwich bag by weighing the bag of water first with the fish inside, and then without the fish. Ensure you use a sensitive kitchen scale because weight changes in fish are small. Record the weights by type of food to evaluate if one type of food results in better growth in the fish. If you choose to try different foods with the same group of fish, you can monitor their food preferences instead of their weight. For instance, after you have fed each type of food individually for a week to each group, offer all food types at the same time and see which one the fish prefer.