* And then there are betta fish—the popular, colorful fish that are usually kept by themselves in relatively small aquariums. A study of twenty-eight adolescents showed significantly improved glycemic control among those given a betta fish to care for compared with the control group, which didn’t get fish until after the study. This is an age when there’s often a deterioration of diabetic control because of normal feelings of invincibility and independence. But associating diabetes self-care tasks with other routine daily activities—like feeding a fish in their room—“may be another tool in the diabetes educator toolbox,” the study concludes.