BHHS 9th grade Biology Class Adopts Sturgeon

Over the years, Mike Huhta, a Bloomfield Hills High School grade 9 biology teacher, has raised eight lake sturgeons as class pets with the help of the group Sturgeon for Tomorrow, which provides baby sturgeons from the Black Lake Fish Hatchery each year. This endangered species class project connects with many ecological concepts discussed in biology, including survival methods and reproduction. 

Huhta shared, “We get to watch these amazing creatures grow from around 4 inches to about 16 inches over the school year. But the biggest impact is seeing the success and being part of making our Michigan ecosystem a better place. These fish are highly intelligent. They play, they let you hold them gently in the water, and each one has a little different personality.” After students brainstormed names for this year’s sturgeon, they voted on the choices, and selected “James Pond.”

The lake sturgeon is called a “dinosaur fish.” This species has been in existence for around 200 million years, dating to the Triassic period. The lake sturgeon is an endangered species, and with females not reproducing until around 22 years old, and males not until the age of 15 years, the topic of survival methods is particularly relevant to biology classes.

Students enjoy not only learning about this unique species native to Michigan’s Great Lakes, but also feeding the class pet, and helping to clean the tank. Evan Van Raaphorst (grade 9) was one of many students who held “James Pond” while the tank was being emptied of half its water during the cleaning process. Van Raaphorst is an experienced fisherman, and reflected, “I’ve been handling fish for a very long time, and nothing really compares to a sturgeon. It’s like a mini shark. I’m really proud to be harboring a sturgeon!”

During an interdisciplinary class period, Huhta spent time explaining and modeling how to clean James Pond’s tank. The tank’s filtration system, Huhta noted, is like a mini water sewage treatment system, complete with three levels: the bar screen (like a giant strainer/sponge) that removes large particles, a layer of pellets designed to grow bacteria, and two bags of charcoal, which remove impurities. Huhta’s clear explanations help students understand not just how a fish tank functions and is cleaned, but how good water filtration systems are key to the health of a community. This sturgeon project educates students about the biology of an endangered species, and helps BHHS 9th grade students connect with local ecology and history.