Do you ever wish that you could breathe underwater? Or that you could swim all day long? What about having beautifully colored scales all over your body? Those are just some of the things that make fish so cool!
Some people don’t treat fish very well, though. They go fishing and hook fish by their sensitive mouths and yank them out of the water. Did you know that even if you release fish after catching them, they will probably die soon anyway because they’re usually injured and can’t swim away from predators?

People also keep fish as pets. Fish who come from pet stores are often snatched from their homes in the wild. Can you imagine going from having an entire ocean or lake as your home to spending the rest of your life inside a small bowl?

Fish feel pain. They show affection by rubbing up against each other and sometimes even rubbing against humans. They’re friendly and they form relationships, just like us. Fish are intelligent, and they can even tell time and create art. They also have great memories.

Fish are such awesome animals, and they don’t deserve to be eaten or kept in a tank. Here’s a fun suncatcher craft that you can make to show how unique and beautiful fish are!

You’ll need:

• 1 paper coffee filter
• 1 sheet aluminum foil, a little bigger than the coffee filter
• Markers
• A paintbrush (optional)
• Scissors

1. Lay the coffee filter out flat on the aluminum foil.

2. Color the coffee filter any way you want using the markers—try adding stripes, polka dots, and scribbles. The more blank space that you leave, the lighter your “fish” will be.

3. Rub a wet paintbrush or a wet finger all over the coffee filter. This will make it look like it’s tie-dyed!

4. Place it in the sun to dry—with the piece of foil still under it—or ask an adult to help dry it using a hairdryer.

5. Trace a fish shape onto the coffee filter and cut it out.

6. Hang your “fish” in a window and admire the beautiful colors!

Remember: Fish are friends, not food—they belong in the water, not on our plates.