ZELIENOPLE — A fish-shaped wooden sign bearing the words "Jim's Fish Room" directs visitors to Jim Stahlman's Passavant Retirement Community apartment, which is always open.

Many passers-by have taken advantage of the policy, stopping to admire the silver dollars, molleys, guppies, blue grommies, neons or one of the hundreds of other assorted aquatic creatures swimming in Stahlman's nine aquariums.

"He's the only one that has something that special," said Sue Keener, a nurse aide who has been assisting Stahlman since his arrival a few years ago.

Residents are always encouraged to participate in different activities, she said. There are cats on two different floors for residents to play with, and a few staff members have been known to bring in their dogs, but Stahlman's personal aquarium is a rarity.

"It actually keeps him going," Keener said.

The fish are more than just entertainment for Stahlman, she added. They open the door to many a deep conversation with visitors about spirituality, another of Stahlman's passions.

He is organizing a Sunday school class for the facility, which he hopes to begin Sept. 1.

"He has a much better attitude toward having to be here," Keener said.

Caring for so many fish is second nature for Stahlman, 83, of Zelienople.

And by now they should be. He has been caring for them off and on for most of his life.

When he was beginning a family and starting his career as an English and shop teacher at Zelienople High School two generations ago, Stahlman maintained three or four fish tanks around his house as a hobby to relax, he said.

He would come home in the evenings and turn the television on, but he always ended up sitting sideways in his chair, watching the fish glide silently through the water instead.

Stahlman ascended to the head of the industrial arts department and aided the transition into the Seneca Valley School District before retiring after 39 years.

About three years ago, he was struck by a mystery illness, suffering high fevers and blackouts with no apparent cause.

"The doctors still don't know what was wrong with me," he said. Grudgingly, he left his home and moved to Passavant.

"When he first went into nursing, he was really in bad shape," said Sharon McCormick, Stahlman's daughter.

"Then dad said he wanted a fish, and I said 'what for?'" she said. But she obliged and delivered a few angelfish, which resided in wine goblets.

Soon after, Stahlman was introduced to Bob Fullmer, a maintenance employee at the facility and fellow fish enthusiast.

"I knew those fish weren't going to make it in those goblets," Fullmer said, so he brought Stahlman a small tank.

"It just kind of bloomed from there," Fullmer said. "He just wanted to get more fish and more fish. He would put them in anything he had."

Fullmer eventually brought Stahlman to his home in Ellwood City, Beaver County, to see the fish room — 70 tanks ranging from 10 to 125 gallons.

"Bob is very important in my life," Stahlman said. "For a person like me, he's just very exciting to be with."

These days, Stahlman maintains three 2-gallon and four 5-gallon tanks, as well as one 1-gallon and one 15-gallon tank in his room, which rest on stands Fullmer constructed.

"Only God knows" how many fish he has altogether, he said.

While McCormick claimed her father could identify every fish by name, Stahlman said he values each equally. But if he had to choose a favorite, it would be the tank containing a small school of silver dollars and angelfish "only because they are so beautiful," he said.

The tank Stahlman watches most often sits on a table between his bed and armchair and contains more than 40 guppies, some with striking orange or black and silver markings.While he employs a machine to clean the tanks, which takes about 20 minutes each, feeding the fish is a twice-daily ritual for Stahlman. He claimed improper nutrition as one of the reasons many fish tanks are unsuccessful.Stahlman's fish are given as much as they can consume in five minutes, he said, regardless of how many fish are in the tank. For that reason, he does not allow visitors to touch the food.Aside from mealtimes, everyone is invited to experience the aquarium, though certain residents have unrestricted access, like neighbor Kenny, who comes in at 5 a.m. every day to turn on each tank's UV light for Stahlman."Most of the time, when you go up there, people are sitting there talking to him or looking at his fish," Fullmer said. "He lives for those fish."Stahlman has, on occasion, delayed a trip to the hospital until he knew Fullmer was en route or other arrangements had been made for his pets."That's his home and he loves it," McCormick said. He is much more involved in his surroundings than when he arrived, she added, taking notice of new residents and welcoming them.They look out for him as well, bringing children, grandchildren and friends to visit.For Stahlman, watching others enjoy his fish is often as enjoyable as the fish themselves."Just come visit me," he said. "My door is always open."