Having a pet can help older children better manage their diabetes by getting them to keep to a regular blood-testing schedule, according to a new study.

Olga T. Gupta, M.D., an assistant professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, recruited 29 youngsters, ages 10 to 17, with Type 1 diabetes, to test the idea, The New York Times reports.

Sixteen were given fish as pets, with instructions to feed them in the morning and at night — and to check their blood glucose at the same time. Once a week, the kids were asked to change the fishbowl water and review their glucose logs with a parent.

The results, published in the journal Diabetes Educator, indicated that in only three months, the fish owners had slightly improved glucose control, while those without a fish had worsened.

“To bring [glucose] down even a small amount is a pretty big triumph,” said Dr. Gupta.