Rice fields in California are often flooded during the winter to support wildlife and help break down leftover plant material. In this study, we explored whether adding fish to these flooded fields could change the way nutrients move through the soil or reduce greenhouse gases like methane, which contribute to climate change. We ran a two-year experiment where we added fish to some fields and left others without fish. Every two weeks, we collected water and soil samples to measure nutrients and gas emissions. We expected that fish would stir up the soil and help recycle nutrients, while also reducing methane. While we did see a drop in methane emissions in the first year, that effect didn’t continue in the second year. The presence of fish didn’t cause major changes in soil nutrients either. Overall, this study shows that adding fish may not have a strong or consistent effect on soil or climate-related outcomes over a short time period. However, it highlights how variable these systems can be from year to year, and why longer studies are important for understanding how farming practices affect the environment.