I don’t know about you guys, but I have just acquired fish. I am a new and I must admit, rather reluctant fish parent as I never truly envisioned owning them. But when my kiddo brought a baggy with two tiny goldfish in it home from the school carnival the other day, I pretty much knew, I was doomed. So, rather than curse the poor little creatures, I decided to become the best fish mom I could. Well, I must say this is a rather hard task, so to save some of the rest of you the same trouble, I am going to give you a few pointers about fish parenting.
THE PROS OF HAVING FISH
Fish are actually quite beautiful and peaceful to watch, over time they often will interact with you as they become accustomed to feeding schedules and your daily presence in their lives. The sound of the bubbling filter and watching the fish swim around can actually provide hours of comfort and relaxation, especially to our children. Fish are also a good way to help your child learn how to be responsible for and empathetic to another being’s life.
Here is a great article to read before you get started owning fish from www.firsttankguide.net
THE CONS OF HAVING A FISH
The downside to having fish is the fact that they are very sensitive creatures. It is hard to get the water quality right and keep them free from disease, especially if they came from a large pet store where fish turn over is high. Because fish often come to your home from rather dire conditions, they may die, despite your best efforts, so be prepared to talk your children through this process as some fish are hard to keep.
WHAT FISH TO GET?
If your child has not won a fish or was otherwise gifted one beyond your parental control as was the case with me, you can purchase a fish and prepare your home for fish ownership. The first thing you want to decide is what kind of fish would be right for your family. Goldfish are usually a top choice for childhood pets because they are relatively easy to care for and are inexpensive, so here are a few tips for owning a goldfish.
GOLDFISH
Here is an article to help you get started. http://wwwtsrca.tripod.com/shop/id6.html and this one http://www.bva-awf.org.uk/pet/buying/goldfish.asp
Some of the tips highlighted in the articles are the fact that bowls are often too small for goldfish who tend to be rather messy and produce a lot of waste. If you do keep your fish in a bowl, you will need to change the water frequently and keep no more than one fish in the bowl. What is preferable to bowls is an aquarium with a filter. The ratio of space to fish is usually 10 gallons per one inch of fish, thus having gold fish in a healthy environment often means buying and maintaining a large tank. Also tap water is toxic to goldfish, so you will need to make sure that you have the proper chemicals to treat the water before introducing fish to it. Lastly, even though having one fish in a bowl is an iconic image, fish actually like company, so investing in a good set up and introducing fish to it slowly one at a time will mean a longer and healthier life for your fish. Make sure you let your tank cycle (balance the chemicals) before adding too many fish at once.
BETTA FISH OR SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH
http://www.bettafish.com/ is a good website to go to for feeding, care and housing a Betta fish. Betta fish are great fish for children as they are beautiful and hardy. The only word of caution about them is the fact that they are fighting fish and like to fight with other fish, so it is best to keep them alone or with other kinds of fish, but not other Bettas.
GUPPIES
http://www.guppies.com/ this website has everything you need to know about rearing guppies. Since guppies are live bearers, you will find that if you have male and female guppies in your tank, your fish may have babies. This is up to you how you want your child to experience this side of learning. It is a wonderful way to teach your children about life cycles, but you will need to either keep getting larger aquariums to fit your new fish or find a resource to sell or gift your guppy babies.
In all owning fish is actually easier than caring for a hamster or pet snake, but does take care and experience as I am learning with my little goldfish friends who I have grown to love.
