My first fish was a tiny minnow from a nearby pond (it was more like a shallow dip in the land that collected water than an actual pond) that was drying up. His tank was an old glass jar with gray rocks, brown twigs and dark green plants in the bottom. It wasn’t much, but he seemed happy. I placed the jar on the dresser so he could watch his new world. Just enough sun would filter through the window and touch the dresser to give him some natural light. I don’t remember what I named him, but I was 9 years old, so I’m sure it had something to do with Care Bears or Strawberry Shortcake.
He eventually outgrew his jar, and I moved him to a small pond in the neighbor’s yard. I moved not long after, so I don’t know where his life led him. I’ve had many fish since then, but he was my first love.
There are advantages to owning fish. They don’t chew the remote or run off with your shoes. You don’t have to keep shushing them so they don’t bother the neighbors or wake the baby. They don’t leave poop in the yard or litter box.
Guppies don’t leave fur on the furniture or the clean laundry. And you don’t have to walk them in cold weather.
Choosing an aquarium set up is the easiest part of owning fish. You can follow a theme or mix and match ornaments. Plants range from live to realistic looking fabric to plastic. The options for decorations are endless. You can go with a natural look with logs and rocks or an out-of-this-world atmosphere with glow-in-the-dark rocks, plants and ufos. You can even decorate for the season. Make sure there are plenty of places for your fish to hide, rest and play. Be creative. Use your imagination. Make your mini ocean a fun place to watch and live.
While fish don’t seem to take as much effort as other pets, you do still have some upkeep. Algae and debris build up in the water and coat the decorations. You will need to change the water and scrub the tank. Some aquarists clean their tanks every month. Others do a partial water change (removing half the water in the tank and replacing it with fresh clean water) once a month and deep clean every 2-3 months. It all depends on the size of the aquarium and the number of fish housed there. But a good rule of thumb is to clean your mini ocean once a month, sooner if algae is growing in the tank.
There are several options to help keep your aquarium clean. Snails come in many sizes, shapes and colors. Not only are they easy to care for and entertaining to watch, they clean the debris left in the aquarium by the other residents. Catfish and Plecostomus (Plecos for short) are another great option to help with cleaning chores. Most are nondescript fish that live near the bottom of the aquarium and eat leftover food that settles between the gravel or on the decorations. They will also snack on algae.
Shrimp are fun to own and are great scavengers. Because of their size and color, they can be difficult to see once in the aquarium. Other fish tend to view them as snacks, so if you decide to add shrimp, make sure the other fish are shrimp-friendly.
Fish fall under three labels in most pet shops: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The beginner fish are supposed to be the easiest to care for, intermediate slightly harder, and advanced the most difficult.
The fish in the list below are great options for any aquarist.
• Guppies come in an array of colors and styles. The males are flashier than the females. They reproduce quickly and often so if you decide to keep males and females in the same tank, be prepared for lots of babies. Their diet ranges from flakes and pellets, to frozen or live foods including brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms and spirulina flakes.
• Platties and Mollies have similar diets to guppies. They also come in a wide range of colors and shapes. They prefer to live in groups, so make sure you bring home five or more.
• Tetras range in size from one inch to three inches. Most of them are peaceful, docile fish. They are the type of neighbor everyone loves. It’s best to have more than one in your tank. Tank temperature should be around 73 degrees or higher.
• Bettas have a lot of rumors floating around them. Don’t believe all of them. These are smart, playful fish. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. Their diet should be a mix of brine shrimp, bloodworms and flakes or pellets.
If you decide to add some fish to your life, do your research, decide what you are comfortable caring for, and take the plunge.
