A Youngster’s Tutorial on How to Take Care of Your Pet Fish

Fish are one of the best start-up pets for young children.  There is more complicated work to be done in getting the tank ready and regularly cleaned, but the actual care of the creatures is a very simple task indeed. You will need your parents’ help to clean the tank, but if you follow all the instructions given to you at the pet store, you should have a lot of fun keeping and caring for your fish.

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Some advantages of keeping fish

• They are affordable to maintain.
• They don’t scatter pet-related mess all over the house, so you don’t have to clean up after them.
• Several types could be kept in the same tank.
• They don’t need walks.
• They are predictable (what you see is what you get).

Some disadvantages of keeping fish

• You can’t take them out and play with them.
• They can’t be cuddled.
• Cleaning and maintaining the right condition in the tank can be complicated and sometimes difficult.
• You will need to learn new skills in order to change the water in your fish tank.

Decisions to make before you buy your fish

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• Do you want tropical or coldwater fish?
• What size of tank can you afford (this determines what types of fish you can have).
• How many fish do you want to keep?
• What types of fish do you want?
• Research what fish are compatible (can they live with each other or not).
• Do you want live plants or not? Live plants can be beneficial to the tank’s condition.

Preparing for your Fish

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• First of all, make sure that the tank is bought and prepared at least three/four days before the fish is brought home. This is to make certain that potentially harmful dust particles present in the gravel and ‘furniture’ is given time to settle down before your pets arrive.
• Set up your tank in a cool place. This should be out of direct sunlight and far from sources of heat like radiators or home appliances.
• Observe the fish for a while before purchasing. Make sure there are no legions or lumps on the body and the fins are not torn or damaged.
• Give your fish adequate places in which to hide out. They already live in a glasshouse. Give them some privacy for sleeping.
• Buy food specifically designed for the fish will purchase.
• Add fish a few at a time. Putting in all at once is bad for the tank.

Caring for your Fish

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• Make sure the temperature in the tank is at a constant 78-82 degrees.
• Clean the tank weekly in accordance to your pet store’s instructions, but don’t change all the water at once.
• Feed your fish twice a day and remove all uneaten food. Overfeeding is dangerous.
• Spend some time watching them and get to know exactly what they look like and how they behave. This knowledge will be helpful if they become ill because they will look or ‘act’ differently.
• Remove any sick fish from the tank. This is bad for the health of the others.

If this is your first time in keeping fish, you may find it helpful to start off with Guppies or Goldfish as they are some of the easiest to take care of. Have fun taking care of your fish.