Pet question---Teach me about fish

[EMom]

We have a 19 y.o. cat and bless her heart, she basically sleeps and eats. She also costs us thousands of dollars a year in vet bills.

DD10 wants her own pet and I can't blame her. But DH will never go for another one that might wind up costing a fair amount of money to buy or maintain, so long as we have Kitty. DD currently says fish might be nice. Okay, when I was a kid you bought a big goldfish bowl, put some pebbles in it along with a fake palm tree, filled it with water and a couple of fish and called it a day. Changed the water a few times a week and that was it. Ours never lived long because the cat ate them. (Don't chastise me about leaving them around for her to get at.....This cat caught full grown fish out of a pond. She was a master.)

I don't want to spend a fortune on an aquarium. I might go for a small one. But I asked a friend and she said you still have to clean out an aquarium every week, maybe more often. WHAT? Then why not just get a goldfish bowl? I read the post about betas, but I think DD wants more than one fish and that won't work with betas, will it?

What's the easiest....meaning least amount of work....and relatively inexpensive way to have a couple of pretty fish for DD? Please keep in mind I know precious little on the subject. THANKS!

 

[Aggiegrl]

First off, NO GOLDFISH! Goldfish are dirty fish that grow quickly. They are not suitable fish for 90% of the people who buy them. To be healthy, happy fishies, they need a good amount of water per fish. They are a headache, and you will have problems keeping them alive unless you are willing to spend money on a 20+ gallon aquarium with a very good filter unit.

I have two suggestions for you.

1) A single Betta fish. Get a 2 gallon tank or fishbowl. You can give them less space, but mine are happy in a 2 gallon. If your house is not kept at at least 75 degrees year round, you will need a small tank heater as well. I keep my bettas at 78-80 degrees. Rocks for the bottom, and a FABRIC plant (plastic ones will cut up their fins). Feed floating pellet betta food (flakes or non-floating food will make a big mess). Change the water every 1-2 weeks. Some people change half the water with a siphon (you can buy it at the pet store). I stick a small cup into the bowl and shoo my fish in (nets can stress them), then change all of the water.

2) A small tank with a built in filter/light/air stone and a few fancy guppies. I wouldn't recommend one of those cheapy tanks that have the undergravel filter. Spend a few more dollars and get one with a real carbon filter. Last time I checked you could get a 2 gallon size for around $25. You will need to change the water occasionally, but not as often as the betta. Fancy guppies are great fish for kids because they are active and have beautiful colors. They will breed though...so I'd recommend getting maybe 5 males for the 2 gallon tank. These do best with a tropical water temperature, so you might need a heater for them as well. Be careful if the tank has an incandescent light...those suckers will heat up 2 gallons of water FAST! Make sure and pick up a tank thermometer.

 

[tinytink]

ditto on the betta. No need for the 2 gallon just a fish bowl from the dollar store worked for us. Water conditioner costs uf $8 for 12 ounces and you only need a capful when you change the water. I can't remember the cost of food but these fish are great and fairly inexpensive when it comes to maintenance and upkeep. I had one for my kids and they were preschool age. Good Luck!!

 

[Janet Hill]

Agree that goldfish are high maintenance. We have a 25 gallon gold fish tank and we change out half the water about every 10 days.

They've been lots of work for my son who's obsessed with these fish. He's had the same goldfish for 5 years and they range from 6 to 8 inches. There are only three fish in the tank. We bought them for .15/each.

 

[Melynny]

Biggest tip is not too feed too much, that will make it so you have to clean the tank quicker. Also remember that if you buy a tank with a light on the top, you will be adding heat so then you may not need a tank heater. The larger the tank the easier it is to take care of. So go with the biggest tank you think you can handle.

The idea, is to get a stable eco system. Fill the tank with water, let it sit completly set up for a week, filter running, then put the fish in. Water that comes right from the faucet is filled with chlorine and flouride. This is harmful to fish.

I always had "tropicals" Gupppyies, Mollys, etc. growng up. They had babies, ( these fish are live bearers, most of the babies, will not surive, but some will! It's really fun to see them hiding in the plants.. and a good lesson on life.) There are many good books on starting up a good FRESH water aquarium.

 

[cglaura]

We have had great luck with Beta fish also. Just one at a time. Ours lived about 3 years each.

We never bothered with additives, just used plain tap / well water. We cleaned the bowl once a week and made sure to fill it up with similar temp water that was dumped. You'd have to judge about your own water though.

We had ours in a golfish bowl...the kind that was about an 8-10 inch globe with about a 4 inch round opening on top. We filled the bottome with crystal like stones. We didn't put any plants in, ours always seemed to get stuck in them

I know you say she wants more than one, but maybe a beta would be a good start to judge the responsibilty/interest level.

We also loved our hamsters, but they require a bit more work. You can litter train them though, which makes it less frequent to clean the bedding...just scoop the litter daily just like a cat.

 

[mom2val]

We have a 29 gallon tank from Walmart that we have had set up for 5 years. After a year the filter that came with it died and we got a better one that is for up to 50 gallon's. We have not done a water change in 3 years. We have live plants in it. Water is clear- we change filter cartridges every few months and do have to add water to maintain water levels. We have 2 clown loaches- they eat snails, several molly's, lots of neon tetras, 1 male beta (dd calls him the Mayor of Fish town) and 1 of those sucker fishes. Very easy to maintain. We have light on a timer and in the winter we use a heater to maintain temp.



Most important thing is when you set up aquarium after you add water wait a few days then go buy a minnow or other cheap fish from pet store. Wait at least another week before you add a few more fish. Every few weeks add 2 or 3 more fish. If you dump them all in at once they will die bc their is no ecosystem built up.

 

[StephMK]

We have 2 dogs & DD asked for a pet for her 10th bday too. She picked out a beta & a snail. Even though she wanted more fish originally, Bubbles has been a pretty good fish. She does not like the pellets, she likes flakes. After an adjustment period, she now comes to the top of the tank in "her" corner when we walk in the room. She's a chowhound and will swish her tail around for attention if she doesn't get fed. lol

She's in a 5 gal tank w/ a filter and a sunken ship that she enjoys resting in or on and some fake plants. We had 1 snail, he died after 3 months & it was highly traumatic to DD. Way more traumatic than when our 14 yr old retriever was put to sleep. Now we have 2 snails that seem to be doing fine. Actually, 1 died after 3 days while she was at camp so I swapped him out really fast.

It's been interesting but she's been very good about feeding them & they are pretty fun to watch. The snails are mostly nocturnal but climb to the tops of the plants & we find them all kinds of odd places when we check on them. Be prepared for possible fish problems but overall, it's been a good choice for her. We got the tank & stuff on CL when someone was moving.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

I've had aquariums for 25 years, all sizes and all types. Cichlids are my favorite fish, very hardy fish and very colorful for fresh water fish. You can learn nearly everything you need to know from a good book or Google.

My best suggestion if you choose to buy an aquarium is to shop Craig's List or eBay. You can easily get a 55 gallon aquarium for $100 or less, with everything included, even the fish. I wouldn't buy anything less than a 20 or 29 gallon tank. Try to find one with a stand and all accessories included. It is easy to spend over $100 on gravel alone when buying new.

 

[hsmamato2]

ds10 LOVES pets,spends all his allowance on new critters
right now we have a dog 2 cats,and he has 2 turtles (high maintenance,don't buy!) one betta,(low maintenance,great and easy pets) and a hermit crab (VERY low maintenance,one of our fave pets ever)
Hermie the crab wins for fun and ease of keeping, he lives in a big goldfish bowl,and eats catfood(dry) and assorted crackers and bits of veggies,etc. ds is always playing with it,he builds it caves and forts out of legos,and takes it outside for excursions in the sun,it's a very fun pet to watch! He;s had it for over a year now........We've also had a goldfish or 2 over the years, easy to care for,just a small one in a bowl,ds would empty/change the water every week or two,but they are very hardy and pretty-
the turtles are a pain to take care of.....ick.
he also had small lizards,they're pretty easy too,but nobody beats Hermie

 

[Aggiegrl]

One thing to consider:

You are on the DIS so I assume you take vacations. I'm not sure who cares for the kitty when you are away, but obviously you will need someone to feed the fish as well. A smaller aquarium (2-5 gallons) or a betta bowl can be easily transported to a friend or relative's house.

With the tank, just empty half of the water and be careful not to bump or jar the fish too much. We've done it many times by putting their tank on the floor of the car and packing towels around it. With the betta, we transfer them to a large cup and put them in a cupholder. If the person has a different water source, we also take water with us using drinking pitchers with tight fitting lids.

With a larger tank, someone will need to come into your house to feed the fish. They sell those weekend feeder tablets...but trust me, they are awful. They affect the water quality and you just never know the havoc they will cause in your little ecosystem. You don't want your DD coming come from Disney to dead fish.

Another option for a large tank is a battery operated fish feeder. I have used these in the past, and they work fine, but can be pricey. You just need to test them out before you leave. I usually set mine up 1-2 weeks ahead of time so I can monitor how its working and how much food is being dispensed. Then, the day before we leave, I change the batteries. My aquariums have auto timers for the lights as well so that the turtles/fish/other creatures keep a consistent daylight schedule.

 

[torinsmom]

You can get a tank divider, so that you could have 2 betas. I love my beta! I don't know if they are all "social" but the last few I have had come over to whatever side of the tank I am on and just kind of sit there and look at me.

I know a PP said they don't treat the water, but that depends on your water. Maybe that is because they use well water? If your water has chemicals addes(city water), you need the drops to treat the water. Someone had told me I could leave the water out overnight and the chemicals would evaporate. Well, that fish died when I put him in the water the next day, so now I always treat!

My beta will not eat pellet food. He will TRY to eat it, but it comes back out of his mouth. I feed him BettaMin Tropical Medley which is a flake. I use a small 2 1/2 gallon tank that is easy to transport. Usually, when you buy a beta, they are in a small little plastic container, and I kept that to use when I change the water. I have gravel and a few cave like tunnels in there, plus a few real bamboo shoots to help clean the water. I have to change the tank about once every 6-8 weeks, when it starts to have algae on the side. Oh, and since you have a cat, make sure the tank has a top. My cats sit on top of the tank and look in all the time!

Marsha

 

[Priorityonecb]

I'm going with the Betta too! My daughters are a bit obsessed...we have 7 at this moment! (2 more found their way here just yesterday!). They are so easy to care for and really beautiful fish. Also, they are very hearty and long living!

 

[EMom]

You can get a tank divider, so that you could have 2 betas. I love my beta! I don't know if they are all "social" but the last few I have had come over to whatever side of the tank I am on and just kind of sit there and look at me.

I know a PP said they don't treat the water, but that depends on your water. Maybe that is because they use well water? If your water has chemicals addes(city water), you need the drops to treat the water. Someone had told me I could leave the water out overnight and the chemicals would evaporate. Well, that fish died when I put him in the water the next day, so now I always treat!

My beta will not eat pellet food. He will TRY to eat it, but it comes back out of his mouth. I feed him BettaMin Tropical Medley which is a flake. I use a small 2 1/2 gallon tank that is easy to transport. Usually, when you buy a beta, they are in a small little plastic container, and I kept that to use when I change the water. I have gravel and a few cave like tunnels in there, plus a few real bamboo shoots to help clean the water. I have to change the tank about once every 6-8 weeks, when it starts to have algae on the side. Oh, and since you have a cat, make sure the tank has a top. My cats sit on top of the tank and look in all the time!

Marsha

How I long for the days when my cat could actually attempt to get a fish....... No, she's 19 and is doing good to make it on to the couch. We had to build stairs for her to get on our bed. I'll keep a top on a tank, but more to keep DD's stuff from falling in than to protect a fish from our ancient cat. The huntress cat I wrote about died 20 years ago....Now THAT cat could have caught anything. The advice about goldfish getting too big was news to me because she ate them before they had a chance to grow. You can see why we gave up on fish as pets.

Please keep the advice coming in! It's been very helpful and I'm going to print it and share it with DH. I do have a question about betta fish. I know you can only have one of THEM and not two together......But can you have a Betta and some other fish together?

I am loving the ideas about how DD (and let's face it.....maybe I) can avoid cleaning the water every week or so. Less often is great. But I won't have a fishy in muck.

We do vacation, but ancient kitty has a catsitter who comes by twice a day, plus a neighbor comes by at noon. So someone would be around for fish care.

 

[torinsmom]

I have read that there are some fish that can be with betas, but I think that also depends on the beta. Most of them are aggressive towards other fish. Most other fish will also need a filter and pump, where the betas don't need that. You could always have a beta tank and a tank for some other fish. Everytime I try other kinds of fish, they die within a few months. Betas arehard to kill, I guess.

Marsha

 

[Disney-Kim]

maintaining an aquarium is not cheap....try a beta in one of those new small tanks made just for bettas...although its a nuisance to change the water.
I had my first tank at 11 and loved it....but you have to keep it up. It still needs cleaning, new filters, etc.

I have a 29 gal aquarium that has been up for about 10 yrs and I have had many in the past. Its not cheap to maintain the tank. yes fish can be cheap but they die too if the tank is off. My tank is pretty maintenance free but I bought an Eclipse all-in-one filter system and is far superior to any tank/system I have had in the past.

I have put bettas in my tank but they never last too long...they do better on their own. Algae has been my problem for years and it has to do with ph, alkalinity, etc. Its HARD to maintain a stable tank.

Remember to let a tank sit for a few days BEFORE you put in fish or you will be buying more fish. Make sure you add the stabilizer stuff (can't remember name) to your water before you add any fish to make sure your water is stable for them. It takes out hardness and stabilizes Ph.
Good luck !!

 

[Disney-Kim]

We have a 29 gallon tank from Walmart that we have had set up for 5 years. After a year the filter that came with it died and we got a better one that is for up to 50 gallon's. We have not done a water change in 3 years. We have live plants in it. Water is clear- we change filter cartridges every few months and do have to add water to maintain water levels. We have 2 clown loaches- they eat snails, several molly's, lots of neon tetras, 1 male beta (dd calls him the Mayor of Fish town) and 1 of those sucker fishes. Very easy to maintain. We have light on a timer and in the winter we use a heater to maintain temp.
QUOTE]

I am very impressed with your tank...you must have great water. Our water is awful and I am constantly fighting high nitrate levels. Brown algae is my fight.

I had a big die off of all my old/established fish a year or two ago and I was so bummed I almost gave up. I had to do 75% water changes once a week for a month or two to fight the nitrate levels.
I went with live plants and that really helped. I re-started with cheapie fish (black tetras do really well to start)and they are doing well a year later.

but I miss my old guys. I had a plecostamus that was about 7" long and looked pre-historic...and a clown loach was his buddy...he was about 5" long....they were both about 6-7 yrs old when I lost them....was so bummed.

I have to add water to my tank every few days here in AZ and I have to change filters about 1x a month.

 

[torinsmom]

You don't need a filter for betas, and I have always put them right in the water after adding the water conditioner and have never had one die. Betas live in muddy puddles in nature, so they aren't very easy to kill. And I have never had to clean my little tank more than once a month.

So, no fancy stuff for betas.....bowl or small tank,food, water conditioner and that's about it.

OP--another fun option might be African Dwarf frogs. They are totally aquatic and also easy to take care of. We had a couple for 2 years, along with a snail to keep the tank clean and some bamboo. No filter or anything for them either. At many of the little beach shops, they sell little cube like tanks--maybe 8x8x8 inches that include 2 African dwarf frogs with gravel, a snail and a bamboo shoot. They are supposed to be a perfect ecosystem and you aren't supposed to have to ever clean it or change the water. We did have to after about 3 months at which point we moved to a bigger tank.

Marsha

 

[JamesMom]

My DS for his 7th b-day wanted a pet so he settled for fish. My DH very much dislikes pets. I was lucky I already had a dog when we got married - probably never get another one.
Anyways... DS got a 5 gallon w/10gal grade filter, covered tank and in went 2 fancy goldfish (now about 3" long). We then added a snail and a catfish. The catfish lasted about a month. The others are doing very well. When we set up the aquariam, I just treated the tap water with conditioner, sat the fish still in bag for about an hour to acclimate to the temp (per pet store rec) and let them loose that same day.
Maintainence includes- weekly 60% water change w/gravel vacuum (3 gallons), rinse filter (new one every 2 weeks - it gets nasty!), treat new water with conditioner, algae wipe down of sides of tank & brush scrub all decorations. Takes about 30 minutes to clean the tank.
Diet is flakes and about 1x a week frozen blood worms.
Might get a 10 gallon tank in the fall. 20 gallon is just too darn big for my sons room.

 

[Zoesmama03]

I agree on betta fish. They are easy to maintain and live a couple years. I have had some live 3 years in a 1 gallon filter tank. It also allows you to go a month between cleanings. But they do not require a filter. I usually only had to change the filter 2-3 times a year they are not very dirty fish really. Some tanks have dividers so you can get two but they generally are solo fish.


My dd had her first betta for 3 years in a 1 gallon filtered tank. She has her second one now.

The food is pretty inexpensive and the love and thrive on bloodworms and freeze dried brine shrimp is one I used to give as a "treat".