Have you ever considered encouraging your children to try their hand at fish keeping? In many ways, fish are the ideal first pet: they don’t make any noise, they don’t smell, they’re inexpensive to feed and there are no kennelling costs when you go away. They are also a tool through which to teach your children about responsibility, love, life and loss.
The Advantages of Home Aquariums
There are many advantages to setting up an aquarium, among them.
Teaches children about consistent care. Children learn that the animal depends on them entirely to provide for them, and will thrive or struggle depending on the quality of their care. This is a great way to develop compassion and teach your child to be responsible.
Teaches children about proper processes
You can also teach your child the importance of doing things properly, rather than simply doing something in the easiest or quickest way. They’ll see that overfeeding is bad because it pollutes the water, and that changing the water, even though it may not be the most pleasant task, is necessary to keep their habitat clean.
Teaches children to see past appearances
Children will quickly discover that some species don’t get along with others, and that they must choose the inhabitants of their tank carefully. They will not be able to choose a fish just because it is cool or pretty – a lesson they will hopefully learn to apply to their friends too.
Teaches children about loss
Keeping fish will teach children about life and death. It will be upsetting for them to lose a pet, but it is an important emotional lesson to experience death and to realise that living creatures do not live forever.
Fosters problem solving skills
One mother reported that her ten-year-old daughter had a problem early on where she lost some fish due to high nitrates in the water. The child was able to do some research into fish habitats and solve this herself by changing the water more frequently and using a supplement.
Develops creativity
Allowing your child to decorate their own aquarium with accessories will provide a wonderful opportunity for them to be creative, and is guaranteed to be great fun.
Choosing Your Fish
Goldfish are not the only fish suitable for a child’s tank; many people actually find it easier and more preferable to fill their aquarium with tropical specimens. Children often derive far more enjoyment from watching these brightly coloured fish swim around, and as they can be kept in communities the show is even better. Neons, Cardinals and other tetras are brightly coloured and active, and are fantastic for keeping children occupied.
Be discerning when you’re choosing your fish. Your children will invariably be drawn to the ‘coolest’, flashiest specimens, but the novelty of an Oscar or catfish quickly evaporates when they outgrow their tank. Always avoid fish like puffers or species of catfish which could be dangerous, either because they have spines or are poisonous, for fear that little hands could end up in their tank.
Lots of children like to touch their fish. While they can’t reach in and pet them like a dog, there are some types that they can touch, such as rays. Some fish will also touch your finger during feeding. Even if you don’t choose one of these species, do your research to find interactive or educational species, which are bold and don’t frighten easily.
Safety First
Fish tanks for children should be:
- Impact resistant (made from approved glass or acrylic)
- Electrically safe. Plugs, cables and sockets should be hidden or protected.
- Low voltage gear is available
- Covered, to deter exploratory hands and fingers
Such tanks should not include:
- Glass cabinets
- Glass filter pipework
- Medicines, test kits and marine/plant/bacterial supplements in accessible cabinets
- Accessible pressurized CO2
- Accessible fish food
- Poisonous, venomous, biting or nervous fish
- Accessible electric leads, algae magnets/scrapers/aqua-scaping tools
- Ensure children always wash their hands after putting them in any fish tank water