Kids love pets, there’s no denying it. However, parents often aren’t that keen as they are normally left with all cleaning up! There is one pet that is very low maintenance, though, which makes it ever so popular with parents - goldfish! In fact, any fish is a great choice for young families.
However, you can’t simply pop the fish in the bowl and leave them to themselves; there are some care and maintenance things you will need to carry out. But these tips should keep you right!
Invest In A Proper Tank With A Filter
When you are buying a tank at the pet shop, you will see that there are loads of different types you can choose from. But rather than go for the cheapest bowl, you will find that it really pays off to spend a bit of extra money on something of better quality. In fact, you should try and find a large tank, such as a red sea reefer, that comes with an inbuilt filter. A tank without a filter will need cleaning out every week. But when the tank comes with a filter, the equipment filters the water which means you don’t have to clean the tank out quite so regularly.
Float New Fish
Whenever you buy a new fish, you can’t put it into the water in the tank straight away. Fish are extremely fragile creatures and need time to adjust to new surroundings. To help your fish get used to their new home and water temperature, you need to float them for about half an hour before you let them completely into the water. To do this, you just need to place the goldfish, still in the bag you bought it in, into the water of your tank. After half an hour it should acclimatise. You can then let it swim out into the tank.
Watch The pH Levels
The pH levels of the water in your tank will depend on the levels of acidity or alkali in the water. It is important that you get these levels to a level that is suitable for fish to live in. You will be able to buy a pH testing kit for fish tanks in your local pet shop. It’s a good idea to have the water more on the alkali side of the pH scale as that can help fish fight off infections better.
Join A Fish Club
If your kids really get into keeping fish and enjoy their new hobby, it could be worth joining your local fish club. This may seem like an old-fashioned idea, but it will actually be a great way to meet other fish keepers so that you can share stories and swap tips. You will find that there will be plenty that you can learn from people who have been keeping fish for a few years!
Fish aren’t as boring as you might imagine - your kids will have loads of fun watching them swim in their tank. And these great tips can help you look after them, so they enjoy a long life!
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