Tag Archives: Aquarium Environment

Goldfish might not be the best choice for a child's first fish, but with some education and aquarium maintenance tips, the pet could possibly live up to 20 years.

admin    October 31, 2019   CATEGORY: Fish Facts

A Child’s First Fish: Why Goldfish Might Not Be the Best

It seems every child had a goldfish growing up. The child may have given the fish a sweet little name and fed it every day like clockwork – maybe even a little too much. The child likely loved the little pet right up until the day the fish took its final breaths … within about a week after bringing it home.

The fact that goldfish are a favorite first fish in many households is rather ironic. They may be inexpensive and easy to handle at first, but truly they are not the easiest to care for overall.

Why Goldfish are Not Ideal for Beginners

1. The common home for a child’s goldfish is often a little fish bowl, but that’s not ideal. Because many goldfish can grow to almost 8 inches long, the bowl will cramp the fish’s style quickly.

2. Fish bowls are difficult to keep clean. Because it is small, a fish bowl can become saturated with ammonia quickly, suffocating the goldfish. Depending on the age of the child, a parent or other adult will likely need to help the child keep the bowl clean.

3. Goldfish need more oxygen than some other fish, and that’s much more than homeowners may realize. At the same time, fish don’t enjoy living their lives in one spot and would prefer to be able to swim around. That means an ideal goldfish fish tank is wider than the surface of a fish bowl, which would enable it to move around freely while at the same time coming up for air when it needs to.

4. Water needs to keep moving in order to create the much-needed oxygen and keep the water clean. A fish bowl simply isn’t adequate for that type of environment, even if you do add plants and air stones into the water.

5. Goldfish secrete more waste than some other fish. For that reason, even keeping an adequate-sized fish tank clean would be a challenge.

Add all of these factors together, and it’s a recipe for disaster. But there’s a bright side.

A goldfish may be challenging to maintain for beginning hobbyists, but if your child's wish is to have a goldfish, the pet can live a long and happy life if the child learns proper fish tank maintenance skills.

A goldfish may be challenging to maintain for beginning hobbyists, but if your child’s wish is to have a goldfish, the pet can live a long and happy life if the child learns proper fish tank maintenance skills.

Species of Fish that are Good for New Hobbyists

With the proper education and care, your child’s goldfish doesn’t have to be another statistic. In fact, some goldfish can live up to 20 years! It could stay with your child well into adulthood.

If you would rather not deal with goldfish altogether, there are many other species of fish that are much better for beginners. Here are just a few.

  • White cloud minnows
  • Danios
  • Swordtail fish
  • Certain types of tetras
  • Certain types of bettas
  • Platies
  • Guppies
  • Pearl gouramis
  • Plecos

Contact us for more information about setting up a child’s first fish tank and additional facts about the ideal livestock for it.

Contact Seatech Aquariums for more information about how to keep a goldfish healthy.

 

TAGS: Aquarium Environment, Aquarium Maintenance, aquarium setup, Aquarium Water Quality, Fish Facts,

admin    August 18, 2018   CATEGORY: Fish Facts

Loving the Life: How to Tell if Your Fish are Happy

Your fish don’t smile, even though you could swear they smile once they see you. They don’t laugh, even though you wish you could hear them if they did. So how do you tell if your fish are happy?

Just like being able to identify whether your fish are friends or foes in that tank, it’s really a matter of knowing the behavior of your fish.

Generally speaking, following are some of the ways you can tell if your fish are happy.

1. They swim back and forth freely and energetically around the tank.

2. Quite like humans, happy fish might have a vibrant glow to their skin. If their skin looks good, it’s a sign of good health. And healthy fish are happy fish.

3. They do not appear fearful of the other fish in the tank. Fear will make them cower in a corner or back away from other fish rather than being active members of the aquarium community.

4. They are breathing normally. Irregular breathing may be a sign of distress.

5. They seem to enjoy eating, as applicable for their nature. Some fish are bottom feeders, for example, so they might not rush to consume the food you give them.

If you find that your fish don’t seem to be as happy as they could be, considering the following might help you lift their spirits.

• Do the fish have room to roam? If not, maybe you can obtain a larger tank or separate your fish into two tanks.

• Are they being bullied? If so, moving an aggressive fish into its own aquarium will make all of your livestock happier.

• Is the water clean? We can’t stress enough the importance of using clean, filtered water in your fish tank. It will make all the difference in their health and happiness.

• Knowing that some fish can be picky eaters, have you considered changing their food? If you think they might not be happy simply because they’re not thrilled at feeding time, you might be surprised to find that a different type of food makes them jump for joy. Remember that fish food expires and gets stale as well, so keep that in mind as you’re feeding them.One way to ensure that your fish are happy is to provide them with a proper playground with rock, gravel, and plants.

• Are you providing them with a proper playground, full of natural or artificial plants, rock, and gravel? If your fish tank is boring to you, it’s probably boring to them too. Keep in mind that having those items in your fish tank serves as a natural filter as well, so it will keep your fish healthier.

Remember that different types of fish have different characteristics. Some are naturally very social and playful, while others just float in the corner quietly as they’re checking out the action.

Being able to tell if your fish are happy really depends, therefore, on a combination of all of the above. Are they behaving as they usually do for the type of fish that they are? And are they eating? Do they look healthy? Are they getting along with other fish in the aquarium? If so, they’re most likely just fine, and it’s all due to your loving care and attention.

So it’s OK to imagine that they’re smiling when they see you. They probably are in their own way.

If you are still worried about the health of your fish, let us know! We’ll help you determine the cause of their discomfort and suggest ways that you can improve the aquarium environment.

 

There are a few ways you can tell if your fish are happy. Contact us to learn more about creating a suitable aquarium environment.

TAGS: Aquarium Environment, Fish Behavior, Healthy Fish,