What is best for a 2 year old?

[kheadi]

We're thinking about getting some fish for our dd. We were thinking something simple such as a goldfish bowl but would like something pretty to swim around in it. Any advice on types of fish and size of bowl would be greatly appreciated.

[EauRouge]

Bowls and fish are a big no-no, sorry! Goldfish grow very large and so need a huge tank. Even those hi-tech bowls with filters aren't that good, a bowl shape is not a very good shape for a fish tank because it doesn't provide enough surface area for adequate oxygen levels.

Fish are great pets for older children, especially ones that are interested in science because it is incredibly sciencey and involved. But a 2 year old wouldn't be able to do a lot. My DD1 is 2 and loves our fish tank but I don't let her near it because of some of the chemicals involved with water condition and testing and also there are things you can catch from fish (which is why I'd never have a fish pedicure either!).

If it's you that's going to be doing everything then that's fine, if you let me know how much space you have (a 60 litre/2 ft tank is an ideal size for beginners) and what your tap water is like (hard/soft, alkaline/acidic- you can get aquarium test kits that will tell you this) then I can recommend you some fish. I don't want to put you off, just forewarn you that fish are not low maintenance or cheap but they are great fun to keep if you are a geek like science and nature.

There are lots of other things that might suit you better if you want something low maintenance and low cost, how about some land snails or stick insects?

[wisecamel]

Crikey! Is that right? I was browsing on here as ds is after a goldfish for his 8th birthday and I was thinking of getting a pair and a biggish bowl, but nothing like a 60 litre tank!

Are there any smaller fish that would do OK? I don't really want to buy filters and things so I thought goldfish would be an easier/cheaper option?

(As I type this I realise that it sounds terrible - I have rabbits and I'd never think about them like this. Perhaps a fish is not such a good plan...)

[EauRouge]

Hi wisecamel

A filter is an essential piece of kit, you cannot keep a fish happy and healthy without one. It's not just for filtering out poo to make cleaning easier, it contains a load of good bacteria that convert ammonia (which fish breath out and poo) into less harmful nitrAte. Without it, fish will suffer burns from ammonia and premature death.

If you want a simple, low-tech set up then I would go for a 60 litre tank with a small internal filter (I use a Fluval 2+ in my 60 litre) and put in a small shoal of white cloud mountain minnows. They are pretty and easy to care for and they don't need a heater.

As I said in my rather mammoth post above, fish are not cheap or low maintenance so you might want to think of some other alternatives.

[wisecamel]

Thanks EauRouge, I shall find out more about this...also someone else suggested sea monkeys(?) so I need to look that up as well.

[EauRouge]

Sea monkeys are brilliant fun for children, very easy to look after. You can get special kits with pirate-themed tanks, that sort of thing. Triops are a similar kind of pet but they look really creepy.

[Grumpla]

I have a couple of rescued White clouds in my (large) goldfish tank. They are great little fish - very active and pretty as well as being hardy and happy in cold water. You can sometimes get a "gold" version as well which have a bright yellow body and red flashes on the fins. I'd definitely recommend them as an alternative to goldies - they grow to about 2/3cm whereas bog-standard goldies should grow to around 20cm - that's why they need such a big tank.

With White clouds you can also have real plants in the tank if you want (my goldies chomp everything except moss balls!).

Although small fish don't need the same volume of water, it's worth bearing in min that a larger tank is MUCH easier to look after. Small bowls / tanks will need a lot more cleaning & checking water quality etc.

A good start for any prospective fish keeper is to find out about " fishless cycling" (google it!) and buy a proper water testing kit.

The easiest way by far of setting up a new tank is to grab a chunk of nice scummy filter sponge from a healthy, well-established tank and stick that in your new filter. But if you don't know anyone with a tank you can build up your bacteria by adding ammonia and testing, or do what I did with my first tank and cycle it using fish food bagged up in old tights. Takes about four weeks.

DO NOT trust a shop which tells you they will "test your water" from the tank before it has any fish in it and then try and sell you more than one or two fish at a time.

Fishkeeping is a fantastic hobby especially for geeks like me but be prepared that it does involve regular work, especially at the beginning!