How To care for fish, I have NO CLUE

[AdoraBell]

If I allow DD To Get a fish what do I have To ensure she does/doesn't do please?

I've never kept fish and know absolutely Nothing about their needs.

TÍA

[EauRouge]

Are you being pestered, by any chance? I did the same to my DM 25 years ago and still obsessed with peeing about with fish tanks.

First of all, how much space do you have for a fish tank? There are lots of beginners' tanks and children's tanks that are no damn good for anything apart from holding water. The absolute minimum I would consider would be 45 litres, and that would limit your choice of fish pretty severely. Something like 60 litres would be easy to maintain and there are lots of small fish that would be fine in there. If you need help with specific filters etc then just ask.

Tropical fish are no harder to keep than coldwater fish, but there are a lot more to choose from so you need to be more careful about choosing.

Once you've got the tank set up and everything running, you need to do a fishless cycle. It's not complicated but it takes aaaaages. DOn't bother buying any of the hundreds of products available that claim to speed up the process, most of them are rubbish.

You'll need to get a water test kit and learn the basics of water quality and the nitrogen cycle- there's not that much to learn and it's not that complicated but it's v important.

If you do a fishless cycle, stock the tank carefully and keep an eye on the water quality, then a fish tank is very low maintenance. So it's worth doing it properly from the start.

HTH a bit! Have to dash out so if any of that doesn't make sense, just ask and I'll be around again later.

[AdoraBell]

Thank you, that's very helpful.

Not really pestered but she had a turtle which her sister's friend over fed hugely without us knowing and it died. She's now not sure whether To have another turtle or a fish.

I'll look at tanks first, not sure if there is space for the size needed.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

Yes, def do your research first. My DS pestered for fish a couple of years ago so totally oblivious we went off the the local aquatic centre and got him a tank and then 3 days later 3 fish. The tank we got him was too small although on the box it said it could house 3-4 fish. Our black moor fish got numerous problems in there, then DS went off the fish so I adopted them.

I now have a big tank in my lounge and they are mine, but they do take some looking after and cleaning. Goldfish are dirty and create loads of waste, you can't overstock your tank as that leads to bad water quality and poorly fish and you need to clean it regularly.

Do not get one of those silly small starter tanks, they are too small and it really annoys me that shops are allowed to sell them.

I love my fish though, they are worth all the hard work :)

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

I am selling a 56 litre tank, am in the Essex area if you are near!

[AdoraBell]

Thanks for the offer Betty, but I'm Nowhere near.

Have read the link re prepping a tank, but I can't envisgae the size of the tank iyswim, so I need To Go and physically look at them. Then decide How To proceed.

[EauRouge]

You'd be looking at at least 24x12x12 inches if that's any help?

[AdoraBell]

Thanks eua but I'm the kind who needs To see the actual tank To Get my head around it, I just can't visualise it. Although that does help with decideing if there's space. Time for some window shopping.

[Marne]

You could get a fighter fish (betta)? they don't need as much space and the males live on their own, they are very pretty and you can teach them to take food from your fingers, they are easy to keep, they do need a heater and a slow flowing filter.

[AdoraBell]

tbh Marne I haven't progressed as far a what type of fish yet, she only knows she can't have a piraña, relly had one and so she thought it might be an option, ha ha!

But Thanks for the idea, I'll keep it in mind.

[AdoraBell]

Bloody Spanglish autocorrect, won't allow me To write the Name of Those viscous flesh eating fish you Get in the Amazon, among other places.

[AdoraBell]

Thank you all again, having learned of the size of tank needed and the time needed To prep one properly she has decided against a fish.

Saves me adopting fish a year down the line.