thinking of getting goldfish

[toospottytofly]

My ds (4) is very keen to get goldfish. I can remember my parents having fish when I was his age, but that's my only experience. Are they reasonably easy to care for? I'm happy to put the time in to clean out the tank, etc., but am wondering how much of a commitment it is. Any tips appreciated!

Fish are a bigger commitment than most people realise. And goldfish will need a huge tank as some species can reach over 12 inches when fully grown. Plus they should have a life expectancy of around 30 years.
You would be better off with a small tropical tank with some guppies or platys (groups of 6 or more are perfect). A 2ft tank with decent filter, heater and some fake plants would do.
You need to research cycling your aquarium (this can take weeks) and stock up on test kits to keep an eye on water parameters, partial water changes need to be done at least once every 7 to 10 days, filter media replaced at least every 6 months.
They are a bit of work but fish are lovely pets, very relaxing and easy to have someone else care for if you're away for a weekend. You just need to plan ahead a bit more for long holidays as you can't put them in kennels!

Yes, everything Mogz said . Goldfish are very easy to care for, given the right conditions, but most people don't have the space for them. If you don't want tropical (there are lots of easy-to-care-for tropical species but lots of unsuitable ones as well) then white cloud mountain minnows are a good coldwater alternative.

This explains about the cycling that Mogz mentioned.

30 years? Crikey! Thanks for the advice. He really likes looking at them and feeding them at school so I'm hoping he'll want to help take care for them. They'll mostly be for me to stare at when I'm supposed to be working. I'll spend a bit more time researching before buying - I knew a novelty scuby doo one from the local pet shop wouldn't quite be big enough!

Ugh, no, those tanks they market to kids are just about a good enough size for shrimps and snails, no fish should be kept in one.
You'll be able to find lots of themed ornaments to go in a bigger tank though if he'd like them.
Fish are super relaxing, I often go stare at ours (Pygmy puffers, gara rufa and bristle nose catfish) and talk away to them instead of doing the housework or tax returns!