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Original poster

A basic first fish for small boy - what should we get?

42 replies

WideWebWitch · 30/10/2004 18:49

Ds would like a fish and I've said yes but want to get him something low maintenance (they're all fairly low maintenance aren't they?) so have questions:

What fish should we get?
Should we get 2?
Will it definitely need a heated tank?
Will it be hard to keep it alive?
I just told him that it's his responsibility to look after it and he looked quite worried as I'd just told him about my goldfish dying (I was 25, didn't know what I was doing, won it at a fair IIRC). All and any advice welcome. TIA

OP posts:
Tessiebear · 30/10/2004 18:55

We have got a reasonable sized fish bowl (doesnt take up any more room than a house plant) Doesnt need to be heated - just fresh water. If i were you i would get 2 goldfish. You can get some really interestingly coloured ones nowadays for a couple of quid each. We have gravel at the bottom - one of those ornamental house type things in the middle and a plastic weedy type thing for interest.
One of the fish has nearly made it to 2 yrs old without me killing it. We had to replace one of them a while back because we had one try to make a run for it (didnt get v. far and we found a fosilised fish under the shelf type thing that the bowl is on!) Cleaning them out is a bit of a pain and does need doing once a fortnight to keep the water clean. Have just cleaned out mine today after letting the water turn into a green soup over a 5 week period.!!

colinsmommy · 30/10/2004 19:27

My MIL bought a fish for my son after hearing he loved the aquarium and fish. (I don't know what she was thinking as he was only 12 mo. old at the time, and was enthralled for the 1st 15 min, and hasn't looked at it since, leaving us to take care of a fish neither one of us wanted. Rant over) She bought a beta on the advice of the pet store person, who said that betas can live at room temperature, don't need much room, are fairly hearty and are much cleaner than goldfish (who he said were the dirtiest fish around)and don't need to have their water changed as often. They fight with each other, and only one can live in a bowl at a time, but are much more colorful than a goldfish.

KateandtheGirls · 30/10/2004 20:00

I agree with Colin's mommy. We have a betta fish and it's very easy to take care of.

nikcola · 30/10/2004 20:03

sorrt to hijack but whats a betta does it need a heated tank? what does it loook like

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 30/10/2004 20:05

Thanks you lot. Oooh, I like the sound of a Betta fish, there's a lovely picture here!

OP posts:
KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 20:09

do betta fish come in different colours?

nikcola · 30/10/2004 20:09

ohh much nicer than gold fish imo xx

KateandtheGirls · 30/10/2004 20:10

They come in lots of different colours, and all they need is a small tank of distilled water.

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 20:11

do they need filters etc?

KateandtheGirls · 30/10/2004 20:15

Absolutely nothing. Juat a pinch of food twice a day, and I clean out his tank about once a week.

jellyhead · 30/10/2004 20:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 20:17

thanks KATG DS wants a fish too

so we will look out for one of them.

nikcola · 30/10/2004 20:22

can u get them from pets at home

nikcola · 30/10/2004 20:28

they ar fighting fish do they bite ???

KateandtheGirls · 30/10/2004 20:31

If you put two males together they will fight till the death - so don't do that. I don't think they will bite you though. They're only tiny - maybe 3 inches long, so they're not very threatening to humans!

nikcola · 30/10/2004 20:32

i no but i hate things that bite im a wimp a real wimp they are very pretty fish though

PicadillyCircus · 30/10/2004 20:37

Have told DH about this thread and his advice is as follows:

Get an amount of fish as when he got his first fish (Fishy) he died the day after he was got, and DH was VERY sad.

"Get many fish" says DH.

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 20:48

this is very dim of me but how do you know the sex of a fish

Is it a different colour?

ie how do you make sure you do not get 2 males?

KateandtheGirls · 30/10/2004 20:57

I think they only sell males. At least they did in the pet store we got ours at.

colinsmommy · 30/10/2004 20:57

If you're talking about a betta, the males are much bigger than the females, and the females don't have as elaborite of fins as they do. The males eat the females if its not mating time, though.

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 21:11

thanks colinsmummy I think we may just get the one then

Yes I was talking about betta fish

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 21:13

sorry KATG thanks to you too

misdee · 30/10/2004 21:15

whatever fish u get, please get a filter with the tank. poor fishes dont like dirty water.

Easy · 30/10/2004 21:20

I'm very interested by this. I am worried about them (it) needing distilled water tho'.

Do I have to buy it, or can I used cooled boiled tap water? (oh blimey, back to baby days)

KangaMummy · 30/10/2004 21:30

ok misdee good point

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