Fish

[HiHoS]

DD9 really wants a fish. Just one. Is this cruel? She wants it in her room so it would have to be a small tank. I know nothing about all this but she is adamant this is what she wants!

Any advice appreciated please

The vast majority of common fish are sociable, but there is one little fish that will fit the bill and won't live for decades like a Goldfish - the humble Betta aka Siamese Fighting Fish. They are positively ANTI-social when it comes to other fish and very reactive to goings on outside their tank so will come and say hello, even eat out of your hand.

They are tropical fish so need a heater and a fully cycle fish tank of at least 25-30 litres. Avoid Orb style tanks as they have less surface area and Bettas are primarily top-dwellers. A square or rectangular tank is best and a lid is a must as they jump. I had to peel one off the wall at the back of the tank once when he found the smallest hole - he survived!

If you've not had fish before, read about the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling. Bettas don't do well through the nitrogen cycle. All brand new tanks go through this process, the only way to skip it is to clone your filter media from a healthy already established tank.

Speaking of filters, Bettas with the long flowy tails struggle with strong filter flow so research suitable filters for Bettas. (Only the males have long tails, females are short finned but you also get male short finned ones too which is what wild Bettas would look like).