my young son want to get a fish, what is the best starter fish and fishtank?

Question

we would expect him to clean the tank and be responsible for the fish.

Answer 1

As a typical Mom who inherited the fish,hamster and at this stage-the turtle. I would recc. a Beta- it lived longer than any other we had with less work and they are so colorful the kids liked them alot.

Answer 2

the truth is that the bigger the tank the easiest it is to maintain, and the better it is for the fish. Why? Simple the bigger the tank the more surface area it has there fore the more oxygen it can contain per volume. Another thing, since they are bigger in volume the fish have more room to move and stretch their fins so to speak, i mean think about it, you could live in a very small room for a while but it will be uncomfortable and it can messy in there, yet you have the option to get out, but fish are stuck in their tanks and can go nowhere else so they stressed and die. Another thing that is good about bigger tanks is that you only need to do partial water changes ( 20% of water every week) and clean the gravel on it by vacuuming it and you will be good, since he is young start him up with a 20 gallon at least, DO NOT get a 10 gallon, it takes more practice and expertise to keep those since they are so small and things can go bad really quickly, just think about it, it will make sense when you think about cleanliness and ease of up keeping.

Answer 3

Goldfish in bowls are never good. They never last long, and the goldfish isn't healthy. To tell you the truth, larger fish tanks, such as a ten-gallon tank, are the best to start out with because larger bodies of water are easier to regulate (for pH, temperature, alkalinity, etc). Fish tanks are easy to take care of, all you need is dechlorinator, a filter and a heater/thermometer (unless you get a goldfish, or other coldwater fish) and a siphon hose to do partial water changes with. You may have to help him with the water changes at first, depending on how old he is, and depending on how much water you want everywhere. ;) In that tank you can start with a school of small fish, like tetras. Just make sure he doesn't bang on the glass, as that scares the fish and could kill them. If you really have limited space, or want a very small tank, you could always get a betta, which is probably what you want. You just need to be careful to dechlorinate every time you change the water (no partial water changes, just rinse the whole bowl), never use soap or anything that has ever had soap in it EVER around the fish, and...thats about it. Just don't put him somewhere TOO cold. It really depends on how interested your child is in fish, or if you are just looking for a quick first pet. If you want something the whole family can enjoy, try a tank; if it will just go on your son's dresser, go with the betta bowl. it's up to you, but there are a lot of options out there. Check with your local knowledgable pet store (maybe not a chain store.) for info and suggestions. Your options are wider with a tank, but it depends what you want. Good luck, and have fun, it can be a very rewarding hobby, no matter how you start out!

Answer 4

The best starter fish is a Betta. Goldfish are cheaper, but need a more extensive set up to keep. A Betta only needs a 1gallon bowl, a hand full of rocks or marbles (from the fish dept.), and (treated) water...you can add a silk plant (also from the fish dept) for looks. Do a 100% water change every 3 to 4 days..feed about 3 Betta pellets in the morning, and maybe 2-3 at night. That is it! Easy fish and beautiful!

I have 2 female Bettas in a 6 gal. tank (has a filter so I only change the water once a month), and two male Bettas (seperate 1g tanks). I change the water every 3 days.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Gold fish are very nasty, you have to clean tank more often than others. My suggestion is Guppies, they are extremely hardy fish, no need for heater, they do well between 65-75 degrees, can withstand 50-100 degrees. Will reproduce often, very colorful and stay pretty small, with a 10 gallon that has a filter you should have a great first time experience with them. If all goes well, try platys. Good Luck.

Answer 6

You can't expect a child to upkeep a tank and be responsible for the lives of the fish - they lose interest too quickly and only like the fun parts. Unless you want to share the responsibility with him, then something plastic would be your best bet.

Answer 7

Definatally not a goldfish! They can get a foot long and need a huge fish tank, goldfish kept in a small tank die because their bodies stop growing, yet the inturanl organs continue to grow killing the fish.

I would by a betta fish and a small 1 gallon betta tank with a filter. Wal-mart sells the little kits for a good deal. Plus a small tank is easier to clean (just make sure he only chnages 1/3 of the water weekly). Betta fish are use to living in dirty water and would be ok if his water wasn't chnaged regularly (which often happens with a pet after a while) Good luck!

Answer 8

not a goldfish, they r messy and require 10 gallon, i would say a betta in a small tank, i had a obwl and the betta jumped out. All i did was every week i dumped like 1/2 the water into another bowl and put the betta in there then rinsed the rocks, filled it halfway and dumped the old water back in

Answer 9

I would get a Betta fish. They are the easiest to clean, they don't require a BIG TANK, nor do you have to worry about getting a filter system for the tank. They live in rice bogs so they are use to a low level of water

Good luck

Answer 10

I personally started with a Male Betta.
They're easy to take care of and very flexible to any environment. They're also beautiful and have lots of attitude/personality.
Make sure you get a 10 Gal. tank, with filter and heater for it to be able to live happy. Light would also be great.