Best Fish?

Question

I would love to get my son (3 yr old) a fish. I work 12 hour shifts. What would be the best SMALL fish to get that requires hardly anything except alittle food and that doesn't die easily? Would getting a small algae eatter help any? I'm not that great at remembering to keep tanks that clean.

I have at least 2 days off a week and I am able to change their tanks and feed them I just forget sometimes!

Answer 1

Like all animals, fish require a certain amount of time and care, and none of them can just be stuck in a bowl in a corner, and be healthy. If you're too busy to do normal maintenance of a tank, then a fish probably isn't for you, and I'm sure you're son would appreciate a stuffed animal just as much.
However, if you do want a fish and are able to set aside 5-10 per day and half an hour one day a week to clean the tank and feed, then it's definitely possible.
I'll start by advising you stay awayyy from bowls. Anything under 3 gallons is too small for any fish, despite what the petstores might tell you. Anything that small or smaller will, aside from eventually killing the fish, get dirty very quickly - and who wants to look at a dirty fish tank?
I would suggest you go with a 5 gallon tank. Something with a light and a little filter built into the hood. Your fish choices are, of course, limited. I think your best choice would be a betta. Nice and big, colourful, hardy.
They can be fed once a day, and the water should be cleaned once a week. I don't mean a full water change, but instead you can use a clean turkey baster or a syphon tube to suck out 30% of the water and replace it with fresh dechlorinated water.

Just be sure to read up on the nitrogen cycle before buying your fish :)
Oh! No, don't get an algae eater. They aren't the janitors they are made out to be; they need to be fed, and they poop, just like any other fish.

Answer 2

that first answer was rubbish
my fish need verry little mantinence i just feed them and once evry coupple of months i clean the gravel what takes 15 mins tops

i live in england so i have a thermostat (£20) and a filter (£40) some gravel and a few orniments
and a (10 quid)light
i have convict chiclids and they are very helthy , they have babies.
also i have 2 tin foil barbs 2 angelfish and a few congo tetra
the kids love watching the convicts take care of there young and i highly recomend these fish they are cheep and i bought mine for 50 p each as babies, now they are 1 inch big and i think they are realy good looking fish
i also have a scavinger catfish and a plec to help clean the algie
but if you just keep the light on for say 10 hours a day then the algie will be minimum
my fish are healthy and have survived for a year now . you wil be pleasntly surprised about how little mantinence these fish require
just feed them a veriety of food thats all
honistly it is easy , the tank is fine , hardly any work
just buy a few convicts, they are a fantastic hardy fish andthey are very interesting , they pick there baybies up in there mouth and spit them out where there safe.they realy defend the babies, ask the fish shop about them or google convict chiclid

oh yeah my son is 2 and a half and he loves watching the fish. and it is a calming influence on the room

Answer 3

zebra danio's are very hardy... get a 5-10 gal tank with light heater & filter. Keep the tank at 68-70 degrees. It is VERY IMPORTANT to cycle the tank (either fishless or with one or 2 danio), then add 3-5 more (depending on the size of the tank) They are beautiful darkblue-purple with gold or silver stripes and can survive if you miss a water change. Don't forget to get the water conditioner (dechlorinator) and food, gravel and some plants (either live or fake-silk is better than plastic) They are super active and fun to watch.

Answer 4

Betta are a good choice.

Keep a male in a tank of at least one half gallon. They don't need a filter because of their labyrinth organ, which allows them to "gulp" air. This is a Betta's prefered way of breathing.

Feeding once or twice a day is all they really require. A cleaning once a week or so will do the trick.

They're very hardy. And very colorful. Your son can pick one in his favorite color. Plus, Betta are quite active. So they're fun to watch.

Answer 5

first off. keeping fish is deceptively hard work. they will need water changes once a week without fail, without this they WILL die easy. if you're not great at remembering to keep tanks clean, then maybe fish aren't for you. you need to be meticulous with fish, those with obsessive compulsive type personalities seem to do well with them hehe!

and even before you get the fish you need to cycle your tank, which can anything from 2 to 4 weeks, and knowing a 3 year old they won't have that much patience! and in the cycling process you're going to need to have a few chemicals to go with the tank which are definately NOT toddler friendly! including liquid test kits and pure ammonia.

maybe have a think if fish really are for you. they are very rewarding and an excellent learning tool for kids, but if you aren't ready to put the work in you're going to have to explain to your son about the big fish pond in the sky on a fairly regular basis.

Answer 6

all fish REQUIRE regular maintenace... if you don't have much time or resources for the fish, then chances are you shouldn't get one. upkeep on tanks is a lot of work, even the little ones (Actually, the little ones are more work........). if he's 3, he may be a little young to care much about a fish anyway, and you don't want to chance him over feeding it, which would kill it anyway.

good luck, if you decide to get one anyway. :)

(you could also get him sea monkeys........ i loved them as a kid!! lol)

Answer 7

GOLDFISH ARE THE EASIEST FISH TO KEEP THOUGH, THEY WILL STILL NEED LOOKING AFTER, WATER CHANGES, AND FILTER CLEANS, AND FEEDING, BUT LEAST YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT HEATING THE TANK.

Answer 8

one single betta he will love it. theyre very colorful and have big long flowing fins. not a dirty fish but needs the usual like all fish, heat food light and oxygen plus water changes once in a while meaning weekly pending on tank size.

Answer 9

Get a 10 cent feeder goldfish. When you're 3 yr old gets tired of the fish and if it's still alive, you're only out a few dollars total. And can replace for a dime. ><>:)

Answer 10

Well u can start out with little koi, they can eat a lot, and dont need too much attention they will keep ur 3rd yr old lots of company since they are very active! and make sure u clean the tank every month with filtering because if u have filters then it doesnt matter u dun neeed to clean the tank that often! i have koi nd they live very long.