First aquarium for a child – What is worth knowing?

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Every parent sooner or later encounters a fervent request from their child to have a pet at home. However, conditions do not always allow you to keep the dog or cat of your dreams. An excellent solution in this situation can be an aquarium. What is worth knowing when setting up our first aquarium?

First aquarium for a child – is it a good idea?

Having a pet at home is almost only advantages. The child has a chance to learn to be systematic, patient and caring. An aquarium is also a great opportunity to observe underwater animal and plant life. To some people, however, it may seem that since aquarium fish do not require walking or getting dirty, it is an undemanding and trouble-free choice. Nothing could be further from the truth! When deciding on an aquarium for a child, we must remember that our regular help will be necessary, since independent care may be too difficult for the kid.

Choosing the first aquarium – what should be guided by?

At at the very beginning we must decide where our aquarium. We should not place it near a radiator, due to the excess heat, nor close to a window through which the sun’s rays come in. The tank filled with water is very heavy, so it is worth remembering to find a a stable place for it.

Is a small aquarium for a child a good idea? Experienced aquarists recommend medium-sized tanks – from 50 liters – as the best solution. Why? Although small aquariums are set up in almost an hour, it is difficult to install filters and water aerators in them. The water in a small tank also becomes contaminated more quickly and more often needs to be completely replaced, as well as rinsing the substrate and washing the glass – and such activities a child cannot perform on his own. A larger tank is much easier to control.

Aquarium fish for children – which ones to choose?

Once we have chosen the optimal tank, we need to consider which aquarium fish for children will be the best choice. Beginning aquarists should opt for undemanding specimens that do not have very strict requirements in terms of conditions. You should also take into account the characteristics they have – whether they are calm or energetic. Freshwater fish are a better choice to start with than those that live in saltwater aquariums.

What species can we consider? An extremely popular species is the guppy. They are calm and peaceful fish that easily reproduce – so if you don’t want that, it’s worth choosing one sex. Easy-to-maintain species of aquarium fish are also neon. They are distinguished by their beautiful blue-red color. It is worth keeping at least 10 individuals. They are not picky when it comes to food. Booby is another very impressive species, easy to maintain. However, its males can fight with each other, so it is better to choose one male and several females. Other species of fish recommended for beginners are: , veiled, mourning or ramirez cichlid.

Fish accessories

Once we have made the most important decisions, we need to complete all the accessories. We have both online and stationary stores at our disposal. But why can an aquarium store be a good option? As a beginner, we probably need the guidance of a professional, and we can find proven advice in trusted specialty stores. What accessories will we need?

Aquarium filters will be essential. We can choose a cheaper internal filter, which takes up a lot of space, but is distinguished by its low power consumption. We can also opt for an external cascade or bucket filter. An excellent choice is a water filter with an aerator, so that we will not have to buy a separate device.

Another essential accessory is aquarium heaters. In this case, too, a heater with a thermostat will be an excellent choice. This way we will not have to monitor what temperature the water is on our own. It is also worth investing in a thermometer.

Lighting is also an important issue. It will make the aquarium not only look beautiful in our kid’s room, but will affect the good development and functioning of the fish. UV lamp can be bought separately or installed in the aquarium cover.

Make the fish feel at home

In order to make the fish in our aquarium feel like they are in the wild, we also need to take care of the right substrate for the fish. The bottom of the aquarium should be covered with sand and stones or gravel, at least 5-6 cm. This will allow them to burrow and play in it. Aquarium plants are also essential in an aquarium. Some species prefer few plants, while others prefer denser planting. You should also take care of high-quality food for the fish – it can be live dry, frozen or plant food.

What else we can do to ensure the well-being of our little friends consolation? The aquarium market offers plenty of decorations – for example, castles, caves, roots or tunnels. They will help to create a functional and exotic aquarium, which will not only be a decoration of the room, but a suitable place for the fish.

Elliot S. Radcliffe is an enthusiastic aquarist who has been deeply involved in the hobby for over a decade. Elliot discovered their passion for aquaristics when they inherited a small betta fish tank during college. This initial encounter sparked a deep interest in aquatic life and ecosystem management.

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