Fish question
An aunt asks about buying Emily a fishbowl. Specifically, this fishbowl. Fish not included.
I know next to nothing about fish and taking care of them, but Emily has occasionally expressed an interest in having a small pet frog or fish. We have a family-owned pet store specializing in fish just up the road from us, Frank and Peg’s. Their website is awful, but the store itself has been around for more than 40 years and seems to be well-run. They’ve always been patient with Em and I wandering in to look at the animals and occasionally buy something. I’m sure we could get some fishy support there.
I reckon I can ask them, and of course I’ll do some research, but I want to ask you guys too: does anyone know anything about fish? Would a bowl 6.6 x 8 x 10.1 inches be suitable for a fish, and if so, does anyone have a recommendation?
I had lousy luck with betas when trying those. They always seemed to like dying. =/
On the other hand, I remember my mom having a TON of tetras (neons specifically) when we were little. They’re tiny, and they like to reproduce, and they seemed to do really well. A few of those would definitely fit into something like that.
I had lousy luck with betas when trying those. They always seemed to like dying. =/
On the other hand, I remember my mom having a TON of tetras (neons specifically) when we were little. They’re tiny, and they like to reproduce, and they seemed to do really well. A few of those would definitely fit into something like that.
fish
Laura here – yes, it’s perfectly suitable. The important things are to start with a healthy fish (scrutinize them carefully for white/grey spots on skin or fins), don’t put more than 1 inch of fish per gallon of water, and DON’T OVERFEED. Repeat, DO NOT OVERFEED. Oh, and be sure to de-chlorinate the water before you add the fish.
fish
Laura here – yes, it’s perfectly suitable. The important things are to start with a healthy fish (scrutinize them carefully for white/grey spots on skin or fins), don’t put more than 1 inch of fish per gallon of water, and DON’T OVERFEED. Repeat, DO NOT OVERFEED. Oh, and be sure to de-chlorinate the water before you add the fish.
Re: fish
Number one, I cannot believe that I didn’t think to ask my resident vet friend.
Number two, it’s midnight! I’m going to bed, and so should you!
Re: fish
Number one, I cannot believe that I didn’t think to ask my resident vet friend.
Number two, it’s midnight! I’m going to bed, and so should you!
I would call that tank “adequate” but not that good for a Betta. If that’s the fishie you’re leaning toward. I’m always wary of tanks that are more focused on looking good than providing a safe home for a little critter, yanno?
If you do want to get a Betta, I’d head here – http://community.livejournal.com/bettas/ and check out the various links in their user info page. (I’d make that into a fancy LJ community link but I am tired and would just flub it anyway.)
Bettas are awesome fishies, very personable for finned critters! I’d have one if I had a decent place to keep one.
I would call that tank “adequate” but not that good for a Betta. If that’s the fishie you’re leaning toward. I’m always wary of tanks that are more focused on looking good than providing a safe home for a little critter, yanno?
If you do want to get a Betta, I’d head here – http://community.livejournal.com/bettas/ and check out the various links in their user info page. (I’d make that into a fancy LJ community link but I am tired and would just flub it anyway.)
Bettas are awesome fishies, very personable for finned critters! I’d have one if I had a decent place to keep one.
I would recommend putting StressEase in the water each time you add water. It is an aloe based water conditioner that puts a sort of aloe bandaid on the fish while the water is balancing. I kept fish alive for freakishly long periods, even moving full tanks cross country twice without losing a single fish … and that is the only “chemical” additive I ever used.
Careful feeding amounts, clean tanks, greenery for hiding in and StressEase was always my winning combo.
Oh … and very much seconding the one inch of fish for each gallon of water.
::Grins::
We always loved our fishies.
I would recommend putting StressEase in the water each time you add water. It is an aloe based water conditioner that puts a sort of aloe bandaid on the fish while the water is balancing. I kept fish alive for freakishly long periods, even moving full tanks cross country twice without losing a single fish … and that is the only “chemical” additive I ever used.
Careful feeding amounts, clean tanks, greenery for hiding in and StressEase was always my winning combo.
Oh … and very much seconding the one inch of fish for each gallon of water.
::Grins::
We always loved our fishies.
A half gallon is awfully small(Amazon says it’s a half gallon, anyway), and it doesn’t look like it has much surface area at the top for the to be able to get oxygen.
Goldfish have always been really prone to dying in my experience lol.
I would also highly advise against anything plastic. It likes to warp. The Amazon page didn’t say what material it was made out of that I could find, but I’m assuming plastic.
Something like this would probably be a bit better, even if it doesn’t look as cool:
http://www.petco.com/product/15340/All-Glass-Mini-Bow-1-Junior-Red-Aquarium-Kit.aspx
And I’m assuming since it’s called ‘all-glass’ that it’s actually glass.
If you do betas (It’s been a long time since I did!) I think you have to change the water every two weeks, and condition it beforehand. The one I had lived a good three or four years, I think.
A half gallon is awfully small(Amazon says it’s a half gallon, anyway), and it doesn’t look like it has much surface area at the top for the to be able to get oxygen.
Goldfish have always been really prone to dying in my experience lol.
I would also highly advise against anything plastic. It likes to warp. The Amazon page didn’t say what material it was made out of that I could find, but I’m assuming plastic.
Something like this would probably be a bit better, even if it doesn’t look as cool:
http://www.petco.com/product/15340/All-Glass-Mini-Bow-1-Junior-Red-Aquarium-Kit.aspx
And I’m assuming since it’s called ‘all-glass’ that it’s actually glass.
If you do betas (It’s been a long time since I did!) I think you have to change the water every two weeks, and condition it beforehand. The one I had lived a good three or four years, I think.
Coming from someone who has kept and worked with fish for years, I would probably stick with just a Betta fish in that bowl. Not to say that the gallonage is not right for other types of fish, but you lack a heater and a filter, both of which are needed for any sort of tropical fish (tropical fish being the bulk of what you are going to find at any fish store). Either way, tropical or not without a filter you can expect to do a water change at the minimum of once every week, but two to three times a week would be more appropriate depending on the size of your betta. I get dozens of calls each week from people with sick bettas and the #1 reason that the fish gets sick is from bad water quality. A direct product of the fish being in a uncleaned bowl without any filtration.
If you want to get a little adventurous there are definitely a few options.
White Cloud Mountain Minnows (Tanichthys albonubes) are an easy to find, inexpensive small fish that can handle cooler temperatures. They do require filtration, but with a airstone and vigilant water changes you can make it work.
Paradise Fish (Macropodus opercularis) Is a cousin of the betta fish, which can also handle a low oxygen content, but needs relatively warm water (74-78 degrees minimum)
Killifish, a family of fish that are at home in shallow dehydrating ponds in the African flood plains. Down side to the Killifish is that they are hard to find, kind of expensive (usually $25 a pair) and have a very short lifespan, about a year and a half tops. These guys are designed to breed in the mud before it evaporates leaving the parents dead after only a few months of life, but when the rainy season comes back, so do the eggs that were buried months before. Fun fish to get into for sure!
Dave (The Destertales man boy love slave)
Coming from someone who has kept and worked with fish for years, I would probably stick with just a Betta fish in that bowl. Not to say that the gallonage is not right for other types of fish, but you lack a heater and a filter, both of which are needed for any sort of tropical fish (tropical fish being the bulk of what you are going to find at any fish store). Either way, tropical or not without a filter you can expect to do a water change at the minimum of once every week, but two to three times a week would be more appropriate depending on the size of your betta. I get dozens of calls each week from people with sick bettas and the #1 reason that the fish gets sick is from bad water quality. A direct product of the fish being in a uncleaned bowl without any filtration.
If you want to get a little adventurous there are definitely a few options.
White Cloud Mountain Minnows (Tanichthys albonubes) are an easy to find, inexpensive small fish that can handle cooler temperatures. They do require filtration, but with a airstone and vigilant water changes you can make it work.
Paradise Fish (Macropodus opercularis) Is a cousin of the betta fish, which can also handle a low oxygen content, but needs relatively warm water (74-78 degrees minimum)
Killifish, a family of fish that are at home in shallow dehydrating ponds in the African flood plains. Down side to the Killifish is that they are hard to find, kind of expensive (usually $25 a pair) and have a very short lifespan, about a year and a half tops. These guys are designed to breed in the mud before it evaporates leaving the parents dead after only a few months of life, but when the rainy season comes back, so do the eggs that were buried months before. Fun fish to get into for sure!
Dave (The Destertales man boy love slave)