Fish Aquariums: Your Own Ecosystem

The custom of keeping fish in home aquariums started in the late 1800's. Home aquariums were found typically only in coastal towns where the fish were kept for a short time, and were used as food. Today, much has changed.  We wouldn't think of scooping a net into our aquarium and frying up a family pet for dinner.  Home fish aquariums are for entertainment and pleasure.  Aquariums add life, color and movement to a room. They can calm patients in doctor's offices, and amuse small children while their parents are shopping.

When considering a simple family pet, think fish.  They make a good compromise when your children are wanting puppy or kitten that they may not be ready for.  Aquariums need relatively little attention when compared to cats, dogs and even birds.  When you go out of town, it is possible to leave the fish alone for a week or even longer.  Simply have a friend look in on them and feed them once or twice.  Fish don't need bathing, grooming or personal attention.

While a home aquarium will need regular care and cleaning, it is minor compared to the care that larger pets require.  Aquariums and fish are usually less expensive, also.  Dogs and cats need regular visits to the veterinarian, vaccinations, flea and tick medications, and more. Pet toys are now a billion dollar industry.  We don't have to be concerned about buying a tug rope or a stuffed play thing for our fish.

Fish are less of a commitment than larger pets, but are still be a pleasurable addition to the family home; Aquariums are wonderful learning experiences for small children. Kids get excited when they are involved in process. They can develop responsibility by learning to help with the chores related to the care of aquarium fish.

Teach your children how to feed the fish and how to clean their tank. Aquariums are very useful for helping kids develop language skills, as well. It's amazing how much conversation a two-year old can have with an aquarium full of fish.  Let the children choose names the fish.  Have discussions and ask them questions such as, "what color is that fish?"  "What are the fish doing?"  Count the fish in the tank. Of course, if one of the fish has decided to eat one of its aquarium mates that could turn into a different type of learning experience.

Recommended Reading

For a complete compendium of information on all the problems that tropical fish are subject to, take a look at:

Katy’s Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide

You’ll learn how to keep your fish happy, healthy, and beautiful, how to keep your aquarium to professional standards, how to troubleshoot health problems as soon as they occur, and learn valuable insider tips and tricks for keeping your aquarium looking spectacular.

But, this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing; you just need to be prepared for it. After all, children do need to learn about the cycle of life and death some way. It is certainly much easier to cope with the death of goldfish as the  child's first loss, instead of a human family member.

In these days when there are five hundred or more cable channels and too many video games, a fish aquarium can be a refreshing natural addition to a home.  The next time you sit down together for a family meal, watch the fish instead of the television.  It might just start an actual conversation.