Buying an Aquarium for a Child or Teen
Contributing Editor: Ravi Teja Mandapaka
If you assist a child or teenager with starting an aquarium, do your homework so they can succeed. Here's how to make the right choices.
Before shopping, make a checklist of things you need, so you will get everything and purchase the necessary items. Print off this checklist with recommendations for aquarium gift-giving; it has everything you'll need on one list.
Tank Selection:
For beginners, a 75-liter tank or more prominent is ideal. If space or finances make that impossible, go at most 40 liters and take care to select small, hardy fish. Also, be sure you have an appropriate aquarium stand for your aquarium. Water is heavy, and larger aquariums need strong support; they weigh more than a bookcase or cabinet can hold - you need a stand made for aquariums.
Should you select glass or acrylic? Acrylic has many advantages for children since it does not chip or break, weighs less than glass, and doesn't distort the view as glass can. That's important, as children will spend much time gazing at their tank from all angles.
On the downside, acrylic scratches quickly and is more expensive than glass. If the price is not an issue, strongly consider an acrylic tank. You won't have to worry about the tank being broken by an errant baseball or other flying toy.
Decorations:
Children and teenagers often want brightly colored gravel and decorations. While this isn't the natural color of the habitat of the fish, it is still safe to use colored stone. Just be sure it is specifically made to be used in aquariums. You can select decor based on the child's tastes. Mermaids, divers, dinosaurs, castles, more natural items like rocks and caves, or even sunken ships are available at the fish store and are made specifically for safe aquarium use. While live plants are great for aquariums, they do take some care, and starting with vibrant plastic aquarium plants may be the easy way to add plants to your first aquarium,
Buying Fish:
Now comes your most significant challenge: new aquarium owners, young and old alike, want to get lots of fish as soon as possible. Fish should never be purchased on the same day as the tank. You want to take the aquarium home and set it up, get the filter and lights working, dechlorinate and aerate the water, and add beneficial bacteria before adding fish. Install the aquarium heater and set it to the correct temperature, usually between 74-78 degrees F for tropical fish.
Setting up the tank, letting it run for a day or two to stabilize the water temperature, and ensuring everything functions correctly before fish are added. Note: This initial waiting period is not the startup cycle; it begins once fish are added. When you allow the tank to stabilize, sharing some basic facts about aquarium waste will help eager children wait for their new fish.
After the aquarium is set up and running correctly, it is time to get a few fish. Adding too many fish too soon and overfeeding them are new owners' biggest mistakes. You should only add 2-3 fish to a new aquarium. Wait a week, test the water quality - or bring a sample to your fish store to be tested - and if the water quality is good, you can add a few more fish. It would help if you spread out purchasing more fish for your new aquarium over the first 4-6 weeks.
Educate and Plan:
Tell elementary-age children that fish go to the bathroom in the water they live in, and waste can harm the fish. Explain that particular bacteria in the filter system and the gravel get rid of those wastes, but the bacteria take several weeks to grow enough to do the job. While they are growing, only a few fish are needed in the tank, and the water is often used to eliminate the waste.
Middle and high school students can understand the nitrogen cycle easily, and we must teach them about this. Too many aquarium owners need to be made aware of this critical process, and as a result, they lose fish by adding too many fish too soon, causing ammonia or nitrite toxicity.
Lastly, talk about fish choices with your children once your tank is ready for fish. Avoid large or aggressive fish or those that are difficult to care for. Read aquarium books, magazines, or online articles to learn about the different species of tropical fish, how big each fish gets, and which fish can live together. Decide on a few hardy starter fish before going to the store, then see what is available. Ask the store associate questions to learn more about the fish they have. Be sure to know how big each fish will get so you don't pick one that will grow too big for the size of your aquarium.
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About Author
Ravi Teja Mandapaka is a multifaceted scholar, poet, and passionate advocate for animals. From English literature to agricultural sciences, from field hockey to music and the arts, Ravi's diverse interests converge in his unwavering commitment to animal welfare. He believes in a journey where compassion meets creativity, and academia blends with advocacy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravimandapaka/
@RaviTMandapaka [aka Twitter]
