Is your kid forcing you to have a fish pet for him? Does your kid want to give a fish to his/her friend?
There is no doubt that most kids love animals, whether it is a dog, cat, fish, or any other animal. At some point, your kid may ask you to get one pet. When it comes to the best pet for kids, fish is one of the most considered pets than dog or cat as they require low maintenance and do not take much of your time.
Most pet fish for kids are easy to look for, which means kids can easily be involved with them and can also help with caring for them. No matter why you need a pet fish for your kid, you must go through this list of the best pet fish for kids that help you find the one that your kid will love to spend time with.
If you know what kind of fish your kid likes, it will become easier to get the right species and enjoy a small companion swimming in the aquarium.
Guppies
We all know that kids love colors, so they are one of the main reasons that attract them to have fish moving around an aquarium. Here, guppies are one of the best pet fish for kids as they are quite colorful for a fish tank. These fishes are also called ‘rainbow fish’.
You can choose one from several varieties of guppies, where each type has its own color, pattern, and shape. Thus, it enables you to pick your perfect fish. Also, they are easy to look after. They are very small in size, which means you can keep many guppies in a tank of just 5 gallons.
You have to keep them by mimicking their natural habitat and ensure to give them a healthy diet. It will keep your fish healthy. As these fishes are omnivores, they can eat both plants and animal materials. Guppies love to live around in groups, so try to keep them in a larger shoal so that they live a happier life.
Neon Tetra
Neon Tetra is another color fish species that many kids love to have. Even adults prefer to get these fish in their aquariums for the colorful life around them. These are some of the most widely kept pet fish for kids in the industry. These fishes have red and blue stripes in the horizontal direction across their body.
Just like guppies, these fishes also need to live in shoals to stay happy and stress-free. The neon tetra is very active and social. Due to this reason, kids enjoy watching them for a long time. They are so peaceful that you can keep them with other species as well. Just get some peaceful fishes of other species of a similar size and build a colorful aquarium.
Caring for these fishes is simple; therefore, setting up a tank for neon tetra is not a problem at all. Just keep in mind that they need lots of swimming space and planted areas in the tank.
Angelfish
When it comes to fish colors, you can’t compare this fish species with guppies and neon tetras. But, angelfish are one of the beautiful freshwater fish species. The shape of these fishes is almost triangular, similar to an arrowhead. They have wide and long fins and have the maximum length and height of 6 inches and 8 inches, respectively.
Angelfish come in all varieties of colors and patterns. They are also considered the most colorful pet fish for kids. They are omnivores, which means they can eat most aquarium foods. You can get some small live or frozen foods to give them a healthy diet.
These fish species can replicate their natural environment in the tank. You have to take a tank of at least 20 gallons, and its height should be such that it can easily accommodate the height of these fishes.
You can place some dense plants in the tank, but make sure to leave some open areas for swimming. They may show some aggression from time to time. So, you have to choose the suitable tank mates to ensure that all your pets are safe in the tank.
Kuhli Loaches
These fishes are highly different from other pet fishes on the list. They have an eel-like body and grow to just 3-5 inches. They have dark vertical stripes and have four pairs of barbels that are used to find food. These fishes are very sensitive, which means you need to get the soft mates in the tank to prevent any damage to them.
They like to burrow, so you have to get smooth substrate, like sand, so that they can move easily. They have a habit of burrowing all day long and emerge to feed at night. Also they are active and peaceful mid-water swimmers. Therefore, kids enjoy finding their best companion in the tank.
Also, kuhli loaches are not challenging to take care of. Being omnivores, they can eat whatever they will find in the tank once it sinks to the bottom. Make sure to keep the tank clean and oxygenated.
Swordtails and Mollies
You can put swordtails and mollies together. Though they are different species, both these fish species belong to the same family. They are so similar that there is a successful cross-breeding between them. Swordtails, mollies, and guppies, all these fish species, can be found in the same tropical water.
Both of them tend to be good eaters and love to live in groups. Even if you forget to clean your tank for a few days, these fishes will forgive you. You can give them tetra color flake food. You can keep swordtails, mollies, and guppies together without any worry. They will love to spend time together.
Also, they do well on the same diet. You can easily find their flake or pellet food in the local pet store. Just make sure to read the ingredients to ensure that this food is formulated to meet the specific dietary and nutritional needs of these species.
Goldfish
If you are a fish lover, you may know about goldfish. Even if you have a tank with goldfish, it may be an excellent experience for you because these fishes are tough. Many people prefer having a goldfish when their kids show interest in fish keeping. You can find goldfish in a variety of color configurations.
Some most popular goldfish are solid gold, spotted, white, and even fishes in the color of a rainbow. It will also become easier for your kid to choose their favorite one. As these fishes are one of the hard species, therefore, they can easily live strongly in some of the worst environmental conditions.
These fishes are good eaters, which means you will not face any problem with picky or finicky fish. Some goldfish can grow much larger, so it is advised to have a tank bigger enough to accommodate goldfish of adult size.
Glofish
These are some of the best pet fish for kids and are pretty popular among fish lovers because they emit a fluorescent glow. These fishes can also help in detecting pollution and chemicals. Earlier, scientists used these fish species to analyze the specific environment because of their fluorescent color that gives signals of the presence of pollution or chemicals in the water.
These fishes are very small in size, and quite hearty and natural when they live in brackish water. They can eat any commercial diet for fish you have in your home. You can give them mini pellets, flakes, and even frozen food. It recommends checking the label carefully to ensure that you are giving them food as per their specific needs.
Yoyo Loach
There are several names for yoyo loach, such as Almora loach and Pakistani loach. These fishes have dark bands across their bodies that appear like a Y-O-Y-O pattern. The design of yoyo loach is very attractive; therefore, kids get easily attracted to this small companion.
These fishes are mostly on the lookout for food, which means you will find them busy in some activity in the lower levels of the tank. They remain peaceful most of the time, but they have the ability to stand for themselves whenever required. You can keep these fishes with other tropical fish species as they can make good tank mates.
Dwarf Gourami
Being a member of the Osphronemidae family, these fishes have a very useful organ i.e., labyrinth organ. This organ is used to breathe in oxygen from the air. You can tell your kid about this fact. Even your kid will love to see this action when dwarf gourami will head up to the surface of the water to breathe.
Since these fish species also have gills, you can’t see their breathing activity out of the water all the time. These fishes are quite beautiful and have a flat body with large fins. More to this, they also have some impressive colors.
These fishes exist in a variety of colors and patterns, such as striped, speckled, and others. It can be the best pet fish for kids as they are easy to care for. You can keep a pair of dwarf gourami in a 10-gallon of the tank. Though they live happily with their own kind, they can be happy with other species too.
Pajama Cardinalfish
If you want to surprise your kids with some peculiar fish species, you can get pajama cardinalfish as one of the amazing pet fish for kids. These fishes have strange appearances and behaviors. They are peaceful marine fishes that do well in a community.
They have very odd patterns – yellow head and red polka dots at their back, along with having a vertical black bar in the middle of their bodies, they have red eyes that make this fish quite different than others. These fishes are mainly active at night. Therefore, most of the day is spent in a place next to caves and rocks.
It is recommended to keep these fishes in groups, such as five or more. You can keep these fishes with the other peaceful marine fishes. Just make sure that your tank has various areas to hide away, along with lots of open swimming space.
You should give them high-quality dried foods. If you notice that your fish is not interested in such food, you can try giving live shrimps. Keep in mind that both foods are required for a healthy diet.
Read More: Best Small Pets For Kids That Your Kid Would Love To Have.
Final Words
This guide about some of the best pet fish for kids will be quite helpful for you. Though there are many more out there, you can ask your kid to point out their favorites.
Involving kids in taking care of fish is a rewarding experience. Keeping fish at home is something that makes your kids learn a lot and also have great fun. If you are an experienced aquarist, you can opt for bright and colorful fish species that are quite popular for kids.
Just get one pet fish and enjoy spending time with your fish and kids.
FAQs
What types of fish species are best for kids?
When you are thinking of buying fish for your kids, you must look for something that is easy to care for. Also, they must not need much cash to upkeep. Some of the fish species that are perfect for kids include those who have a colorful body, are entertaining to watch, are tolerant of different water conditions, and have low maintenance.
What to do when a fish gets sick?
If you notice that something is wrong with your fish, just watch them closely for any signs of disease. If you catch any sign quicker, the sooner you can treat your fish. Always keep in mind that fish are living creatures, and they too can be ill and can even succumb to illnesses.
If you give the utmost care to your fish, they will thrive wonderfully for a long time. You have to visit the online forums and Facebook groups regularly to keep yourself aware of the possible warning signs.
How does healthy water make fish happy and healthy?
If you have a fish tank, it is recommended to change the water often. You need to remove around 35% of the water and replace it with fresh water. You must use a test kit to check the parameters of the water before pouring it into the tank. Always remember that if you have clean and healthy water in the tank, your fish will remain happy and healthy for a long way.
