Learn the best freshwater fish for kids' aquariums! This episode covers easy-to-care-for species for younger and older kids, plus tips on tank setup and keeping fish fun and educational for children.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 Welcome to this episode of the Aquarist's Edge, a podcast for home aquarists just like you.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:10 Learn more about how to keep a thriving aquarium and discover ideas and tips
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 to give your aquarium the edge.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 And now, over to our host, Arthur Preston.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:24 So today's episode is a special one because today we're talking about best choices
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 for our kids' aquariums.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 Now as someone who's working in
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 the field of education primarily I need to tell
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 you that in today's world our children desperately
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 need an opportunity to take responsibility for
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 something preferably something else that they have
00:00:41 --> 00:00:47 a stake in and learn how to look after something take responsibility for it
00:00:47 --> 00:00:52 take ownership of it put in the hard work required these are life skills that
00:00:52 --> 00:00:57 will teach them well and prepare them well for what lies ahead not only at school
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 but beyond their life at school as well,
00:01:00 --> 00:01:04 so whether you're a parent looking to set up your child's first tank,
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 considering upgrading your kid's existing setup,
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 this episode will take you through everything you need to know to make the right
00:01:12 --> 00:01:20 fish choices and ensure that the experience is fun, educational and manageable for everybody involved.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:26 As I've said earlier, setting up a kid-friendly aquarium is a wonderful way
00:01:26 --> 00:01:31 to teach responsibility To encourage curiosity And to provide an engaging learning
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 experience But we also know that as parents it's important to make sure the
00:01:35 --> 00:01:39 fish are hardy The setup is easy to maintain,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:44 And the experience stays enjoyable for everybody So in today's episode we'll
00:01:44 --> 00:01:48 split the conversation into two sections One for younger children aged 5 to
00:01:48 --> 00:01:52 9 and another for older kids aged 9 to 12.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 Each section will give you practical advice on fish choices,
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 set up tips and things to keep in mind as you embark on this exciting journey
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 with your child. So let's get started.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:07 So for younger children, that's age five to nine, the focus should be on simplicity,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 ease of care, and a bit of fun.
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 At this age, kids are still learning the basics of responsibility,
00:02:14 --> 00:02:18 so having hardy and low-maintenance fish is key.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 So let's look at some of the fish that are beginner-friendly,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 but also easy for your child to care for.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:28 One of the most popular choices for kids is the better fish.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 That's probably because they come in this amazing array of colours,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:35 from the electric blues to deep reds and even multicoloured varieties.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 They have long flowing fins, which makes them fun to watch in the aquarium,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 and their calm demeanour, most times, makes them easy to manage.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Now, better fish are best kept alone, though, so, you know, as they become territorial
00:02:47 --> 00:02:51 with other males or similar-looking species, but they're perfect for a small, manageable tank.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:56 A single better will thrive in a 40-litre tank and is quite low-maintenance.
00:02:56 --> 00:03:01 Your kids will love watching them, they'll interact with the fish you'll watch
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 the fish interact with their environment especially when you add decorations
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 like plants or rocks for them to explore,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 your children will enjoy the feeding experience with them as well and they can
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 be fish that your children will bond with as strange as that might sound.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:19 Of course if you want a community tank and not just have one species of fish
00:03:19 --> 00:03:23 in the tank then you could look at the neon tetras these are small they're peaceful,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 they're easy to care for and they make a fantastic choice for kids,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:32 they're incredibly hardy and tolerate a wide variety of water conditions so
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 they're forgiving if you're still learning the ins and outs of tank maintenance
00:03:34 --> 00:03:39 now neon tetras are best kept in schools so you need to have at least five or
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 six in the tank and that also helps them feel less stressed and they look great
00:03:42 --> 00:03:43 swimming in a school together,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:49 their vibrant blue and red colors make them fun to watch as they dart about
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 the tank and the kids will enjoy that from a visual perspective.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:59 In terms of fish that are hardy, I would highly recommend Zebra Danios.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 These fish are small, they're active, they're known for their playful swimming.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 They've got obviously that zebra pattern, that black and white silver stripe
00:04:06 --> 00:04:07 or black and silver stripes.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 They're incredibly hardy and they tolerate a wide range of water temperatures
00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 and conditions, making them an excellent choice for beginner fish keepers.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:20 They're also social creatures though, so they thrive in schools of five or more,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 which will give your child a lively interactive aquarium to care for.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:29 Now, no list of kids' fish would be complete without the guppy.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 And guppies are among the most popular fish for beginner aquarists, and for good reason.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:38 They come in an enormous array of cutters, and they're a joy to watch as they
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 just zip around the tank.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 They're also live bearers, meaning that they give birth to live young,
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 rather than laying eggs.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 Now, this can be very exciting for your kids, but it does mean that parents
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 should keep an eye on their tank to prevent overpopulation.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:53 And so if you don't want to deal with the baby fish, then rather go and purchase
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 all males, which obviously takes out the breeding,
00:04:57 --> 00:05:01 the chance of breeding so guppies do well in groups they're peaceful and they're
00:05:01 --> 00:05:05 excellent in community tanks and certainly going back to the idea of just keeping
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 males from a colour perspective,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:12 quite incredible to see an entire school of brightly coloured guppy males swimming
00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 around in the tank under good light it's very spectacular and again your kids will love that,
00:05:17 --> 00:05:21 if you're looking for something at the bottom of your tank I would suggest you
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 go with Corridoras they're very peaceful they're bottom dwellers they're ideal
00:05:24 --> 00:05:28 for cleaning up a little of food they are small fish, they're very social they
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 do best in groups of 4, 5 or 6 or more,
00:05:31 --> 00:05:35 the children will love watching these catfish dig into the substrate and swim
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 happily at the bottom of the tank they're resilient, they're easy to care for
00:05:38 --> 00:05:43 and they make a great combination with other peaceful fish like your Tetris or your Danios.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 So now that we've covered some great fish choices, let's talk about setting
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 up the tank and maintaining it.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54 For younger children, keeping the setup simple and easy to maintain is the best approach.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:59 So for beginners, I would suggest a 40 to 60 litre tank being a good starting size.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 It's big enough to provide a stable environment for the fish,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 but not so large that it becomes overwhelming.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 The larger tanks are also more forgiving when it comes to water changes and
00:06:07 --> 00:06:08 maintaining water quality.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:14 And what about substrates? Well, a smooth gravel or fine sand is ideal for young fish keepers.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:19 Some parents opt for brightly colored gravel to make the tank visually appealing.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 But if you want that more natural look, then go for the neutral colored substrate.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Certainly as your children become older, they may no longer want the rainbow
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 gravel. So is it going to keep the tank potentially for many years to come?
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 My suggestion would be avoid that gravel.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:38 There's also some controversy around the rainbow colored gravel with the fact
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 that dyes eventually wear off and enter the water column and this kind of thing.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:46 So, yeah, my choice would always be to go for a more natural substrate.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:51 Then, of course, there's the filtration aspect. Now, you don't want a powerful
00:06:51 --> 00:06:55 current that could stress the fish, and you want a reliable filter that will keep the water clean.
00:06:55 --> 00:07:00 So look for a filter that's appropriate for the tank size and ensure that it operates quietly.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 Sometimes younger children may be discouraged from interacting with the tank,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:09 as the loud filters can be disruptive, and particularly if the tank is in their bedroom.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 So when children are handling the tank it's really important parents
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 that you supervise them teach the children not to
00:07:16 --> 00:07:20 tap on the glass as this can stress the fish and emphasize the importance of
00:07:20 --> 00:07:24 not overfeeding the fish in fact i would strongly suggest that in those early
00:07:24 --> 00:07:29 years when children are still very young supervise the feeling because overfeeding
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 is one of the most common mistakes in beginner aquariums and it can lead to
00:07:32 --> 00:07:36 poor water quality unhealthy fish and unfortunately sometimes dead fish.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:41 Now what about your older children, your children aged 9 to 12?
00:07:41 --> 00:07:46 Now at this age group they're more ready to take on a bit more responsibility
00:07:46 --> 00:07:50 and they may also be more interested in the science behind the aquarium such
00:07:50 --> 00:07:54 as the nitrogen cycle, the water chemistry, how fish interact with their environment and so on.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 So in this section we're going to cover some slightly more advanced fish species
00:07:57 --> 00:08:01 and give tips for encouraging older kids to get involved in maintaining the tank.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:06 So we're going to start with angelfish. They're elegant, they've got striking
00:08:06 --> 00:08:10 bodies, they're peaceful fish but they can become territorial as they grow and
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 so they're best kept with other non-aggressive species.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 Angelfish can be a bit more challenging than the species we've discussed for
00:08:16 --> 00:08:20 younger children but they still begin a friendly if their environment is managed well.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:25 These fish do well in medium to large tanks and appreciate a bit more space to swim.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:30 Then there are the pleties. They're a colourful and hardy species that the older
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 kids can care for. They're active and peaceful.
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 They're great for a community tank. They also reproduce easily,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 so your child may find themselves learning about fish reproduction firsthand.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:43 And again, as with the guppies earlier, if you don't want any baby fish, only buy males.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:50 Similarly, swordtails. Another life-bearing species. They are really fun to watch.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 They've got long swordtails, which of course is fascinating to the kids.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:57 They're hardy. They can live in schools or pairs. and they're also great for
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 teaching kids about tank balance.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 They do well in tanks. There's plenty of plants and other peaceful fish.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 So setting up a community tank, discussing the biology of a community tank,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 may well fascinate the children to show interest.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:13 Then there are rainbow fish. These are perfect for the older kids who want an active, vibrant tank.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 The fish are peaceful, they're easy to care for and they come in a wide range of colours.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 They also do well in schools so your child can watch a beautiful display of
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 colours as the fish swim together.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:27 Rainbow fish are also great for introducing kids to the idea of creating a well-balanced,
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 aesthetically pleasing aquarium.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:35 As mentioned earlier, at this age, children can handle a little more responsibility,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 and so you can start teaching them about water quality and tank maintenance.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 It's the age when kids can start learning about the importance of water parameters.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 So introduce a water test kit.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 Help them to measure key factors like pH, ammonia, and nitrates,
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 so that they can see the effects of water change and the nitrogen cycle.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 For older kids adding live plants such as java fern
00:09:55 --> 00:10:00 or anubias can be a great way to teach about aquatic ecosystems these plants
00:10:00 --> 00:10:04 help improve water quality by absorbing nitrates and they also provide hiding
00:10:04 --> 00:10:08 spots for fish plants can also make the tank look more natural and many fish
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 obviously enjoy swimming among them so here's an opportunity for your child
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 to understand ecosystems and biomes,
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 of course links to having plants in your aquarium is that some children may
00:10:18 --> 00:10:23 actually begin to enjoy the idea of equiscaping, arranging plants and rocks
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 and decorations in a way that's visually appealing.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:29 So it's another great opportunity to encourage creativity while still keeping
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 in mind the needs of the fish.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:37 So that really is it for today. I'm sure that there are many other ideas or
00:10:37 --> 00:10:42 fish you could bring in, other ways to encourage your children to take part in this hobby.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:46 But this was really a basic introduction. And so if you're looking for low-maintenance
00:10:46 --> 00:10:50 fish for younger kids or a more involved project for older kids,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:54 there are plenty of great options out there that are educational, fun and easy to care for.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:59 The key is to keep it simple, maintain a peaceful environment and make sure
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 that your child is involved in the care of the tank.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 This cannot be a case of a parent going out and buying a fish tank with all
00:11:05 --> 00:11:09 the different accessories, stocking it with livestock and plants and making
00:11:09 --> 00:11:13 it look absolutely stunning, and it becomes the parent's project as opposed to the child's.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 Involve the child in the shopping process, in the setup process,
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 in the planning process.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:25 Give them ownership of keeping an aquarium and create expectations for the care
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 of that aquatic environment.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 So thanks for joining me today. I hope you found this episode helpful.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:37 Please leave comments if you want to share your ideas about how to enhance this
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 experience for your children,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 maybe ideas about different animals that you could pull fish that you can keep
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 in your tank. One of the ones I didn't mention was shrimp.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 Obviously, your neocardinas are relatively easy to keep and your children will
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 enjoy watching them. And of course, they also breed prolifically.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 And so they're also great to keep in your tank for your children.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 So don't hesitate to reach out to us. Let us know your ideas.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 We'll be back soon. Take care. Bye.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 That's it for this episode of the Aquarius Sedge.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:09 Please consider subscribing to this podcast so that you don't miss further episodes.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:13 We would love it if you would also rate and review the podcast as this helps
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 make it visible to others.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:19 Until next time, keep learning and discovering and keep finding your Aquarius
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 Sedge in this captivating and fascinating hobby.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:31 Music.