Mary Allen
“I want a pet!” – This desire to have children is by no means purely selfish and children who get their own pet are certainly not spoiled by it. Rather, two completely different aspects are in the foreground: On the one hand, the urge to take responsibility oneself. On the other hand, the desire for friendship, affection and sociability. Many parents then consider which pet might be suitable and increasingly decide to buy an aquarium for children. The reason: numerous advantages for the whole family come together here.
Is an aquarium really suitable for children?
When it comes to choosing the right pet, there are often disagreements within the family. The parents want as little effort as possible, the child as much fun as possible. And so the most diverse arguments quickly confront each other. When the keyword “fish” is mentioned, however, everyone usually agrees: nothing can go wrong. But it’s not quite that easy, because fish also need species-appropriate husbandry and some species of fish are also very demanding in terms of water quality, tank size and design. However, this also has the advantage that it never gets boring with an aquarium.
Just equipping the pool and the regular care that is required arouse ambition in the juniors. Children love a challenge and want to be able to take on responsibility. However, the typical goldfish bowl known from films should not be the solution, neither for the fish nor for the child. Both have higher standards.
Educational institutions, for example, are increasingly integrating an aquarium for children to show them the beauty of nature, balance their mood and promote concentration through fascination.
Fish promote the ability to concentrate
The steady, slow back and forth of the fins has an almost hypnotic effect on the viewer. Pisces seem to radiate stoic calm, but can change direction in a flash. For children, this is not just a visual spectacle. They subconsciously concentrate on a fish for minutes at a time and at the same time train their holistic ability to concentrate. For personal development, the aquarium can therefore represent cognitive progress.
On the other hand, looking at the fish can be an effective distraction. In dental practices, for example, there are often aquariums for children to distract them from the surroundings. This allows them to focus on something nice instead of getting nervous waiting for the call.
An aquarium has a calming and relaxing effect
With concentration comes calm. Who does not know the sight from the zoo when the little ones really stick their noses to the panes to be as close as possible to the fish. There is an almost ghostly calm. At least compared to the monkey house.
At the same time, both the constant sound of the pump and the lighting are very soothing, provided they are chosen accordingly. Not only small, but also large patients love the ambience that emanates from an aquarium in the waiting room. This effect can also be created in your own home.
A slightly bluish light, for example, has a particularly relaxing effect and also emphasizes the element of water. But also colored sands, green plants and of course the right types of fish convey deep relaxation.
Designing the aquarium requires creativity and dedication
Putting down a glass case, water in and fish – that’s not all. Creativity is required right from the planning and preparation stage. At this point, the children can get involved, express their wishes and show that they really care about the new pets.
For example, this could result in a treasure bay with a sunken pirate ship and gold chests. Or a mermaid’s underwater palace, with shells and pearls. There are hardly any limits to the ideas. For almost every concept there are caves, stones and plants to buy, which make the underwater world a real paradise.
Color accents can also be set with sand and stones. Several levels, plants and matching accessories also provide variety. After all, not only the viewer should feel good, but also the fish.
What is particularly important in a children’s aquarium?
Compared to the conventional aquarium for adult fish lovers, the children’s version should be a bit simpler, on the one hand to keep the effort as low as possible and on the other hand to learn how to deal with PH values, fish food plan and cleaning.
In addition, the general conditions that are important for every fish and every aquarium apply. It is best for parents to talk to their children about exactly what is to come. Who knows, maybe this is the beginning of a lifelong passion.
Size and space in the children’s room
Of course, children prefer to always have their new flatmates nearby. At this point, parents should make them aware that noise and bumps against the glass can stress and harm the fish. If the question still arises as to whether and how the aquarium fits into the children’s room, other factors must be taken into account.
It is crucial that the fish are not directly exposed to the sun and also like it dark at night when they sleep. According to the size of the pool and the resulting water volume, an appropriate substructure should continue to be available. For example, there are special aquarium base cabinets that are very stable, at the same time offer storage space for accessories and can often even be purchased together with the tank, so that the dimensions are coordinated.
The size and capacity of the aquarium depend on the fish species that are to be used. The pet shop or fishmonger can offer specific advice on this. Depending on gender, number and species, the aquarium should offer enough space, but of course not completely take up the children’s room. After all, the child still needs enough space in the room to develop freely.
Selection of the fish in view of the children’s wishes
Be it for beginners or for children: Certain types of fish are more suitable than others for starting out in aquaristics. These include in particular:
- Goldfish, which can also become trusting.
- Tropical fish such as guppies or platies, which are colorful but also colorful. Here it should be clear from the outset what will happen to the excess offspring.
- Water snails and shrimp are also suitable for children.
It is also important to note how big the fish can get, what territorial behavior they bring with them and whether they get along with each other. Not to mention whether they are freshwater fish or sea fish, which in turn require a high salt content.
Easy care and cleaning
Children don’t have as much strength or arms as long as adults. This should be taken into account when purchasing the aquarium and accessories in order to make further handling easier.
Caring for accessories: Complete sets are sometimes available for children’s aquariums, which may have fewer features, but contain everything you need to get started. These include filters with cartridges, a heating rod, water conditioner, skimmers, and LED lighting – all of which require maintenance. They should primarily provide the necessary performance according to the pool size, but at the same time be sociable and easy to use. Ideally, the children can then carry out the regular water changes themselves.
Water treatment: The water quality is checked using PH strips and should be tested at least once a week. Diseases are expressed, for example, by bad PH values. Depending on the volume, it is recommended to replace approx. 35 to 40% of the water volume every two to three weeks for treatment – if possible not only when the panes have turned so green that there are no more fish to be seen.
After all, the aquatic animals have no other option than to leave their legacies in the water, where they collect, form algae and sometimes even settle small parasites. However, a complete replacement would be more harmful to the animals, since they are very dependent on their water quality.
Internal cleaning: Of course, the aquarium itself must also be cleaned regularly. Most of the time, the aquatic plants from the hardware store bring in unwanted guests like snails. Collecting these can be tedious, especially if not checked regularly. For cleaning, the plants are therefore freed from unwanted snails either by hand or with a weeder and removed from the ground with a mulch bell or sludge sucker.
Cleaning panes of glass: This is not a problem on the outside and can be done quickly with a normal window cleaner. There are special tools for the inside, such as sponges or – to avoid having to reach into the water – magnetic cleaners.
Maintaining the aquarium also includes keeping an eye on the water temperature, adjusting the light, and, of course, feeding the fish appropriately for their species. The latter in particular is the most fun for children. Tablets, flakes, live food, or sticks – the underwater world is finally getting going and it will be really exciting to watch how the fish get used to their feeding times, wait for the lid to open, and then snap excitedly through the water to their prey to collect
This way, even the little ones know that they have done everything right and that their friends are doing well.
When the child loses interest in his aquarium
The childlike enthusiasm does not always remain, and interest in aquaristics may be lost. Then parents can help a little and inspire new ideas.
If, for example, only fish of the same sex were in the aquarium up to now, a small breed can create excitement. Watching fish courtship, how they build their nests and spawn, the young hatch and dart through the water as tiny movements – all this can keep children incredibly busy. At the same time, it gives them a sensitivity for natural processes.
If keeping fish is still too complicated for small children, reading it properly may help. Or a trip to the trade fair, where they can pick up new ideas and rekindle their interest.
Since fish are not necessarily easy to cuddle and the play options are limited, children should be involved in the care and design in particular. You must also be aware that fish can also become ill. Taking the goldfish to the vet? Yes, the young fish keepers are also responsible for that and can still learn a few things.
The whole family can participate in the children’s aquarium
Aquarists as a family hobby? Hardly any other pet offers so many incentives for all family members. Fish are suitable for allergy sufferers, are quiet (except for the pump), and don’t scurry all over the apartment. The sight of them allows us to sink into our thoughts and relax, observing their behavior promotes concentration – for young and old alike.
An aquarium can also be extremely decorative and offers many opportunities to get creative. In the do-it-yourself style, caves can be made together as a family, you can look for suitable materials on a walk and learn more about the life of the animals together.
In principle, fish require less effort than, for example, a dog that has to be walked several times a day. Nevertheless, fish also have special needs that must not be neglected under any circumstances. Depending on the age of the child, the parents may have to help out from time to time or maintain the aquarium together. But that can also bring the family closer together, especially if tasks are shared among each other and everything is well taken care of setting a feeding and cleaning schedule helps children keep track. If another activity occasionally crosses plans, older siblings or relatives can also step in. The children should also be allowed to organize this themselves.
Implementing design ideas together as families help everyone to identify with the aquarium. For example, mom chose the plants, dad built the cave and the kids arranged the sand colors. And so everyone can feel responsible for their part and enjoy it.
Important for parents: An aquarium should definitely be included in household contents insurance. The water damage from a 200-liter pool can be enormous…
And during the holiday season, fish are also ideal pets. Automatic feeders or a friendly neighbor can easily take care of the supply while the family brings new finds from the beach holiday for the aquarium.
This can become the real family experience. The aquarium for children thus becomes the scene for the whole family, as well as for visitors.