Google Search

Custom Search

Search Result

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

5 great fish that make great first pets

Most kids these days would rather look at an Xbox than a 10-gallon fish tank, but all is not lost. Introducing youngsters to fish-keeping can end well if you set things up for success. Since the first step is choosing species that are survivors, here are five candidates for the newbie's fish tank.

NATALIE CAUDILL/DMN

1 Siamese fighting fish. Also called bettas, these often iridescent beauties are the poster fish for low maintenance, says Gene Sanchez, owner of Tropical Showcase in Hicksville, N.Y. "They don't need a filter, and they can live in a jelly jar."

Although bettas get along with many fish, they are less gregarious with their own kind.

2 Goldfish. Don't dismiss these as too "everyday," says Dominick Caserma, owner of A Lot of Fish in Babylon, N.Y. Goldfish come in dozens of colors and varieties.

3 Gourami. Anthony Mansueto, proprietor of South Shore Tropicals in Lindenhurst, N.Y., votes for these hardy Asian natives. Male gouramis can be fin nippers, and so are not a good choice with bettas or guppies, although many of the other fish on this list – including tetras and danios – are compatible with them.

4 Danios. This torpedo-shaped member of the minnow family is hardy and, like the betta, needs no water filtration, just a water change once or twice a week.

5 Tetras. "Most aquarists don't check the pH of their water," and without intervention a tank will become acidic – an environment the tetra thrives in. Silver dollars also are part of this family.

No comments: