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Aquariums?

My nephew is 14 and he'd like an aquarium for Christmas. I'm wondering what type of tank and fish I should get for him. He's a good, responsible kid, but I'd like to get him something that is relatively easy to care for. The only thing I really know about them is that salt water tanks are difficult to care for and are best left to serious hobbyists.

Any suggestions, DL?

by Anonymousreply 21March 31, 2021 11:09 AM

Fish and tank in one easy step, OP.

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by Anonymousreply 1October 25, 2016 6:36 PM

I'd consider buying the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach or the National Aquarium in Baltimore. That IS what you had in mind, right?

by Anonymousreply 2October 25, 2016 10:05 PM

Land shark

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by Anonymousreply 3October 25, 2016 10:10 PM

If you want to get a kit, I might go with the 5.6 gallon Fluval Spec. It's really high quality and has a great quiet air pump and nice overhanging LED light. The size is great, narrow enough to fit on a very sturdy bookshelf.

You still need to get a heater (under ten bucks), plus gravel and decorations. Then you are set.

Five gallons isn't much. I would put a single betta fish in. They do best on their own and tend to be fairly hardy.

If not fish, you could try Dwarf African Frogs and/or snails like nerite or mystery snails.

Also, investigate "tank cycling" before actually getting fish. You need to build up helpful bacteria in the tank before introducing livestock. Most people run the tank for a month or so adding in a bit of food to start the bacteria cycle before putting anything live in.

You might also get a water testing kit to keep track of the ammonia and other chemicals, as well as the pH.

I kept a tank as a kid but never did any of this. I have much greater success as an adult.

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by Anonymousreply 4October 25, 2016 10:46 PM

Hire these guys. Unless you're poor, then never mind.

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by Anonymousreply 5October 25, 2016 10:56 PM

Is the nephew cute and hung?

by Anonymousreply 6October 25, 2016 10:57 PM

It's not at all easy, OP. Get him something cooler, like a PS4 if he doesn't have one. Aquariums are nightmares to maintain - salt water or now. You'd be burdening him with that.

by Anonymousreply 7October 26, 2016 12:01 AM

Finally, R6.

by Anonymousreply 8October 26, 2016 12:04 AM

I can't believe it took until r6 for that.

by Anonymousreply 9October 26, 2016 12:10 AM

For maximum ease of care/maintenance, go cold freshwater, although it does limit the fish he can have to pretty much goldfish. I have tropical freshwater and that's also relatively low-maintenance and easy to care for, especially in comparison to salt-water. We don't bother with pH testing or water conditioner or anything like that - just a 1/3 water change (using tap water that's been left to sit for a couple hrs) every 2-3 weeks - and some of our fish are approaching 11 years of age. I'd suggest the most important thing to take into account is not to overstock the tank. Ask at your local aquarium store.

by Anonymousreply 10October 26, 2016 12:12 AM

I also had a goldfish for well over a decade, but I think a simple warm-water tropical tank is easier because goldfish produce so much waste.

Start small, and as r10 said, don't overstock the tank, which is a huge temptation since it is fun to see a variety of fish, but the water becomes toxic fast when you near capacity.

You might also think about shrimp. They don't produce nearly as much waste as fish, and they are fun to watch.

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by Anonymousreply 11October 26, 2016 11:15 AM

Does he like to swim?

by Anonymousreply 12October 26, 2016 11:23 AM

Goldfish are very sturdy and very forgiving so they are the way to go. Just get the normal ones, not the ones with swishy gay tails. They're really just carp believe it or not and carp are incredibly hardy fish.

Don't buy one of those plastic tanks with the pump built in. The fish will die.

Go to the pet store and ask for a ten gallon freshwater starter set. They usually have them with all the stuff you need -- tank, gravel, pump and maybe some rocks and plants. If it gets really cold in his house a heater might be a good idea as long as it's used very conservatively. If the set doesnt have them get a few plastic plants because fish like to have a safe place to hide in case a bigger fish comes around (being fish, they do not comprehend that this is not going to actually happen).

Buy two small goldfish of different colors. Don't overpopulate. Seriously. You might want to buy a snail too but make sure the top fits tight because snails sometimes make a break for it! Snails are excellent garbagemen.

Don't overpopulate, don't overfeed. Buy him a child's book of goldfish care and read it with him. It's a good exercise in responsibility. Help him set it up.

Good luck!

by Anonymousreply 13October 26, 2016 12:32 PM

[quote]My nephew is 14 and he'd like an aquarium

If he's YOUR nephew he probably said GERANIUM

by Anonymousreply 14October 26, 2016 1:31 PM

Did you ask his mother if he could have an aquarium? I was ready to buy one for my nephew and my sister-in-law through a fit.

by Anonymousreply 15October 26, 2016 4:39 PM

Thanks everyone for the responses. R15, yes, my sister is on board with the idea of a fish tank, it was the first thing I made sure of.

I've done a bit more research, and the ten gallon tank seems a bit small. A local store actually has a great deal on right now for a 36 gallon tank and required equipment, heater, and pump, so I think I'm going to go with that. My sister is going to buy a cabinet so the boy has a nice place to store some extra supplies.

My nephew has done some research of his own and would like to stock the tank with some neon tetras, guppies, and a bottom feeder. Would a small school of neon tetras, a bottom feeder, and perhaps guppies together and in a 36 gallon tank? Or, is that too many fish for a tank that size. Honestly, I don't know if I totally trust the opinion's of the teens who work at the pet store.

Thanks!!

by Anonymousreply 16October 26, 2016 5:01 PM

I'm the Sea Monkey smartass (r1) above, but I think its a great idea. Cool uncle award.

by Anonymousreply 17October 26, 2016 7:54 PM

r16, the rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon maximum, so in 36g, you would not want to exceed 36" in length for the entire group of fish.

Websites are much better sources of information than big box pet store employees, although local fish stores tend to have people with much greater expertise.

Note: Most of the kits are sold at bargain prices and the components tend to be very low end. The filter may have to be replaced before long, and later on down the line, a better lighting system might work.

Another note: each gallon of water weighs about ten pounds, so with water alone, that tank will put 360 lbs. of pressure on whatever floor it is resting on. With the cabinet, gravel, equipment, and accessories, it will be at least 400 pounds, so take that into consideration in deciding where to place it!

by Anonymousreply 18October 27, 2016 11:27 AM

Any one have ever tried a salt water aquarium? I would like to have one, but i dont understand why some people say that it is dificult to maintain, you can actually buy real sea water. But i would like to know why it is more difficult to keep a salt water tank than a fresh water one.

by Anonymousreply 19October 27, 2016 5:02 PM

Get him a blue ringed octopus

by Anonymousreply 20October 27, 2016 6:28 PM

Get real pets. Lazy asses are you named?

by Anonymousreply 21March 31, 2021 11:09 AM
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