Fish are terrible pets for kids, amirite?

The issue is what age. It can be a great 'teaching responsibility' tool if handled properly with a child old enough to care for the tank themselves.

by ExactBuilding2439 4 hours ago

and size of the tank plays a big part. i had fish as a kid at an age i was able to feed them properly, but the tank was way too big for me to clean

by Anonymous 3 hours ago

good point

by Anonymous 3 hours ago

Yes, the tank I had as a kid and the tank I helped set up for my daughter were 10 gallon, a manageable size and good for easy fish like guppies or mollies.

by ExactBuilding2439 3 hours ago

Keeping them alive is Definitely not as simple as it seems. I had several - and several tiny traumas watching them die. I'm never getting one for my kids.

by Hyattcarmen 2 hours ago

I think cats are far better starter pets for kids. They're easily the lowest maintenance pet I've ever had. Second easiest is probably my dwarf rabbit. Dogs are the hardest to care for. Hamsters, ferrets, etc. feel like the medium.

by Anonymous 2 hours ago

And teaches kids young not to F around with animals lest you get the claw

by imahayes 2 hours ago

Agreed. High maintenance and low engagement. People assume it's easier than it actually is. A dog or a cat is a better starter pet, wanting to see the animal happy and healthy is a motivator for the kid to actually follow through on the responsibility.

by Anonymous 1 hour ago

Fish aren't pets: they're amusing decorations. Yes of course they're sentient living beings who don't exist for human entertainment/aesthetics/consumption but as they exist in the context of being pets... like, you can't interact with them and they don't really know you exist.

by Anonymous 1 hour ago

Completely agreed. Plus kids are naturally going to want a pet they can interact with on some level. A fish is like, one of the only pets that you literally just look at. And kids are the absolute worst at just looking at things. A fish tank isn't any less work than a rodent cage unless you're neglecting them, and then the kid actually gets some reward for their work

by Anonymous 58 minutes ago

Probably one of the best pets for children to teach them responsibility and care for all life on earth is insects. A peer jumping spider for example takes up no room, takes barely any effort to keep alive and they're adorable. You can get jumping spider terrariums dirt cheap.

by Ramonstroman 29 minutes ago

I think most people just don't know what fish need to be healthy. They think, oh, it's a little fish, you just put it in some water, toss some food in, and it'll be fine. I feel bad for my childhood beta fish. He deserved a bigger tank, but I was a kid who didn't know any better.

by binsjacky 9 minutes ago