Should We Get a Goldfish for Our 4.5 Year Old Daughter?

C.,

Just so you know, they die easy. They do not last long at all. So you can replace them when they pass. I got one of those Chinese Fighting fish, lasted now for over 2 years. You only need one. I keep it in a small bowl and feed it every two days. I clean the bowl once a week. Good luck!

D.

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Hi C.,
Just to add to what others have said about goldfish: They are not hearty. We got two goldfish when our son was about six, they lasted about six months. We were all very sad when they died. I was more emotional than I expected to be, and my son took it incredibly hard. He still talks about them (he's nine now).

Also, they do require more maintenance than we were prepared for. Cleaning the tank weekly was a lot of work.

So as others have said, do consider another type of fish, if you do want to give your daughter the experience of taking care of fish.

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I know I'm repeating what everyone else said, but do not get a goldfish for a first-time fish. They produce twice as much waste (hence more ammonia) than regular fish, which is why they die so quickly. We have a nice little Eclipse tank that has a betta and 5 neon tetras in it which do well together. The filtration system is all enclosed and easy to maintain. My kids (3 + 6) were very eager to feed the fish for a long time...of course it's my job now, which I expected. :)

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Hi C.
I would definitely go with the beta fish. They are really easy to take care of. You only have to feed them a few times a week and they don't require a tank with a filter.

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HI, if your daughter really wants a fish i'd recommend a betta fish. The setup is small and the maintenance is changing the water once a week. Plus, they seem to be pretty hardy. That said, I got my daughter one over a year ago and I am now the official fish keeper. :) But I like him too. Good luck!

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Everyone is right on about the goldfish...they do not last long. We have tried but they only lasted a couple of weeks. The Betta is the best! We had one for about 3.5 years and just got another one after it died. Good luck and I say just do it!!!

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I would suggest getting a beta fish. They are really easy to take care of and last a long time. The ones that i have had lived for about two years. They breathe air so you don't need any type of air filter or whatever. Just need to change the water about once a week or when dirty and feed once a day. My daughter loved her fish and when it died we were able to use it as a lesson about death. She cried of course but got over it in about an hour.... you can find these at any pet supply store like Pets Plus. Good luck !

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I truly believe that all children should grow up around animals. From learning empathy and responsibility to earning the unconditional love that a pet can give; kids should be with animals.
As you can probably tell- we have many pets in our home.
That said.... a goldfish probably isn't a good first pet. They are need their tanks cleaned often (if you use a standard bowl) and they do die easily. By the age of 4.5 she is more than ready for more responsibility.
If she is really interested in fish- try a small tank set up for tropical fish. A 10 gallon tank is plenty big enough to house 6 fish or so. Try tetras- they are pretty hardy and easy to care for. Any quality local pet shop can help you set this up.
I really would recommend you look into a parakeet or guinea pig. Guinea pigs are smart enough to recognize your daughter's voice. They are cuddly and rewarding as far as rodents go. A parakeet would also interact and be a friendly companion.
You guys should just bite the bullet and get a cat!
-S.

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I agree with some of the other replies--get a beta. Ours is over two years old and still going strong!

Hi C.,
I have a newly 5 year old and 6 year old and they both have had a fish in their rooms for the last 6 months or so. I work at a pet store and I dont recommend a goldfish...despite what people think goldfish do need a whole set up(filter and all). If your new to fish I highly recommend getting a beta fish....they dont require a full setup...you can literally just put them in water with some gravel and a decoration. If you decide on getting a fish its the easiest to care for and really requires little effort. The sales person will tell you how to get started. Hope that helps...good luck :)

HI C.- I think the most important thing to consider about it is, how will you handle the situation when the fish dies? Because it will, perhaps sooner than later. Goldfish are typically pretty hardy and easy to take care of. Any place that sells them will tell you how to do it. Make sure the bowl/tank is out of the sun, otherwise you'll get algae. That's the best advice I can give you. No real reason not to have one if she really wants one. Have fun.

Goldfish are not hardy. It's a good way to teach your child about life and death though - a lot of people get goldfish when they have an older dog or elderly grandparents and want the child to learn about death from fish first! Two other options are betta fish - usually they are red or blue but I have seen some in sort of a gold/orange color, if that's really important. There is one per tank, and those are small bowls since the fish are native to small, naturally occurring pools. They need to be sort of neglected - don't overfeed or overclean the bowl.

Another option is tropical fish in a small tank. You would need a filter and you need to clean the tank about once a month. Go to a good pet store (not necessarily a big chain) and tell them you want something small. Let your daughter pick out some tank accessories like a fake plant and maybe a decorative rock or castle. Set the tank up for 1 week before adding fish. Anything in the tetra family is hardy and can be colorful, and there are many varieties. They are non-aggressive, community fish. Other good families are mollies and barbs - again with many colors. Don't overdo it - just a few will do it.

Be aware that fish are interesting for a few weeks and then the fascination wears off. However, if you get a dog or a cat, the kids say they will help, but after a few weeks, you can forget that too! No matter how you slice it, this will be YOUR pet!

We have a male betta fish and we're very happy with him. He perks up when I turn his light on because he knows he's being fed. He's quiet, doesn't eat much, doesn't require much space or long walks, is hypoallergenic---and he's fun to watch. Dentists sometimes have them in their offices because watching fish is soothing to patients. Male bettas are usually colorful with wavy fins, though we have a pale almost white halfmoon betta (pricier than some of the others but we love him).

Male bettas are aggressive toward other fish so they are always in a tank alone. You can buy a one-gallon tank with or without a filtering system and you clean the tank about every two weeks. You use regular tap water and put in a fish additive for the tank, but let it get to room temperature before using it. If you go away on vacation, you can buy 7-day solid food shapes that dissolve in the water during the week, so no worries about fish-sitters. I feed the fish most days because then I know it's done and we don't overfeed him by accident.

Bettas live up to 4 years. I've read articles where doctors suggest getting a fish or another animal with a short lifespan to teach kids about death.

The pet salesperson recommended betta fish over goldfish because they're cleaner. I don't know. I had goldfish and guppies as a kid, but I wasn't the one cleaning the tank!

We won teh gold fish at teh carnaval... lasted about a day. Went to pet store to ask about thee asiest fish for my 6yr old and 9 yr old to manage and got the siamese fighting fish...look just like the gold fish, actually fancier. They are real easy to upkeep...just go in and ask about them at your local pet shop. Good luck!!
P.

I had a fantail goldfish, Butch, that I got when I was a freshman in Highschool. I loved that fish. He went to college with me, nuumerous apartments, and settled in to our familys first home. I had him for 12 years! He was awesome! I did use bottled spring water for him when we were at places with cloronated water. We also used a little aquarium salt at every water change. He lived happily by himself in a 10 gallon tank. He was extreamly easy to care for. We now have 4 fantail goldfish, named Murray (after the Wiggles) They are alright, but Butch was the man.... ;)