Most kids want a pet of their own. This may be beneficial for the child's development and sense of responsibility but it is the parents that usually end up caring for the pet. Because of this, some parents may opt not to have any pets at all especially those who want to maintain the cleanliness of their house. Dogs for example are noisy and dirty pets that need a companion every now and then and needs extensive house training before it can be released inside the house. Cats on the other hand, leave cat fur on the carpet and scratch marks on the furniture.



For the parents torn between the desires of giving their children a pet and keeping their home clean, fish as a pet may be a good option. Here are some advantages of having fish as a pet.

Pet Noise

Unlike a dog or a cat, a fish does not bark, whimpers or make scratching sounds on doors that can wake you up during the night. In fact, there will be no sound except for the sound of the aerator and the bubbles coming from the aquarium.

Dirt and Maintenance

A fish will not soil your carpets, eliminate anywhere on your house, scratch your furniture and dig in your back yard. In fact, the only maintenance required when you have a fish as a pet is to clean the aquarium once a month and make sure that the water temperature and quality is just right.

No Housetraining

House training pets is not an easy task. It requires a considerable amount of time and effort to house train a pet and most families simply do not have the time to do this. For this reason, a fish may be a good idea to give to your child as a pet. This way, he can learn how to be responsible when it comes to caring for his pet without being overwhelmed by the things he has to do everyday. It's also easier for the parents as they don't have to run around the house cleaning after the family pet.

Low Maintenance and Low Cost

A fish is a low maintenance and low cost pet. It only requires a small amount of food every month which can be bought cheaply. This way, a family can enjoy the benefits of having a pet without the hefty costs of providing for it the food that it needs. You can buy three months worth of feeds for your pet fish for just two dollars which is a lot cheaper than buying dog food.

Of course, you will also need to learn some basics about caring for a pet fish. This will involve things like maintaining the water quality by testing the water for nitrite, ammonia and PH levels once a week and by changing the water every month, putting new fishes in a separate bowl until you a sure that they are healthy and free from infections and using a strainer to remove dirt and uneaten food from the surface of the water.