Getting a fish

[infomama]

So without going into the saga...DH promised Dd1 a fish. We are getting it tomorrow and my question is this. Should we get a betta fish or goldfish?

This little guy will be living in a fish bowl..no fancy tank and we do have 2 cats so I suppose it will have to be covered somehow.

ANY advice is much appreciated.

[Melaine]

We've done both (not with the kids, but before). They can both be really easy. I was thinking about getting a few goldfish for the girls for Christmas. My reason for getting GF is, frankly because they are like 19 cent a piece. And easily replaceable (I would totally replace a fish without telling DDs upon it's demise).
I have to say, the peace lily with the beta fish really does work well. I know it was sort of a fad gift, but it is great because it really keeps the bowl clean. (would also cover the bowl for your cats). But as a kid we had several goldfish that literally lived for years. IME, goldfish seem to be a little hardier (is that a word to use for fish, or just plants?).

[Tondi G]

we are considering the same... thinking we may end up with a Beta.

[infomama]

Found this but still open to advice from everyone!! http://www.aquariumfish.net/information/fish_bowls.htm

[citymama]

I try not to encourage the tropical fish trade, so I would vote goldfish over betta for ethical reasons!

[bluestar2]

I think bettas are a little bit easier.

[bluestar2]

I try not to encourage the tropical fish trade, so I would vote goldfish over betta for ethical reasons!

Just curious... why?

[NewMom2007]

We have a betta and that fish is very tough! I try to keep up with cleaning, but it has done well when I've slipped and it's pretty gross in the tank.

One thing - be careful not to overfeed.....we have a pretty small bowl and you can tell if you overfeed by how quickly it gets dirty and you see the food flakes on the rocks....

Overall, very easy to care for, no need for filters.

[calv]

another betta mama here! i had 2 of them @ the office and now the kids have one they love! cheap and super easy to care for!

want a 3rd idea? get them the african dwarf frogs! they're so funny to watch and also easy to care for!

[Jen841]

Our first lasted 3.5 years in a dirty bowl in the middle of our kitchen table. The kids love it! We are on #2 now. For #1 I bought the most generic they had for $2.99 just in case.

I was told goldfish should have a filter and pump.

[deborah_r]

We had goldfish in a 10 gallon aquarioum with filter and pump...and they all died. I think one fish that was added had "ick". We've had a lot of luck with our snails - when the goldfish died the snails lived.

I think a betta is easier to keep alive.

[GaPeach_in_Ca]

We had a betta that one day jumped out a small dish DH had put it in to clean it's bowl and we didn't notice right away - it made a full recovery! It was crazy.

[citymama]

I try not to encourage the tropical fish trade, so I would vote goldfish over betta for ethical reasons!


Just curious... why?

The tropical fish trade is decimating coral reefs around the world. For a really good explanation, here's a powerpoint presentation I found online (from USAID!): http://www.nmsfocean.org/chow/Best.pdf

Now I don't know if bettas fall in this category of wild-farmed - I assume not since they are so common, they're probably bred in captivity. (So my original comment may not be accurate - but again, I don't know one way or another for sure.) Here's a fantastic guide from Reef Protection International for tropical fish to avoid or OK to buy for aquariums:
http://www.reefprotect.org/fish_guide_index.htm

and the full PDF report is at: http://www.reefprotect.org/fish_guide.htm

And an interesting article from National Wildlife Federation:
"Fill An Aquarium without Emptying the Sea" (http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=112&articleId=1424)

[mom2binsd]

What a timely thread..we've got fish issues.

Goldfish poop a lot...Betta's not much at all....if you get one, it's a good thing if the surface of the water get's kinda slimy/a film, I didn't know this was known as a sperm bubble and signs of a happy Betta- our guy was pretty happy, until DH was changing the bowl and broke him in half with the net....luckily Pet Smart is 5 min away, we distracted DD and when she noticed the bigger fins we just said it was the new water with vitamins.
Betta #2 isn't looking good, we've tried a number of remedies and have prepped DD for his possible demise, he used to swim and loved being on the island in our kitchen...all he does now is stay at the bottom, not a good sign but I think we'll wait it out and then NO MORE FISH- this all started at the State Fair with DH winning a goldfish for DD, he died a week later, funeral and then the Betta odyssey.

[R2sweetboys]

I try not to encourage the tropical fish trade, so I would vote goldfish over betta for ethical reasons!

I do admire your stand against the tropical fish trade(we used to have a saltwater tank and I had no idea!), but I wanted to mention that bettas are not tropical saltwater fish at all. They are freshwater fish and are raised in captivity.

OP, I would recommend a betta for sure. We had one that lasted 3+ years and, trust me, it wasn't always cleaned as often as it should've been! We currently have two(separate tanks!) that are thriving. Our tanks are little betta fish tanks with covers that we got at the local pet store. They each have a little castle that the fish seem to enjoy as a hiding/resting spot. I'd recommend putting something in the tank for this purpose. Overall, very easy! Growing up I had goldfish that needed a filter tank and they didn't live nearly as long.

[kransden]

I have a 10 gallon tank with a good pump and 2 goldfish. I would buy 5 of the feeder goldfish at a time, and eventually 2 made it past the month mark. We have now had them for 2.5 years. I change the filter every month. They really aren't much work and are quite pretty.

[citymama]

I do admire your stand against the tropical fish trade(we used to have a saltwater tank and I had no idea!), but I wanted to mention that bettas are not tropical saltwater fish at all. They are freshwater fish and are raised in captivity.



LoL, thanks for the clarification; shows what I know! Considering I have a degree in conservation biology (although not focused on aquatic ecosystems), I should now go hide under a rock. But you get my general drift!

[bluestar2]

Yes, it was my understanding that most freshwater fish was captive bred specifically for the aquarium trade. Nevertheless, I hope that most people buying fish research their choice of pet in advance in order to provide the best possible home for them. Saltwater fish are a whole different story altogether, as most of them are wild caught, and many are delicate and need very specific requirements. I appreciated the links, they were quite informative.