Cape & Islands News

Not warm or cuddly - but fun

 Fish can offer brilliant color, undemanding ownership

   While low-maintenance pets, Betta fish do require some attention.

Special products help fish thrive inside their tanks

By Samatha Pearsall

With a blindfold, I was slowly led down the stairs to the living room on Christmas morning to find a brand-new, 55-gallon aquarium kit and stand just waiting for me to fill it with plenty of colorful, energetic little goldfish.

Betta do not require a filter, a heater, or a large tank, and consequently are very easy to care for. They are a great pet for college students who usually cannot have larger animals or rodents in the dorms.

It was certainly my favorite gift.

But the fish aren't soft or cuddly. You can't take them for a walk or play fetch. They just swim in their stationary tanks all day and night, eat, and create waste.

So who wants a fish for a pet?

Apparently a lot of people.

"Betta fish sell more than any other small animal in the store," said an employee at Debby's Pet Land in Hyannis.

Betta do not require a filter, a heater, or a large tank, and consequently are very easy to care for. She said Betta are a great pet for college students who usually cannot have larger animals or rodents in the dorms.

Betta are the most commonly sold fish at Cape Maid Farms in Hyannis, too.

"A lot of people get two, put them in one tank and put in a clear divider. It helps to animate them," said Chris Moody in the fish and aquarium department.

"People buy them to put in vases with peace lilies for centerpieces too," Moody said. "They're very popular with college students, where they can't have anything outside of a tank. Plus they add color to any room."

I got my very first goldfish, Fin, at a carnival on my college campus as a sophomore. Goldfish were being given away with small tanks. Students chose their preferred color of gravel and type of fake plant.

All four of my roommates own fish as well, and two have Bettas.

Various water conditioners, neutralizers, and test kits to are available to ensure your fish are immersed in their ideal environment.

"A lot of people came in for Christmas to buy goldfish or Bettas as gifts for kids," said Ryan Grady from PetSmart in Hyannis.

"Usually when parents get them for young kids, it's because if they end up having to clean it, it's not hard to keep up with," Grady said. "Depending on what type of goldfish it is, they're pretty easy to take care of. Betta fish are a lot easier because if you forget to feed it for one day it's not going to hurt."

Fish do have drawbacks, though.

"Younger kids want to be able to hold a pet. Fish don't have that appeal," explained Moody, from Cape Maid Farms. "There's a misconception of the care that fish require, so some people don't take proper care of them, and the fish die. Then they stop buying them."

After having two new fancy goldfish die last week, I've found getting my large tank to the right temperature and condition is key in growing healthy and hearty goldfish. Constant water testing is critical when incorporating new fish.

According to an employee at PETCO in Falmouth, different fish thrive in various water conditions and temperatures. Regular goldfish, for example, enjoy water between 62 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with a pH more basic between 7 and 7.4.

Various water conditioners, neutralizers, and test kits to are available to ensure your fish are immersed in their ideal environment.

This holiday season aquarium kits were a popular gift, according to Grady at PetSmart.

"Most popular tanks lately have been the 20-30 gallons kits, and some 10 gallon tanks," he said.

These aquarium kits allow people to start from scratch by adding their own gravel, plants, background, and other décor. The kits usually include filters, heaters, hood covers, and lights.

Aquarium kits allow people to start from scratch by adding their own gravel, plants, background, and other décor. The kits usually include filters, heaters, hood covers, and lights.

After I set up the tank, started filtering the water, and added my fish, my tank became cloudy after just a couple of days. The PETCO employee described this condition as "new tank syndrome."

She recommended using Acurel F to clear up murky or polluted water. The product adds organic extracts that contain "the good bacteria" which will improve water quality and clarity. She also warns any new fish owners about overfeeding, which will lead to clogged filters.

This past summer, after browsing around a specialty fishpond and garden center, Pondscapes in Cataumet, I decided I wanted my own outdoor fishpond. But I was hesitant to move even my three heartiest fish outside. I know several people who have backyard fishponds and I've always wondered how the fish fair in the harsh winter weather here.

"Goldfish can tolerate water in the 30s as long as it's not frozen solid. If the pond is 3 or 4 feet deep, it won't freeze solid. Most importantly, if the whole surface freezes the fish suffocate because there will be no oxygen," said Moody, from Cape Maid Farms.

"Goldfish gorge themselves then store fat for winter," he said. "When winter hits they stay toward the bottom and can live off their fat reserves because their metabolism slows down so much."

If, like me, you still don't feel comfortable leaving your favorite fish out in the cold all winter, some fish specialists say many people bring their fish inside for the cold months and put them back into the outdoor pond when it warms back up in the spring.

   A close-up view of my new fish tank.

   Fish tanks sit patiently on shelves at PETCO, awaiting prospective fish owners.