FISH FACTS : Think keeping fish is easy? Think again. Here are the … – Washington Times Herald

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Areas of patchy fog developing. Low 42F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..
Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Areas of patchy fog developing. Low 42F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: December 31, 2022 @ 6:41 pm

If you’re considering getting fish because you don’t want a high-maintenance pet, you may want to reconsider. Jessie Sanders, DVM, a certified aquatic veterinarian who practices in the San Francisco Bay area, says it’s a myth that fish are significantly less work than any other pet.
“Any fish is going to need just as much care as a cat or a dog. People are unaware of the commitment it takes when bringing a fish into their home.”
Certain fish can, however, be good choices for beginners. Sanders likes goldfish, betta fish and neon tetras. Goldfish are hardy, bettas need less space than goldfish and neon tetras are colorful and eight to 10 of them can do well together in a small tank. All of them still require basic care, though. Here’s what to know.
A goldfish is often a child’s first experience with pet care — I remember having one myself in grade school — but even though goldfish can tolerate a lot of beginner mistakes, they don’t always last long because people are unaware of their needs.
Take tank size. That cute little 3-to-5-gallon bowl you bought for your goldfish is really only good for transporting your new finny friend home, and maybe for a brief period afterward. Goldfish are messy, and they need a lot of space. A 20-gallon tank is a good starter size. A single goldfish can grow to the size of a dinner plate and may eventually need a 100-gallon tank.
Bettas also suffer from the mistaken belief that they don’t need much space. They can stay in a smaller space than a goldfish, but they have other needs.
“A lot of owners don’t put them in a tank with a filter and a heater, and without those, their lives can be significantly shortened,” Sanders says.
For any fish, filters and regular partial water changes are important for good health. Poor water quality is one of the factors that can shorten the life of aquatic denizens. Just as humans don’t breathe as well in environments with polluted air, fish need healthy water to survive and thrive. Swimming around in water filled with their own waste and food remnants isn’t good for them.
Performing partial water changes eliminates waste, replenishes some of the micro minerals in the water and helps to keep the water’s pH level balanced. Depending on the number of fish in the tank and the size of the tank, Sanders recommends a 10% water change weekly or 25% every other week. If you’re concerned that you might not be doing sufficient water changes, she says it’s a good idea to regularly test the water chemistry, specifically pH carbon alkalinity and nitrate levels.
An important component of doing water changes is using a tap water conditioner, Sanders says. Look for one that says it treats chlorine and chloramine, which may be used by city tap systems to treat their water. Both are toxic to fish and can kill them.
When it comes to feeding fish, the standard advice to read the label applies. Fish thrive on protein, so the higher the levels of protein, the more rapidly you can expect your fish to grow, Sanders says. Avoid foods with excessive fat content — more than 8%. Fish in captivity don’t need high levels of fat unless they’re in a breeding program or are highly stressed, which they shouldn’t be.
Choose food based not only on the nutritional needs of your fish, but also the way that they feed. Factors include water temperature and whether fish primarily live on the bottom, mid-tank or just below the surface.
Finally, don’t expect to avoid vet visits. An annual exam can help to ensure that your fish is in good health, isn’t overweight, doesn’t have parasites and has appropriate water chemistry.
Easy tips to bring up pup
Q: We’re getting a new puppy soon! What tips do you have for bringing him up to be a great dog?
A: There are three words to keep in mind as you raise your new pup: love, consistency and structure. Here’s how to get started so you can make the most of those first crucial months of learning with your puppy.
— Make him a part of your family. Puppies want and need our attention, guidance and love. They belong in the home, not in the backyard.
— Structure and consistency are essential for effective housetraining. Take your puppy out on a regular schedule to potty, and give lots of excited praise and treats when he “goes” where you want. Set a timer so you don’t forget or keep him on a leash by your side so that you’ll notice when he’s getting squirmy and can hustle him outdoors.
— Provide your puppy with many positive interactions and experiences to everything he might encounter in life: environmental sounds, friendly people and animals, interesting places, and smells. Avoid dog parks or other areas that dogs frequent until puppy inoculations are complete, but otherwise, the sky’s the limit.
— Don’t let a puppy do things that you wouldn’t want a grown dog to do, such as jumping up on people. It’s better to teach an alternative — such as sit — from the beginning rather than trying to retrain an adult dog.
— Make training fun with positive-reinforcement techniques. You can find lots of books, videos and classes that use these modern methods. A puppy training class is great for socialization, too.
— Be patient! Puppies are babies, and they make mistakes. Be kind and distract and redirect them when they do. Heavy-handed punishment will only cause them to shut down and be less able to learn. — Mikkel Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to [email protected] or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.
Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

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