Is My (Almost) 3 Year Old Too Young for a Pet Fish?

Do not get a three-year-old a pet unless YOU want a pet. YOU will be the one feeding it and cleaning the tank.
I got my daughter her first fish at about that age - a couple of black mollies. She came to me one afternoon and said, "Fish don't like bananas." She had tried to "share" her snack with them while I was putting away laundry, killed them, and clogged the filter with banana.

As long as you dont mind doing the care for them. My dd loves to feed them and look at them, and if one dies, flushing it down the toilet is big excitement as well, lol. If you want to do more than just basic goldfish, get a heater and get some platys. There are very hardy and the only thing we have been able to keep alive, plus if you keep the tank fairly warm they will breed, which is fun to have baby fish and watch them grow.

I saw someone said get a small tank, its easier. Its actually easier to keep the chemicals regulated with a larger tank. We have an 12 gallon, I would get a 20 if I had it to do over. Once a month my husband does a half water change on it and adds the chemicals. It has a heater and filter. Aside from that we just feed them once a day, its not really that much work. The guinea pig is a different story.

Keep it simple and cheap, and as everyone else has already said, be prepared for it to be 'your' pet.:)

We have several tanks, salt and freshwater. Our son is almost two and lives to watch. He also helps feed them. Betas are a nice started fish for a bowl or small tank, easy and low maintenance. If you so a small tank with a heater and filter hippies, mollies, platties, tetras, swordtails are all fun. Goldfish can also be good and do not all need heaters. None of our tanks are fed daily, but every 2-3 days. Guppies etc may breed well depending in the tank.size. I would see what kind he is intetested in. It is a good idea to let the tank run for a week or so before adding fish. We have three fish that we have had for over 8 years and have all done multiple cross country moves with us.

Have fun and enjoy some finned family members.

Added: A turkey baster is great for cleaning small bowls to suck up the hunk at the bottom.

He may appreciate it a lot, but YOU will be the one doing the feeding, cleaning, etc.

I was about 3 when I killed my first fish....I loved feeding it and decided to feed it wthout my mother's knowledge. Too much food = dead fish. I was heartbroken to find my fish floating. If you get a fish, be sure the food is kept out of the little one's reach. Otherwise, it should be fine.

Obviously you will be doing the cleaning of the tank and monitoring feedings....
But I think if he's really interested in watching them, go ahead and set him up a small tank. It will somewhat teach him a bit of "responsibility" in the sense that the fish will need fed, and on occasion the tank needs cleaning. He can help w/ that too.
Just don't be disappointed if he his interest isn't peeked after awhile. But fish are great to have in a house, therapuetic even.
Give it a try!

Sure--as long as YOU are willing to feed it and clean the tank/bowl!

Are you prepared to take care of the fish? Clean the tank, feed it, and anything else it needs? because while your son may enjoy looking at the fish, the person in charge of taking care of it will be you.
(that goes for ANY pet you bring into the house. NO matter how much they promise to do it...they wont!)
L.

hey i think its a great idea he loves fish and it is not too early as long as u watch him for couple days to make sure what he does, but it should be a great idea because ur child learns many things like even being careful and caring for other things then just himself! if he is interested that means he is just a little different ( in a good way)

He is not too young to appreciate it, but is too young to care for it. You will be responsible for it. I suggest a tank with a lid, btw. Also read up on the type of fish you're considering before making any purchases. People are often surprised that proper fish care is not as simple as they imagine.

just have realistic expectations. when my son was 2 1/2-3 ish, we got him his first fish, a beta. we even went nuts and got a little snail to go with it. both died within a few months. but it was a great introduction to chores, it was his job to feed the fish (with supervision, and of course we kept the fish food put away where he couldn't reach it, just common sense). of course i did all the cleaning of the bowl, but that was no biggie.

I'm sure he will like it... but you will have to take care of it.
He's too young to do that.
And you can't "pet" a fish.

Just get a very low maintenance fish, in a small bowl. Easier to take care of that way. A Guppy. And a water plant. Fish food. A bowl or small cute tank to keep it in.
Guppies, are easy. Don't even need an aquarium filter. But you will need to weekly, change the water out to keep it clean etc.
IF you get a big fish tank... be prepared to upkeep it. I find smaller tanks or cute fish bowls, much easier. And you can place it anywhere. Or move it around more easily.

Then, here is a story: My Husband bought himself a Beta fish. He wanted his own, pet fish. And he got a small tank to keep it in, and a plant and fish food and cute gravel for the tank.
It was so cute. And it would swim to whatever side of the fish bowl you were looking at him from, and he'd "look" at you. Then it died.
Because, even HE... did not take care of it, as he should have.
His friend who has a Beta told him "you don't have to feed them everyday... and you don't have to change the water every week." So he didn't.
Good grief.
Two men, talking about their pet Beta fish... and their "expert" opinion is you didn't have to feed the darn fish, everyday nor change the water every week.
Then he tells his friend that his Beta died. And his friend goes "yah, mine didn't last long either... so I got another one...."
Good grief.

Pet Fish care. Is essential.
Even if it is just one fish in a small bowl.
Care for it.
My Hubby's fish didn't make it.
Poor thing.

Get your son a cute easy fish.
You BOTH, can enjoy it.
Its fun going to the pet store, with your child and choosing one. I did that with my kids when they were that age and older. Its fun. They loved it.
But so their fish is still alive at least. Unlike my Husband's Beta fish.

We had a couple tanks when my older 2 were that age. They loved them!
They can't really do much to take care of them, it's all up to you. Best you can get at that age is you put the pinch of food in the lid and let them dump it in.
They would sit here and just watch them for ages.
If you are willing to put the time into taking care of them I am certain he will love them!

We have a 20 gallon tank with freshwater tropicals, neon tetras, turquoise danios, melon barbs and black mollies, a pleco and 6 snails. The tank pre-dates DS who is 2 and change. He "loves" the fish. Clamours to feed them on occassion, and sometimes gives the tank a kiss before he goes to sleep at night. (Not the most hygienic practice, but still unbelievably cute).

Some words of advice. you need to have at least 1 gallon of water for every 1" of fish (body length). Certain varieties grow larger, others don't. Keep that in mind, when you set up your tank.

Read up on water chemistry, and tank maintenance, and "cycling."

Consider fresh water tropicals over goldfish or betas. Each of those are very "dirty" fish in that they produce a lot of waste.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

My 3 year old has had fish since she was one. We have a 10 gallon tank in the livingroom. I have to keep the food up high and help her to feed them. She loves them. I remind her often that fish do not live long and she has already seen a few deaths. She gets a little sad but then she cheers up again. I let her pick what she wants from the cheap fish at the pet store. She usually wants a yellow one or a polka dotted one. I think you should go for it - but don't leave the food where he can reach it!

We got my son a goldfish for his third birthday. He was THRILLED. He loved to feed it, to "help" clean the tank, etc. The excitement did eventually wear off, but it was a good experience in teaching him about responsibility to living creatures, and he always wanted to feed it, even if he didn't spend as much time watching it later.

We had to move when he was three and a half, and decided that giving the fish away was kinder than making it travel cross-country, but we plan to get him another as soon as we're re-settled.

I always had a fish growing up. I do not remember getting one before the age of 5 or 6 though.

My Dad was the one who took care of the tank. There is upkeep and it needs to be done regularly---and that will be your job.

At age 3, you want to make sure your child does not push the fishbowl over. It's different in an office. The tank is usually lg.

We got my daughter a fish for her 3rd birthday... She LOVED it! She's always been very, very good about helping to feed and clean out the tank. She is better about it than I am - haha. I think it's a great idea!

Not too young as long as you help take care of the fish

At age 3, I would be a bit concerned about how he might react to the fish dying. Thankfully, we didn't have to give our kids the whole "lifecycle" discussion until they were were 4 or 5. If you are past this point with him, no problem! (However, as everyone has stated, prepare to maintain and care for the fish and tank yourself.)

If you stop by your nearest Petco (or other pet store chain) they will tell you that, the smaller the tank, the more difficult it is to keep the fish healthy. On one hand, I wonder if they are simply trying to sell bigger tanks...but on the other hand, the science that supports what they say is true.

Good luck!