I think most humans get a small pet first.
I know my human had a parakeet and Betta fish when she was very young. I think she was about 5 years old. Of course her parents had to do most of the feeding & cleaning, but the cage & bowl were in her room.
On Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM - Petco is having their Amazing Aquatic Event to educate young children (6 - 12 years old) about Betta fish.
Below are some fun Betta fish facts from my pals at Petco.
Myth #1: Fish need a
lot of room to swim. Bettas may actually do better in a smaller bowl because
they don’t like a current. They like stagnant water because their natural
habitat is living in puddles in rice paddies.
Myth
#2: Fish cannot breath oxygen. This is true for most fish, but Bettas have
elaborate gills that allow them to breath oxygen, which is why they can be kept
in smaller habitats. They can gulp air rather use their gills because they are
labyrinth fish, which also helps them survive in dirty puddles.
Myth
#3: Some fish cannot be kept with other fish in the same tank. Keeping more
than one Betta in a fish tank should be avoided, but Bettas can actually be in
the same tank with nonaggressive fish such as swords, platies, mollies and
guppies.
This one (#4) is my favorite!
Myth #4: Fish cannot
be trained. Betta’s are smarter than you think! With proper training, Bettas
can be trained to jump out of the water, flare on command, and even swim
through a hoop.
Myth
#5: Fish floating on their side is never a good thing. Not for Bettas! Bettas
will often float on their side and lay motionless at times because they are
native to puddles. In fact, they can even survive without water for short
periods of time.
Myth
#6: Fish require frequent tank cleanings. Some fish need fresh water more often
than others. Bettas only need about 25-50 percent of new, fresh water added to
its tank every week or so.
Myth
#7: Goldfish are the perfect “starter” fish. Actually, Bettas are known to be
the best kinds of fish to start with. Many people see goldfish as the perfect
starter fish, but a recent study shows that 85 percent of the people in the
aquarium trade got started with a Betta.
Myth
#8: Fish cannot show emotion. Betta fish have plenty of emotion to show off! In
fact, they will make bubble nests on top of their water to show that they are
happy. Some Betta fish owners even say they are greeted by their Betta fish as
they are approach its fish bowl.
Interesting fish facts! I had no idea about some of these. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletewe have a Betta ourselves - he is one in a long line of them - all of which Mom call Blish. Every now and again he even posts on our blog!
ReplyDeleteHigh Paw, errrr, fin! BOL!!
DeleteHugs,
Pepper
Fish are not for me. I've had dogs my entire life. I've had a cat on occasion as well but my heart has always been for dogs.
ReplyDeleteMy first pet was a black Lab. Well, since he was a member of the family before I even was, I guess I was his first teeny human :-)
ReplyDeleteFun! Our first family dog was about when Mom was in second grade.
DeleteHugs,
Pepper
We had a Betta once a long time ago. He was really cool...but we had no idea we could've trained him! Who knew?!?
ReplyDeleteBOL!! I sure didn't know they could be trained until Petco told me.
DeleteHugs,
Pepper
Mom may have had a goldfish, but she can't remember and was not really a fish kid. She got her own cat when she was seven.
ReplyDeleteI love Bettas. I've always had them. They are so easy to keep and care for plus so pretty. I have a 5 gallon planted tank that I have a Betta in currently. My first pet though was a Syrian Hamster. Now I have dogs, a cat, chinchillas, a hedgehog and many fish tanks. They all keep me busy but very happy :)
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool Pepper! Our goldfish just died about 2 weeks ago unfortunately =/ Maybe I should have stuck with a betta. I knew a lot of this stuff about them already, but now I think I am going to have to search YouTube for a video of a Betta jumping through a hoop! BOL, I'll tell you if I find one :)
ReplyDeleteMy mom got her first cat from her grandpa when she was 5. He was a Turkish Angora. Mom has always had cats. But she got a big red Betta a few years ago - named him Hell Boy. He had a 5 gal tank to himself. Lived 4 years. He liked my orange doofus brofur Opie who would perch on top of tank and stick his nose in the water. Mom sobbed when Hell Boy died. He was a smart, great fish.
ReplyDeleteGreat info PEP! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI like Betta (they look beautiful and gorgeous!), but fish is really not my thing. My first pet is Chihuahua and have dogs as my pet since then.
ReplyDelete