On the other hand, having a fish tank can offer a range of benefits too. Therefore, deciding whether to keep pet fish or not can be tough. Below, we’ll outline the pros and cons of keeping fish to help you make the correct decision.
Pros:
A great way to relieve stress and relax
Managing your stress levels after work is vital for your overall wellbeing, especially during this pandemic. With a fish tank at home, it will become easier to reduce stress when you observe the graceful movement of the fish. There’s something called solace in it, which calms your mind and the surroundings. That’s one of the reasons why offices keep fish tanks.
It’s not only the fish but also the water splashes made by the filter that soothe your ears as generally, people can’t bear utter silence, especially at the workplace. All in all, keeping a fish tank will help relieve your stress and make you feel relaxed.
A great learning experience
Keeping fish can be a rewarding hobby and a great educational experience for you and your kids (if you have any). You’ll learn a lot about chemistry, ecosystems, and underwater life. There’s even a possibility of you becoming a mini-scientist as you’ll be left with no other option than to learn more and more about it.
It will also motivate your kids to research and learn more about the animal with whom they are living. Their curiosity will lead them to invest time to research on their doubts, sharpening their knowledge as well as their research skills.
Less involved compared to other pets
With fish, you have to worry less about their involvement in any of your tasks as compared to other pets like dogs and cats. All you need to do is get a fish tank and aquarium supplies online or offline, set it up, feed the fish regularly and change and clean the water and filter occasionally.
For the rest of the time, your fish will sail in their own world, and will not need any further guidance. So, if you need a less needy pet, then you should opt for fish. They will look beautiful, interesting to observe and will be your cute little babies that are less needy.
Great for home décor
A fish is not only a conversational element for a place but also a beautiful piece for the home décor. A good and clean-looking fish tank will add to your home’s aesthetics, bringing life to your space. Additionally, fish have so many species and colours, which make it more alluring.
Furthermore, if you employ the right plants for the fish tank, the right lighting, decorations and other elements, then it will be the top stand-out piece of your home décor.
Cons:
An expensive investment
Setting up a fish tank can get expensive upfront. Besides the aquarium, you need to buy a filter, heater and water conditioner. Needless to say, you will also need fish and plants to make your fish tank look lively and green. You can look for these items in the aquarium shop online, wherein you can get some discounts. Also, expenses will depend on the size of the tank and the specifics of your need.
The cost will not end here! You will also need to purchase fish food and medicine, and there will be electricity and water usage too. So, set your budget before starting with your hobby of fishkeeping.
The learning curve can get steep
This is one of the biggest drawbacks of having a fish. Initially, the learning curve can get steep. You merely can’t add water and other elements and then add fish to it. There are a few more tasks which you must undertake. For instance, removing chlorine if you’re using tap water, seizing fish wastes by accumulating handy bacteria, setting the right temperature, etc.
Some fishkeeping tasks can make the beginner or hobbyist lose interest. Additionally, when you start seeing your fish in which you had to spend big bucks are quickly losing their breath, you’ll lose all the motivation for having them.
Maintenance can be a hassle
Keeping fish can look like a pretty simple job, but if truth be told, then it isn’t. During the busy schedules, its maintenance may drop out, leaving the fish tank dirty and ugly looking, resulting in dead fish. Regular maintenance of the fish tank is a significant factor to have a healthy-looking fish.
Furthermore, the cleaning task will include removing dirty water and adding fresh water, cleaning the filter and checking whether or not the fish and plants are not suffering from ailments. For all of these, you need to have a proper commitment, which can be a hassle.
After reading the pros and cons, hopefully, you must have made your decision. In our opinion, it’s worth investing your money and time. Once you sail through the hiccups and learning curves, the fishkeeping process would become a cakewalk for you.
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