The Backwards Aquarist

Both DH and I grew up with aquariums. I had the typical community tank for most of my childhood years. DH had both a community tank setup and

then later a saltwater setup. When we married, having aquaria was a no brainer, and we decided to keep aggressive fish. We've had aquariums of both African and South American cichlids, as well as community AKA peaceful aquariums over the years, but now we are about to venture into uncharted territory: we are going back to basics. We now have feeder goldfish, which are essentially someone else's cull fish. I've bought goldfish/comets for the outdoor ponds and barrels and they have been very hardy, but I've never had goldfish indoors, not even in a classical kiddie fishbowl.

I was going to take the cichlid tank down in order to save on electricity, but my JRose gets so much enjoyment from watching fish. The problem was that the cichlids hid in the rocks and weren't very showy to hold the attention of a toddler. So, I re-homed the fish and removed the heater for our 55 gallon tank. Goldfish like cool water. I moved the rocks around making the change from a natural Lake Malawi style cichlid tank to a kid friendly, fun to watch, colorful goldfish tank. Feeder goldfish are cheap, so I bought 30 small ones as well as a couple of Cory cats(corydoras catfish), one albino and one bronze. I want JRose to be mesmerized by Grandma's fish. As she grows and understands more, the tank will evolve. I can't wait to see her face when she watches angelfish, kuhli loaches, or a black ghost knife, or when she is old enough, watch an oscar eat a guppy. It is all part of the magic. One day, we will give her her own tank.

Keeping fish teaches kids the importance of maintaining a non-polluted ecosystem. They learn about biology, water chemistry, evolution, and even botany if they are allowed to grow real plants instead of decorating with the plastic variety. They can set up a creek tank or a cichlid tank, explore a range of habitats, and of course learn how to raise the fry, or in the case of the mouthbrooding cichlids, set up a friendly breeding environment. It teaches the interconnectivity of life.