hobbies
Keeping your little ones occupied is always tricky and looking for new hobbies that interest them can be even harder. Here's one that should go swimmingly...
Tere’s plenty that’s
their parents were children. Tis isn't surprising as fish really do make the perfect first pet. Not only are they easy to look aſter, they are also a great way of teaching children responsibility as well as giving them an indoor hobby that can help tear them away from screens. 'Keeping fish is a simple and enjoyable
fishy K
about this children’s pastime
eeping fish as pets is increasing in popularity, with twice as many children today taking care of fish compared with when
58MODERNMUM Summer 2016
hobby with little maintenance required,' says Dave Hulse, who is the technical consultant at aquatic company, Tetra. 'Fishkeeping offers so much. Not only does it provide hours of fun, but it also offers an educational aspect helping children learn and understand the responsibility of caring for a pet. As for the parents, whether you are looking for something specifically for the kids’ playroom or a design feature for the living room, there are a wide range of stylish and fun aquariums available now - there's even a Peppa Pig aquarium! „
TOP TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED:
• Find the perfect spot. Ensure that the tank is on a sturdy surface which is able to support three times the weight of the filled tank, and which is both near a power socket and away from direct sunlight and radiators.
• Once you have found a suitable location follow the instructions in the box explaining how to set up the filter in the tank. Don't plug the power socket into the wall until the tank is full of water!
• Place a layer of aquatic planting gravel at the bottom of the tank so that plants are able to root into and feed off. Now half fill the tank with tap water - a great tip for ensuring that you don’t disturb the laid gravel is placing a plate or saucer over it.
• With the tank half-full of water, you can now add the plants, place the roots of the plant into the special gravel layer by first burrowing a small hole with your fingers and covering the roots afterwards.
• Once you are happy with the layout of your plants, very carefully fill the rest of the tank with tap water, then plug in the power socket and switch on the filter. Ta dah! The water will appear very cloudy at first as lots of small particles from the gravel will need to settle down or be trapped by the filter. After 24 hours the water should be crystal clear.
• Before you add your fish, you’ll need to treat the water. Your local pet store will be able to provide you with a solution, which will neutralise harmful substances in tap water such as chlorine and chloramine and make it suitable for your new friends. After 24 hours you can then add your fish.
• Speak to your local pet shop about the correct fish for your particular tank. They will be able to advise which fish are suited to the size of your tank and also help you decide which fish to put together to ensure your new friends all get along.
• When adding your new fishy friends it's really important to acclimatise them to the water. They will be transported in sealed plastic bags and these must be floated on the surface of the tank for 20 minutes. Siphon out enough water to make room for the bag. After 20 minutes, open the bag and allow a small amount of tank water in, then repeat this process every ten minutes for the next hour. Now gently lift the bag and allow the new family members to swim out into their new home.
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