# Aquariums and babys



## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

I just found out my live in gurlfriend is pregnant, good news. i was wondering if an aquarium would be benifical for our boundle of joy? i know the white noise of a spray bar puts me to sleep, and the fish sort of sothe me, would this help our new addition? or would an aquarium be too much of a hazerd, even early on?


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## Morpheus (Nov 12, 2008)

I would do like most people do and just buy him/her a crib. An aquarium is no place for a newborn. :wink:

Seriously, I am assuming this is your first child? Congrats! But if I were you, I might wait a bit. Time you would normally set aside to clean aquariums may now be the only chance you get for some quick shut eye. Personally, I would wait about 6 months until after the child is born. You will have settled into a schedule, and then you can decide if you have the time for another aquarium.

Again, congratulations!


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

as long as you dont put the baby in the aquarium, or use the fish to babysit, there should be no problems.

You may not want the extra stress from having a baby and keeping a fish tank however.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Morpheus said:


> I would do like most people do and just buy him/her a crib. An aquarium is no place for a newborn. :wink:


Ratts! You beat me to it! lol

My purely speculative perspective as a non parent... It would be better for your child to find amusement watching fishies swim back and forth than watching television... But it will be ahrd to find time to maintain the aquarium...

But then again you aren't talking about a 6' overstocked Cichlid tank... you are probably talking about something in the 10~30 gallon range... stocked with friendly fish... And this sort of set up is MUCH less demanding than the environments that most of us here have...

I know when I was a little kid my parents had fish tanks... and that was my introduction to a hobby that has lasted me a lifetime.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

see thats exactly what im aiming for, getting a jumpstart into introducing my newborn to this wonderfull hobby. i already have the 20g i had planned to use, as well as my girlfreinds support of this idea. but i"ll probably go 6 or so months befor setting it up as prevously suggested. Thanks for the advice.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

You may consider getting it going a few months before the baby arrives... This way you'll have time to get it cycled and work out kinks and create a simply routine in advance...

Because lord knows that first month or two your baby comes home you won't want to deal with cycling overlapping into childcare or any other problems popping up...

Oh and did I say... congratulations!!!


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

I agree with Toby_H. Set it up before the baby arrives. You get in the routine and it isn't that hard to keep it going once the baby is here. Adding duties after the baby is probably not going to happen. My kids used to sit in the baby carrier in front of the tank and be entertained for quite awhile. 4 years later, my little girl helps with maint. and feeding. My two year old tries to help as well.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

thats another good idea, i have the tank running now so id just need to move it and re-stock it. Im completely clueless as to how to stock it as of yet. Its a 20g high + we have hard water from the tap. fortunately i have around 6 more months to figure it out, any suggestions? im leaning towerds peaceful, so i can keep shrimp and snails and such.


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## xalow (May 10, 2007)

Some additional safety tips:

Have the tank attached to the wall if possible so that it cannot fall foreword. Eventually the baby will start to entertain the idea of climbing things and you really don't want the tank to be anything other than secure.

Use drip loops where all of the things plugged into the tank have the wires hang below the outlet so water running down them will never reach the outlet itself.

Get those plastic lock things for any cabinets on the fish tank to keep the foods, chemicals, etc. where they belong.

Position the tank so the wires from filters and heaters cannot be accessed.

Wear gloves or thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning the tank, particularly if you have an open wound.

Make sure the top of the tank is completely and firmly covered.

Now even with all of those warnings, I am fairly certain that owning a fish tank is much safer than owning say something like a dog.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

yea im in a battle fish over a dog, i had planned to take every safety precation i can, but how would you suggest attaching the aquarium(im asuming by the stand)


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

Aquariums are by nature top heavy... so I can understand why someone would take an "extra precaution" and anchor the stand to the wall for smaller tanks when kept near a baby...

Althoughh I must admit I've had some rather bulky roudy drunks fall, stumble, etc into 4' tanks and barely wabble... the 6' tank stands sturdy...

But the aquarium itself is not at risk of sliding off or being pushed off of a firm platform. So yes, anchoring the stand to the wall is what was meant...


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## skeeterbird (Oct 28, 2008)

Having 4 tanks of various sizes and 3 children (admittedly the youngest is 12) I would suggest an understocked and slightly over filtered tank with easy care fish and maybe an auto feeder too. If you can sreetch to some nitrate gobbling plants too it would help. I always found Ruby Barbs to be almost bomb proof.

Congrats on the forth coming baby.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

thanks for all the congrats, i would love plants...maybe java fern/moss as i only have low light capabilites


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## skeeterbird (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah Java moss would be good. In fact there are many different types of moss you could consider, Weeping Moss, Christmas Tree Moss. And Crypto's are easy too. I've always found Vallis to be any easy also.


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## Cognition (Oct 14, 2009)

can vallis deal with 1 watt/gallon?


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## 18fisher (Mar 2, 2006)

dont know if this helps i have had tanks in both my boys rooms since they came home. one is 12 other is six, they love fish tanks now,we put both boys in front of the tanks in there little seats and they would watch the fish or shadows at that time for a good long time, Now my oldest has his own tank in his room that he loves to take care of. also i dont know to many 6 year olds that know what a peacock and frenchtosa is he calls it. hope that helps sorry about typing im bad real bad. 18 fisher :thumb:


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