Are you thinking of getting a pet fish for your toddler? Wondering if your 3 year old is too young to have a pet fish? Not at all! 3 year old toddlers will having a pet fish to take care of and to feed. In fact, I first introduced our pet fish to my daughter when she was only 2 years old. We had an orange Oscar cichlid, she fed it, loved it, talked to it! It was the perfect first pet fish experience for my 2 year old toddler daughter. Below you will find my suggestions on the best pet fish for toddlers.
What Type of Fish for Toddler’s Fish Tank
The best pet fish for toddlers are the fish that your toddler can relate to and will treat as pets. Because fish are enclosed in an aquarium and your toddler can’t touch it, you need to have fish that are big enough and bright enough for toddlers to relate to. You also need to be mindful with the number of fish in your toddler’s fish tank, too many fish will overwhelm your toddler.
Big Fish
The bigger the fish, the better it is for your toddler. Big fish are more relatable and more likely to be treated as pets by your toddler.
When my daughter was 2 years old, we had one Oscar cichlid in the fish tank. Alhtough he was a juvenile Oscar measuring around 5 inches, he was big enough for my daughter to relate to. She fed him, checked on him and basically treated him like a pet!
Bright Colors
When it comes to choosing fish for your toddler’s fish tank, the brighter the better! Freshwater tropical fish comes in many colors- ranging from colorful, bright vibrant fish to really drab, grey fish. Toddlers will be more attracted to bright, colorful fish. Avoid grey fish for your toddler’s fish tank.
My daughter loved the bright orange color of our Oscar cichlid. He was the perfect pet fish for my toddler.
One or Two Fish is Enough for Your Toddler
Don’t add too many fish in your toddler’s fish tank. One or two fish is enough fish in your toddler’s aquarium. Having too many fish will be confusing for a toddler- difficult to tell fish apart and too many fish to keep track of. Definitely don’t stock your toddler’s aquarium with a school of fish. Keep it simple, all you need is one or two big fish in your toddler’s fish tank.
My 2 year old daughter was perfectly happy with one fish in our 20 gallon tank. It was easier for her to relate to the fish since there was only one to take care of.
Where to Set Up Your Toddler’s Fish Tank
When setting up the fish tank for your toddler, you should set it up so the fish tank is eye level with your toddler. It’s best to set up your toddler’s fish tank at a height so she can see the fish from eye level. That way, she can easily go check on her pet fish without having to use a step stool.
I set up our 20 gallon fish tank on a low table (we used a TV stand). It was perfect because it was low enough for her to see the fish but also high enough that she can’t open the lid and stick her hand in! Do be careful with choosing the table for your fish tank, just make sure the table can support the weight of your fish tank. A 20 gallon fish tank will weigh over 165 lbs when filled with water.
Setting up a fish tank for your toddler is different from setting up a fish tank for an 8 year old. When you set up a fish tank for a toddler, you have to take into consideration your toddler’s height.
Best Size Fish Tank for Toddler
A 20 gallon fish tank is a good size for your toddler. The 20 gallon tank size is just right for a toddler in terms of fish visibility- it is not too big that the fish will be difficult to spot. A 20 gallon fish tank is also a big enough fish tank that most toddler friendly fish will happily thrive in.
Best Fish for Toddler’s Aquarium
1. Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Goldfish are the perfect fish for your toddler’s fish tank because of its size and color. Goldfish are big fish that are easy for toddlers to relate. The bright orange color of a goldfish makes it easy for toddlers to spot immediately. Plus the roundness of a classic goldfish makes it a lovable pet fish. Goldfish are also messy eaters (think cookie monster!) making feeding time extremely fun for toddlers as they watch their goldfish chomp down pellets.
How to Set Up Goldfish in Toddler’s Aquarium
Your goldfish will need a 10 gallon tank at a minimum- a 20 gallon is best so there is plenty of room to swim. Get 1 or 2 goldfish in your toddler’s aquarium. Please don’t keep your goldfish in fish bowls, that is not big enough! You will need to set up your toddler’s tank with a filter to keep the water clean since goldfish are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste. Goldfish don’t need a heater as long as water temperature is within 66-68F (19-20C). Gravel or sand substrate is fine for your goldfish. You can opt for fun colorful gravel in your toddler’s fish tank. One or two fun aquarium decoration is also a good idea in your toddler’s fish tank.
| Goldfish | |
|---|---|
| Size | 12 inches (35 cm) |
| Diet | Pellets |
| Plants | Plastic |
| Number of Fish per Aquarium | 1-2 |
| Type of Fish | Egglayer |
| Minimum Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
2. Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
Oscar is the perfect pet fish for toddlers. They are personable and extremely lovable. They behave like puppies- extremely excitable, happy to see you whenever you walk by and always hungry for a treat! It’s the closest you can get in puppy-like behavior in a fish. Their big size, round eyes and round body makes Oscar fish extremely lovable. If you want your toddler to have a relationship with his/her pet fish, then get an Oscar!
Note: If this is your first time taking care of a fish, then I suggest you don’t get an Oscar. Do gain some experience in fishkeeping first before taking care of an Oscar.
How to Set Up Oscar in Toddler’s Aquarium
Ideally, set up your Oscar in a 75 gallon aquarium. One Oscar is sufficient in your toddler’s fish tank. If you have a juvenile, you can house your Oscar in a 20 gallon fish tank but be prepared to move your Oscar to a much larger tank soon (within months). Oscars can grow quite large, they are one of the biggest cichlids growing to 14 inches! Make sure you have a lid on the aquarium.
You will need to set up your toddler’s aquarium with a good filter to keep the water clean since Oscar fish are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste. You will also need a heater in your toddler’s fish tank. Keep the water temperature at 68-77F (20-25C). Gravel or sand substrate is fine for your Oscar. You can opt for fun colorful gravel in your toddler’s fish tank. One or two fun aquarium decoration is also a good idea in your toddler’s fish tank. But do make sure the aquarium decorations or rocks are round and not sharp.
When my daughter was two years old, her first pet fish was an Oscar. He was the perfect pet fish for a toddler. He was very relatable and lovable, perfect for a 2 year old!
| Oscar | |
|---|---|
| Size | 14 inches (35 cm) |
| Diet | Pellets and Live Foods |
| Plants | None |
| Number of Fish per Aquarium | 1 |
| Type of Fish | Egglayer |
| Minimum Tank Size | 75 Gallons (you can house juvenile Oscar in smaller tank but be prepared to move to larger tank) |
3. Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) or Variatus Platy (Xiphophorus variatus)
Platy is another easy fish for your toddler’s fish tank. Get the bright orange platy so it’s easier for your toddler to spot in the fish tank. Platy fish are live bearers and very easy to breed. Your toddler will enjoy seeing baby platy fish swimming in the fish tank! Plus platy are easy to care for so it’s ideal if you are new to fishkeeping.
They are very easy to breed and is a great live bearer for beginners. Your toddler will enjoy seeing the babies and experiencing the breeding process. Platy female can give birth to a few dozen babies while their cousin Variatus Platy can give birth to 100 fry every month! Both types of platy are great for a toddler’s fish tank. They are also peaceful fish. The males don’t fight each other so you can have multiple males in a tank. If you are trying to decide between swordtails or platy for your toddler’s tank, platy fish are more peaceful and easier to breed.
How to Set Up Platy in Toddler’s Aquarium
You can house your platy fish in a 10 gallon tank. If you have room for a 20 gallon or larger tank, that is ideal because your platy fish will breed. Get 1 male and 3 females or 2 males and 2 females in a 10 gallon tank. For a 20 gallon tank, you can double the number of platy (2 males and 6 females or 4 males and 4 females).
You will need to set up your toddler’s platy aquarium with a good filter to keep the water clean. I like setting up 2 filters in a tank, this is just insurance that your water quality will always be good. I suggest a sponge filter and a hanging filter. Sponge filters are gentle filters that will not suck up the fry. However, it is a weak filter so you should also supplement it with a hanging filter.
You will also need a heater in your toddler’s fish tank. Keep the water temperature at 64-77F (18-25C). I suggest gravel as your substrate to give platy fry places to hide in. You can opt for fun colorful gravel in your toddler’s fish tank. Set up a heavily planted tank with rocks or fun aquarium decor. This will give your platy fry plenty of hiding places.
| Platy and Variatus Platy | |
|---|---|
| Size | Male 1- 1.5 inches (2.5-4cm), Female 2-2.5 inches (5-6.5cm) |
| Diet | Tropical Flakes |
| Plants | Live Plants or Plastic Plants |
| Number of Fish per Aquarium | At least one pair |
| Type of Fish | Live Bearer |
| Minimum Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
4. Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii)
Swordtails are excellent fish for your toddler’s fish tank. They are bright orange and active fish makes it easy for toddlers to spot. Plus, swordtails are hardy and easy to care for, so it’s great if you are new to fishkeeping.
Swordtails are livebearer fish. That means they give birth to live baby fish (no need to wait for eggs to hatch!). If you stock your toddler’s fish tank with 1 male and 3 females, in no time, you will see little baby swordtails swimming around! It’s a lot of fun to have swordtails in your toddler’s fish tank.
Be aware that swordtails have a tendency to get scared easily. I remember when my son first got swordtails, he was very excited and tapped the glass of the fish tank. The loud tapping scared the swordtails, some went into hiding behind plants while another near the surface jumped. Do have a good cover on your toddler’s aquarium!
How to Set Up Swordtail in Toddler’s Aquarium
You can house your swordtails in a 10 gallon tank. If you have room for a 20 gallon or larger tank, that is ideal because your swordtails will breed. Get 1 male and 3 females for your 10 gallon tank. Avoid having 2 males in a tank, one will be the more dominant male and will bully the other male. For a 20 gallon tank, you can double the number of swordtails to 1 male and 6 females.
You will need to set up your toddler’s swordtail aquarium with a good filter to keep the water clean. I like setting up 2 filters in the aquarium, this is to make sure your water quality will always be good. I suggest a sponge filter and a hanging filter. Sponge filters are gentle filters that will not suck up the fry. However, sponge filters are weak filters so you should supplement it with a hanging filter.
You will also need a heater in your toddler’s fish tank. Keep the water temperature at 70-77F (21-25C). I suggest gravel as your substrate to give swordtail fry places to hide in. You can opt for fun colorful gravel in your toddler’s fish tank. Set up a heavily planted tank with rocks or fun aquarium decor. This will give your swordtail fry plenty of hiding places.
| Swordtails | |
|---|---|
| Size | Male 4 inches and Female 5 inches |
| Diet | Tropical Flakes |
| Plants | Live Plants or Plastic Plants |
| Number of Fish per Aquarium | At a minimum have one male and one female. Ideal 1 male and 3 females in a 10 gallon. Males have tendency to get aggressive with each other. |
| Type of Fish | Live Bearer, Females can give birth to over 80 fry in a month! |
| Minimum Tank Size | 10 Gallons |
You May Also Be Interested In: