fishes that human babies enjoy to watch?

[mikemou]

I know this is probably silly but just want to throw it out there....

I have a 55gal community and a 3-month old baby. watching fishes with him has become a fun activity that his nanny and us do everyday. sometimes he seemed to enjoy it and would watch for a good while but other times he got bored very quickly. i don't think babies this age know what fishes are, but maybe they do? and maybe there're special species that they enjoy to watch the most? i know every baby is different but if you had success in the past i'd like to hear your stories/experiences. thanks.

btw, i have 3 koi angels, 7 zebra danios, 20 neons, 3 guppys and 2 CAEs. will i be overstocking when they're full-grown?

 

[Sara]

I love that you had to specify that we were talking about "human babies" and not fishie babies. I admit, if you hadn't made that clear I would have assumed that you were talking about fish on the title before reading the post!

I would thing that the koi angels and other larger fish would be good for a baby. As they start to understand things like body parts, you will be able to point out a fish's eyes, mouth, etc. on a larger fish, and your child might not be able to make out on a smaller fish. Also, while you're in the 'really young, watching the tank phase', I would think that larger fish would be easier for your baby to spot and follow.

I always find that kids (well, and me too) are more attached to fish that they can tell apart and name. I can tell all of the fish apart in my tank except the neons, and I enjoy watching the other fish more than them...watching "Sully" play with "Wilbur" is somehow a lot more fun than watching "Neon #1" play with "Neon #2".

 

[QTOFFER]

LOL, he probably just wants to put his finger/mouth/nose prints all over the glass!

It's hard to tell what is catching his interest - it may be the movement and colors of the fish, the plants swaying in the current, or even the bubblestream if you have an airstone. He might just be fascinated by the reflections on the glass. I only know that a baby's visual cortex goes through some pretty amazing changes and developments during the first few months and the aqaurium is a rich source of visual stimulation.

 

[TankGirl]

Well, the twins are 3 now and my nephew is 1 1/2, but when they all were babies they were definitely drawn to my tank with angels, more so than the other tanks scattered around the house. We would sit and they would stare at the tank - better than TV!

I don't think it matters a whole lot, just the time spent in front of the tank and babbling about what you see is worth more than any video on the market could provide.

The only comment on stocking is the two CAE's - watch them for aggression, which may be limited to fighting with each other, but also might cause problems in the tank. Otherwise you are looking good.

 

[krap101]

lol id think they'd be just satisfied with goldfish. when they get older you can get a pond put the goldfish in there and restock the tank

 

[TankGirl]

Oh yeah - kids definitely are into ponds!

 

[krap101]

 

[pkremer]

Something interesting about babies is that they learn very quickly....and get bored very quickly. As adults, we can find watching the same fish for a while very relaxing, but a baby isn't trying to relax as he watches a fish. He is learning, it is a brand new experience.

As soon as something isn't 'new' anymore, it'll get dull for the baby and he'll start to look for something else interesting. As long as a baby sees something 'new' or interesting to him, he could sit there enthralled for hours. But don't be surprised if he gets bored and wants something else.

It's hard to say what might keep him interested, you'll probably just have to play it by ear.

Paul

 

[krap101]

get him livebearers of some sort. theyll have babies and that'll be new all the time

 

[mikemou]

thanks for the great advices.

my boy seemed to be most interested in those angels as well. this could be because, like you guys pointed out, they are the biggest in the tank, or could be because the angels always came forward and stayed right in front of us (expecting food, i guess?) and got his attentions easily.

I'll look into other larger fishes.... I think I have space for a 'center piece' fish... and maybe it's a good time to get airstone, too.

p.s. QTOFFER, so true about leaving his footprints on the tank glass! but i know he enjoys watching the fishes, too.

 

[krap101]

put a fence around the tank and spank em if he touches it. or just get a metal one and attach a battery to it .

jkjk. theres this oil you use for goggles. you could try that to put on the glass so it wont fog up. dont know about the err footprints.

 

[deli_conker]

my 11 week old is very much "distracted" by my 55 gal tank. It gets a little frustrating during feeding time when she is being fed while by the couch (the fish tank is behind it). Instead of eating she'll watch the fish even though she is really hungry. Then she gets mad because she is hungry. Sometimes I have to turn the lights out in the tank for a few so she'll eat first...