When did you get your kids involved in water changes?

Ever since we got our first fish tank (~6 months ago), we’ve had to do the weekly water changes in the evening when the kids have gone to bed. This has always made it feel more of a chore.

The weekend just gone, we asked our 2.5 year old if she wanted to help us “give the fish a bath” (1 year old was in bed). The experience was so much more enjoyable with our daughter helping and doing it through the day, where we weren’t rushing to get it finished in the dark so we could sit down after an already long day.

She helped me carry the very heavy buckets, which I couldn’t have possibly handled without her, undid the caps, had the important job of holding the tube from the siphon and water pump (to put water back in the tank) to make sure it stayed in place, and the most important job of ensuring the fishies were enjoying their bath!

Does anybody else involve their young kids?

 

Nice story,

I got my first tank when I was 8 it was the first time we had fish in my parents home

I'm 15 now and still look after my multiple tanks an a pond


I think If you can keep her enjoying the "baths" and maybe spice things up by maybe letting her do a different job each time she will enjoy it more and will want to help

If she keeps this up you never know she might be able to handle cleaning the tAnk on by herself in a couple years

You did a good job by introducing her to the hobby try to keep it up, it's loads of fun and will teach reasonably and more life lessons

Like I said I'm only fifteen so I didn't get my kids involved but I'm giving the view of a kid rather than a parent in regards to the title

 

I have asked my wife a couple of years ago to sit in on water change days. We spread it out over two days because it’s less stressful doing 30 odd tanks that way.( retired couple) My wife watches the tub of waste water that has the submersible pump in it to make sure it’s turning on and off as the tub fills. She is then in charge of turning the in line tap on and off as I refill with the large diameter hose and electric pump.

We don’t have kids but this way we get to talk about whats going on in each tank and discover the good and the bad news together.

Hey devsi put the fish food well away out of sight, would be my suggestion.

 

I got my first tank when I was 8 it was the first time we had fish in my parents home

I'm 15 now and still look after my multiple tanks an a pond

That's awesome - are you solely responsible for taking care of them or is it a shared out within the house?

I think If you can keep her enjoying the "baths" and maybe spice things up by maybe letting her do a different job each time she will enjoy it more and will want to help

Ah yeah, we let her do what she wants to do and don't make her do anything she doesn't want to. I forgot she also got to stir the water after we put in Prime.

I'm planning on giving her a sponge this week and asking her to "clean the tank" (the cabinet) with it.

If she keeps this up you never know she might be able to handle cleaning the tAnk on by herself in a couple years

Perhaps, but I'm hoping it'll just be a family thing we do

Like I said I'm only fifteen so I didn't get my kids involved but I'm giving the view of a kid rather than a parent in regards to the title

Thanks for sharing

I have asked my wife a couple of years ago to sit in on water change days. We spread it out over two days because it’s less stressful doing 30 odd tanks that way.( retired couple) My wife watches the tub of waste water that has the submersible pump in it to make sure it’s turning on and off as the tub fills. She is then in charge of turning the in line tap on and off as I refill with the large diameter hose and electric pump.

30 tanks!? I'm not surprised you need two days! haha

Hey devsi put the fish food well away out of sight, would be my suggestion.

Oh yeah - I learnt this the hard way! She has been involved in watching them ever since we bought the tank home, watching the feedings etc and I left a pot open and within reach of her little hands.... wasn't a fun cleanup.

 

That's awesome - are you solely responsible for taking care of them or is it a shared out within the house

Well I saved up for everything in the fish keeping hobby I have

I normally and solely responsible, but I gave the betta tank to my mum although she is just in charge of feeding, I feed and water change and anything else for the rest of my tanks/pond

Sometimes I do cleaning with her as well and normally take advice from her before buying anything or aquascaping

 

I always remember my dad letting me help as a child ( especially getting tank water in my mouth, boak ! ) , we didn’t get on when I was young apart from this so it was pretty special.

my son is 11 and can do a full water change on his own. I offer and he chooses yes or no. He’s obsessed with the shrimps too which helps. The way his brain works he really enjoys the testing and calculating how much of everything we need to use like prime etc . However I enjoy doing maintenance so kinda shot myself in the foot

 

Mine is almost 3. His sole contribution to tank maintenance is to increase it for me by getting his sticky hands all over the glass, meaning extra cleaning. He stuck a dinosaur plaster on one of the tanks the other day - the fish were going nuts trying to get to it!

I do let him assist me with feeding every now and then, but really he just likes saying hi to the babies (the shellies and the pea puffers). When he’s old enough, I’ll teach him to pester his mum for his own fish room, because I’m certainly not allowed one and she can’t say no to him!

 

I always remember my dad letting me help as a child ( especially getting tank water in my mouth, boak ! ) , we didn’t get on when I was young apart from this so it was pretty special.

Ah that's awesome

my son is 11 and can do a full water change on his own. I offer and he chooses yes or no. He’s obsessed with the shrimps too which helps. The way his brain works he really enjoys the testing and calculating how much of everything we need to use like prime etc . However I enjoy doing maintenance so kinda shot myself in the foot

I hear what you're saying - get my daughter to that stage and then buy all the tanks I want! "You want some money for the Cinema? Sure - go clean all my tanks first"

(joking, obviously).

Mine is almost 3. His sole contribution to tank maintenance is to increase it for me by getting his sticky hands all over the glass, meaning extra cleaning. He stuck a dinosaur plaster on one of the tanks the other day - the fish were going nuts trying to get to it!

Luckily, mine seems to listen when I tell her not to touch the glass (both at home and in the LFS). I don't think it's good parenting, just luck!

The most she does is walk in and and shout, at the very top of her lungs, "SNAIL!!" when she sees a snail..... which is every single time because they are ramshorns and they are everywhere.

I do let him assist me with feeding every now and then, but really he just likes saying hi to the babies (the shellies and the pea puffers). When he’s old enough, I’ll teach him to pester his mum for his own fish room, because I’m certainly not allowed one and she can’t say no to him!

Can't you just tell her he asked for a fish room for his next birthday? Or, teach him to go and ask her himself

 

Ah that's awesome

I hear what you're saying - get my daughter to that stage and then buy all the tanks I want! "You want some money for the Cinema? Sure - go clean all my tanks first"

(joking, obviously).

Luckily, mine seems to listen when I tell her not to touch the glass (both at home and in the LFS). I don't think it's good parenting, just luck!

The most she does is walk in and and shout, at the very top of her lungs, "SNAIL!!" when she sees a snail..... which is every single time because they are ramshorns and they are everywhere.


Can't you just tell her he asked for a fish room for his next birthday? Or, teach him to go and ask her himself

I’m biding my time. He could do it now no problem, but she would see right through it and know that I was behind the plot so it’s a bit contrived. If he does it of his own free will with some genuine intent, I’m hoping it will be successful!

Can you tell that I have given this some considerable thought over the last few years???

 

Thanks for sharing this! It reminds me of how my friend and her husband make “sneaking” mommy’s raspberries or blueberries a thing their little guys love. Or making cleaning up their toys a race to see who finishes first. Everyone ends up having fun. In your case: no more secret/late night water changes. Lol.

 

Can you tell that I have given this some considerable thought over the last few years???

Haha yes, yes I can!

Thanks for sharing this! It reminds me of how my friend and her husband make “sneaking” mommy’s raspberries or blueberries a thing their little guys love. Or making cleaning up their toys a race to see who finishes first. Everyone ends up having fun. In your case: no more secret/late night water changes. Lol.

Everything is better when played as a game, especially when stickers are handed out for anyone who participates!!

 

I don't have kids yet, but when I do, I plan about 15 days old, they're not getting out of work that easy. lol

 

I don't have kids yet, but when I do, I plan about 15 days old, they're not getting out of work that easy. lol

Sounds like a perfect age to get them doing some work! I keep telling my eldest she needs to go and get a job to pay for all her food, but she just laughs at me.

 

It was the other way around for me. My son got me interested in fish keeping. So I blame him with every water change I do :~)

 

Sounds like a perfect age to get them doing some work! I keep telling my eldest she needs to go and get a job to pay for all her food, but she just laughs at me.

I wonder why...

 

Both my kids started helping at around 18 months. They would sit on floor and hold the middle of the hose while it was emptying or filling up to make sure it wouldn't fall out and make a mess. My son just turned 2 a few months ago also helps fill up the shrimp tank using an old 2L water bottle.

The only problem with them helping is i dont get to feed my fish myself anymore.