This post was sponsored by PetSmart through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about PetSmart, all opinions are my own.
I don’t know about you, but I really believe there is something magical about fish. Staring at them through the thick paned glass of the tank transports you instantly to a more relaxed and calm place. Growing up I always had fish, and I remember how special that experience was. Having something to care for helps to teach you responsibility as well, which is why our little ones have been a part of the whole fish-owning process from the get-go.
In my experience, fish are total stress relievers; one of the main reasons we got our tank was to help our son Wyatt have a calming presence in his room to relax him at night before bed. We started off with just our simple tank and a few fish – nothing too flashy, but just enough to set the tone. We got a tank that had both a bright light and a soothing blue LED light so the tank would serve as a nightlight as well, and you know what – it worked, and he loved it! After a few months he no longer needed the tank in his room, and we moved it out into our living area so it would be something we could enjoy as a family.
We purchased our tank over a year ago at PetSmart (theyโre always our go-to for everything pet-related) but I did some browsing online and was able to find the link here. It’s the perfect size for us; previously we had this Top Fin 10 Gallon Hooded Aquarium, and it was great – but as our love for fish grew, so did our need for a bigger tank. It was nice to be able to start out with a smaller tank to “test the waters” literally and see how our family would do caring for fish. Once we knew we were up to the challenge, and ready for a bigger tank, it was a smooth transition.
We love having our tank near the living room now, because fish are just down-right relaxing! Watching them swim and interact is so soothing and is a real stress reliever, and that blue LED light really is nice and soothing at night. Having an aquarium in our home has really brought tranquility to our living space.
Why our home will always have fish:
- It’s soothing to watch the fish, and really helps us to create a more tranquil living space for our family to relax in.
- The boys love it – they’ve been involved in picking out each fish, each piece of decoration, the rocks, everything.
- It helps teach responsibility. Each day we feed the fish with our kiddos; they help pinch and add in the flakes and watch as the fish swim up to enjoy their meal. Afterwards, the boys just look proud and excited about helping the fish – it’s kind of adorable.
- It’s fun to personalize and create your own tank; it’s something that you can always start off simple (like we did) and add to as you go. It’s important for the fish to have a good environment, places to hide, etc – so the more you embellish, the happier your fish will be as well. It’s a win-win.
My kids would love nothing more than for me to let them have some fish. They would sit and look for hours if I let them. Heck maybe I really need to get one now. You kids are cute by the way. ๐
Our days of fish tanks are done. Only because we went a wee bit over board. We had a 20 gallon freshwater tank and a 40 gallon saltwater fish tank at the same time. I think we had them for 5 years but the work of maintaining tanks was just too much for one person so we found new forever homes for the tanks when the fish passed. I do miss the starfish but it’s so hard to go on vacation when you don’t know who can watch your tank when your gone!
My boys are totally and utterly obsessed with fish, and they are so excited simply watching our aquarium day in and day out. We take a ton of trips to Pet Smart to check out the fish and other animals there was well (we adopted our dog from a rescue event there almost 10 years ago). So glad to see you spreading the message of how pet ownership can be beneficial for all families.
I have always found th fish tanks to be peaceful. There is something about the sound of the bubbling water and watching the fish swim smoothly through the water.
I wouldn’t have thought of using a fish tank as a night light, but it totally makes sense! I completely agree that there’s something so calming about watching fish. My mom had a tank in our living room when we were growing up, and it provided hours of entertainment. We enjoyed watching the fish and learning their personalities!
Wow, I never realized all the benefits of owning fish. I often get stressed out and have a hard time unwinding and relaxing. Maybe having a fish tank in our living room would be nice. I could just take a moment to sit and watch the fish swim when I feel like I need a break. Thank you for this fantastic idea.