A goldfish swims in its tank at a local Petco shop. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World file
When my daughters came back from the Fourth of July celebration at the pool, they brought with them some new friends.
After years of warnings against giving kids bunnies at Easter or puppies for Christmas, I think it's time we put a moratorium on doling out goldfish.
Whether they are prizes at the fair or giveaways at a holiday celebration, I think goldfish are seen as more disposable than their mammal counterparts.
And I can tell you, they were almost disposed of at my house. I think my husband was actually encouraging our cats' interest in the curious creatures on the counter.
But my younger daughter and I intervened to save the goldfish from that great fish bowl in the sky. The girls picked out names for our new pets -- Sherbet (orange, of course) and Brick (for a character on "The Middle") -- and I set to work on getting them a home outside of the plastic kitchen bowl.
With a little help from the Internet and an informative clerk who took pity on me at PetSmart, we were on our way.
The first thing I found in my research was that the quintessential fish bowl was really a no-no. They've even been outlawed in some places because they are so inadequate as a goldfish habitat.
So we invested in a fish tank, complete with filter, gravel and fake plants -- my 8-year-old had fun picking out the color scheme. We also bought a gravel vacuum, which removes poop from the tank and helps with weekly water changes.
It's been more than a month now. The goldfish are alive, and my daughter enjoys helping to take care of them. But I still resent having them thrust on me.
It worked out well for this pair of fish, but how many others were facing the bottom of a toilet bowl rather than a brand new aquarium?
Here are 10 other facts I have learned about goldfish.1. They are filthy creatures. In fact they are so dirty, it's recommended that they not share their tank with other kinds of fish.
2. They can survive for up to two weeks without food. It's much better to underfeed them than overfeed them.
3. Goldfish are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant material and insects or crustaceans.
4. Goldfish can grow to be a foot long.
5. They can live decades in the right conditions, but a typical lifespan is about six years.
6. Goldfish like cold water.
7. Goldfish sleep with their eyes open -- because they don't have eyelids.
8. Tulsa tap water needs to be chemically treated before it is added to a fish tank.
9. The many varieties of goldfish include common goldfish and lionhead goldfish. I think we have comet goldfish, which are the only breed developed in the U.S.
10. Goldfish and koi are not the same species, but both are related to carp.
Want to learn more about goldfish? Try this informative website:
The Goldfish Tank.
Follow Colleen Almeida Smith on Twitter.
SCENE: Visit the home to all things food, movies, TV, music and local entertainment.
