HAVING A PET FISH

When we think of having a pet, we imagine dogs and cats. But can you imagine having a fish as a pet? No? Well if you want a dog, get a dog. If you want a cat, get a cat. But if you want a pet and you aren’t sure if a fish counts as a pet or if a fish will provide you the type of companionship you want, then here are a few reasons why you should consider getting one .

You won’t have to cry your eyes out to get your parents to say yes

The biggest impediment in the road of living your days with a pet is that your parents almost always have an objection. Your mother does not want to have one more entity in the house to take care of because you already make a huge mess of things. On top of that, the neighbours are never too happy with the idea of waking up in the middle of the night to the barking of a dog or finding your cat in their kitchen. But when it comes to getting yourself a fish as a pet, getting approval is not going to be that difficult.

Buying a fish is super easy and cheap

Getting a fish is super easy compared to getting a dog or cat. You can find all kinds of fish all over Dhaka from hawkers and designated stores such as Aqua Life BD. And some of them cost as little as Tk. 50. Aquariums are also cheap and most of them start from the range of Tk. 2000. There are also online shops where you can buy fish food or aquarium accessories such as BD Pet Mart, Pet Bangla, Pet.com.bd, etc.

Space won’t be an issue

Even if you somehow manage to get everyone’s approval to let you have a pet, the location of your house is always an issue. Animals don’t really enjoy sitting in the room to Netflix and chill all day. Most animals need an open space to play and socialise with other species. But unlike other pets, your fish won’t need to be walked. It will swim around on its own and be your Netflix and chill buddy.

Fish are low maintenance

Why do you want a pet? Being responsible for another entity and getting loved by it feels good, right? But giving your pet the attention it deserves gets really difficult as we grow up and have to go off to class or start working every day. We simply don’t want to put ourselves, or our pets through the separation anxiety. But guess what? Fish aren’t clingy. Fish don’t develop separation anxiety. They won’t be miserable without you. You don’t have to constantly worry about what they are doing all alone at home or if they got hurt somehow or if they ran away. You can love your fish on your own terms minus all the hard work and worries.

Much like our parents, we must try to teach our pets how to behave properly. Needless to say, that the process is quite lengthy and, in most cases, ineffective. If you get a fish as a pet, you don’t have to teach it how to swim. You don’t have to worry about the fish swimming on the couch or chewing on the pillow.

Most pets will always keep you on your feet. You have to constantly check their health, you have to keep an eye on what they are eating, you have to see if they have been in contact with any diseases, you have to run around with them to keep them out of the kitchen or the washroom. But when it comes to fish, maintenance is easy. Aquariums don’t necessarily have to be cleaned every day. If anything, you are likely to make your home look more appealing with the right aquarium pick.

Helps your mental and physical health  

Have you ever noticed how most hospitals and high-end restaurants have aquariums? Have you ever wondered why? It’s not just for decorative purposes. A study by the academics from the National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth University and the University of Exeter studied the physical and mental responses of people looking at tanks with varying numbers of fish and found that people who spend their time watching aquariums and fish tanks experience a calm and soothing feeling. Reduction in blood pressure and heart rate is also noticed in people who have more exposure to aquariums

So, will a fish be a worthy pet?

While you won’t get the joy of being constantly worried about your pet creating havoc, you will still get a friend. A friend that will always listen to your weird reasoning about whether Ross and Rachel were really on a break. Your fish friend won’t run away from time to time or make you change your lazy lifestyle and go for walks.

Reference

https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/594653/Fish-aquarium-boosts-health-relaxing-effect

https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/stress-reduction-tropical-fish-and-aquariums/

Megha spends her days looking at memes and eating cheese with cheese. Send her doggo memes at megharahman26@gmail.com