Many of you probably remember that back when 101 Dalmatians came out, everyone and their brother went out to get a Dalmatian. A majority of these poor dogs ended up in shelters shortly after the novelty wore off. The owners didn't do their research before investing in such a big life change as getting a dog, and the dogs were the only ones who suffered for it.
More recently, in 2004, a movie called “Finding Nemo” came out. This led to an increase in children wanting a “nemo fish”, or more accurately named, Clownfish. While there's no denying that these fish are very attractive and quite interesting, getting a pet fish on a whim can have devastating consequences for your aquatic friend. As the article Biofilter, the most important filter points out, before you get any fish, you need to cycle the tank. Sadly, if someone purchases a fish on a whim like that, they probably haven't done their research and the fish will most likely end up dead or seriously injured.
Even worse, saltwater fish like the Clownfish require more specialized care than your average goldfish.
Protein skimmers, UV sterilizers, live rock, live sand, salt mix, saltwater fish keeping can be even more expensive and time consuming than freshwater. Then you have to take into consideration the specific needs of the fish. Although there are many different species of clownfish, most, if not all of them, will do better in a larger than average tank (30g or more) and that's just for the one fish! Some people may remember from grade school (or from the movie) that clown fish live in anemones. What they don't know is that anemones should only be kept by experienced SW fish keepers, and if your tank is not at least 6 months old, it will probably perish. Also, each species of clownfish has it's own type of anemone. Often, keepers with both who have not done enough research will find that out the hard way, when their clownfish steers clear of the tentacled creature.
Recently, The Gainesville Sun posted an article on plans for 'Finding Nemo' to be re-released in theaters. Undoubtedly, this will send waves of parents to the pet store in search of a 'Nemo' fish. Hopefully, you will pass this article on to any friends you may have with children, and it will encourage them to do plenty of research before undertaking such a task.
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