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My Assigned Thesis: If I were concerned with maintenance, interaction and protection, then a fish would make a terrible pet.

After a long day at work wouldn’t it be nice to come home and be greeted by an awesome pet? There are many people who keep fish for pets. A nice and colourful aquarium can provide the long expected and relaxing ambiance that washes away the day’s worries. However, there is much more to keeping fish than meets the eye. If I were concerned with maintenance, interaction and protection, then a fish would make a terrible pet.

The internet is peppered with all sorts of articles regarding fish maintenance. Experts differ on how to properly care for fish. They differ on how to care for both salt water and fresh water fish. For instance some say a fish bowl is perfect for goldfish and others say that goldfish cannot thrive in just a fish bowl. We also still have many misconceptions on how to create a good and prosperous environment for fish. Tropical fish in particular seem to have a lot more maintenance requirements. In addition to that we cannot know when a fish is unhealthy or feeling poorly. Since there isn’t an accurate gauge for this, we cannot take the fish to the vet when they are ill. The best we can do is to follow a maintenance plan and hope, watch, and pray that it works.

Interaction with fish is terribly limited. Even though fish are wonderful and pretty to look at, we cannot cuddle a fish while watching a movie. In like manner we cannot play fetch with a fish or take them on a walk or hike. Not only is it inconvenient but fish bowls don’t travel well. Bottom line is that we cannot play with fish like we can with dogs. Fish as pets place perimeters and limitations that other pets don’t.

If protection is something that is important, then a fish aquarium is not the way to go. There are obvious reasons that bar fish from being protectors. At home or at work fish cannot warn of an intruder. Since they are limited to their tank and cannot travel freely, they cannot protect against bears or any other outdoor attackers. Lastly fish do not have the mechanism to fend off land animals. Fish are ill equipped to protect humans.

In conclusion having a pet takes time and care. There are benefits to having pets, but when it comes to fish, there is more to think about than a just a nice aquarium. There are maintenance, interaction and protection issues that must be addressed. Think carefully before getting a fish for a pet; you don’t want to be late for work because you were having a toilet-side funeral before you left home.