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Indy, a platy, has proven a hardy tropical fish for our first aquarium. Isn't he cute?

You may know—or maybe you are—one of those people who waxes poetic about his or her pet. The pet that is the cuddliest, cutesiest, best friend ever.

Well, that pet has nothing on our fish, Indy.

Understand that Indy is the last remaining survivor in an aquarium that was briefly home to four tropical fish. The initial cycling of our tank has been rough, to say the least. We lost our two zebra danio glo fish days after adopting them, then watched our female platy succumb to toxic ammonia levels.

But Indy has persevered, and we love him for it. As a parent, I love him for surviving and sparing my kids—especially my son, who requested a fish—another loss. And while I know he’s a $2 (if that) fish, as a new pet owner I think I get the pet-person bond.

I’ve been watching Indy closely—after all, I don’t have many other opportunities to interact with him. I began by watching him for the signs of failing health we recognized in the two of our three fish who didn’t make it: no interest in food, erratic swimming, no strength to swim through the mild current from our filter.

Indy has been a champ with a strong appetite. He’s also much more lively than I initially recognized. Either our water quality has drastically improved, or he’s actually enjoying being the king of his aquatic castle. I appreciate his little personality!

At this point, there isn’t a lot we can do to expedite the nitrogen cycle. We’re not completely convinced that additives to colonize “good” bacteria quickly will benefit the long-term stability of the tank. We’re not confident that a massive water change would be good for Indy, either. So we’re letting nature take its course.

We did invest in a water testing kit, and have been monitoring the levels of ammonia. In the past few days, ammonia has decreased but it’s still present.

Next Wednesday marks four weeks since we introduced fish to our aquarium. With Indy doing so swimmingly (I couldn’t resist the pun!), we’re hopeful we’ll be able to introduce a friend soon. But I think it’s safe to say that our interest in cultivating a tank of tropical friends has taken a backseat to whatever is best for Indy.

Honestly, I would cuddle him if I could!

“The Last Kid on the Block” is a continuing series following the Knudsen family’s progress selecting and caring for their first pets. Andrea Knudsen lives in suburban Chicago with her husband and two children.

Filter and heater? Check. Substrate? Check. Plants? Check. Water? Check. Fish? Check!

Which do you want first, the good news or the bad news?

The good news
After allowing our aquarium to cycle and warm to 78 degrees for a few days, my son picked out and brought home four “starter” fish, two neon-yellow zebra danios and two gold wag platys.

Even in their plastic bags on the drive home, the zebra danios (named Michigan and Fishigan) proved energetic and fun to watch. The platys (named Lillia and Indy) either were calm or terrified—I’m not entirely sure, but I like to think the former.

The bad news
Four days after the happy homecoming, we awoke to a lifeless Michigan stuck to the filter intake. I brought a water sample to the pet store, and was told the ammonia level in the water was building, which is normal, and to keep doing what we were doing. Two days later, we watched Fishigan struggle until he, too, died.

Prior to setting up our tank, I’d read about “cycling” an aquarium. To keep it short and sweet, you need to introduce enough good bacteria to a tank to manage fish waste (from digestion and respiration) and prevent the build-up of ammonia, which is toxic to fish… as we inadvertently learned first-hand.

My first mistake was not reading enough—you can’t read too much! I read about the importance of the nitrogen cycle, but stopped before I fully understood its necessary components. I understand now the role of those first fish in providing a source of ammonia to help build colonies of good bacteria.

My second mistake was not asking questions at the pet store. I deferred, knowing I’m the newbie and they’re the experts. When a member of the staff said our aquarium was ready for fish, I said, “OK.” When he said, choose from these fish, I said, “OK.” When I returned and he said everything was normal, I said, “OK.”

My third mistake was not preparing my children for losing fish—I was somehow confident we’d skip that part. And, at least initially, my son took it hard.

I can’t blame the pet store assistant, because to him, hardy fish are a reliable ammonia source at the beginning of the nitrogen cycle. After all, he wasn’t on a first-name basis with Michigan and Fishigan.

We now are two weeks into pet ownership, hoping our two platys are strong enough to survive the next two-to-four weeks until our aquarium is a safe, comfortable place to live. And we continue to learn as we go.

If I were granted a do-over, I would do it even better. But that’s the joy and madness of trying something for the first time, isn’t it?

“The Last Kid on the Block” is a continuing series following the Knudsen family’s progress selecting and caring for their first pets. Andrea Knudsen lives in suburban Chicago with her husband and two children.

The first step toward owning a new pet is preparation. Ours: a 10-gallon tank with heater and filter.

Our family has been all talk for a year or two: our son has asked for a small pet (repeatedly), and my husband and I have responded, “Sure!” and proceeded to do nothing about it (repeatedly). Until this season, when a betta fish appeared on his Christmas list. Clearly, he’s serious.

Today I took a momentous step toward fulfilling his request—and changing our petless family forever: I bought gear. Akin to the aftermath of a baby shower, I realize now that there’s no turning back. But unlike the days before welcoming a new baby, I’m ready!

We now are the proud owners of a 10-gallon fish tank, complete with heater, filter, thermometer, lovely blue gravel, plants, and a hole-filled treasure chest for timid fish. I’m now listening to the gentle trickle of water cycling through the filter into the tank, awaiting new residents.

The betta idea originated from my son attending a birthday party at a local chain pet store. Bettas are popular, require little maintenance, and are reasonably priced. A beautiful male betta did, indeed, seem like an ideal starter pet.

But two separate circumstances influenced my final decision. The first was online research—often owner testimonials—that betta fish don’t, well, do much. And an introverted pet didn’t match our family’s enthusiasm.

The second was my trip to the locally-owned pet store in a neighboring town, and the advice I received. Truth be told, I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, which is an expert committed to giving every pet its optimal environment for a healthy, happy life. That brand of expertise seems rare, even in dedicated shops located in metropolitan areas. A conscientious sales person is priceless!

I limited my mission to finding our future pets a home, and I feel confident that the set-up I chose will meet the needs of myriad tropical friends. While the tank cycles in preparation, I’m hitting the books, er, Internet again, and off to explore other pet shops in the area. Tetras, guppies and dwarf frogs, oh my!

“The Last Kid on the Block” is a continuing series following the Knudsen family’s progress in selecting their first pet. Andrea Knudsen lives in suburban Chicago with her husband and two children.