Most people are introduced to owning a pet by getting a fish. It's the ultimate starter pet. Our friends at Premier Pet Supply, owner Mike Palmer and Steve Shamou from the Livonia location, spoke to Tati Amare about having a fish for a pet and how you should properly care for them.
According to Shamou, having a fish for a pet is about more than just giving it fresh water and feeding it. There is a lot of responsibility that goes into having a pet fish, and it's a way to get children to learn how to properly care for a pet without having to go outside of the house. When selecting which fish to have as a pet, start with a simple fish like a goldfish or a beta. Glowfish, which are genetically engineered, are easy to care for, as well as tetras and barb fish.
When it comes to tank and filtration systems, Shamou said the size of the tank is how you figure out the correct filter system. When maintaining the tank, change the filter pads a couple of weeks after changing the water to keep in the good bacteria and promote a healthy life cycle for the fish. If you have a small bowl, it has to be cleaned out every five to seven days which can be a pain to do. That's another reason why getting a filtration system is highly recommended.Â
Not only can you add a great filtration system to the tank, but it can also look cool. As mentioned before, Glowfish and their tanks are very popular right now, thanks to the color pops in the fish and the tank, as well as  the blue light that comes with some of the setups.
There are four Premier Pet Supply locations: Beverly Hills, Livonia, Rochester Hills and Novi. Two more locations will be opening soon in Canton and West Bloomfield. Â
For more information visit their website premierpetsupply.com