Story at-a-glance

• Fish make truly wonderful pets for people who don’t have the time or physical space to devote to a higher-maintenance companion animal.
• Under the right circumstances, fish can also be good ‘starter pets’ to teach children the responsibility of caring for a pet.
• In Britain, fish are now the third most popular pet after dogs and cats. The reason for the increase is that people have moved to smaller homes and rentals over the last few years, and it’s not always possible or practical to own a dog or cat.