Low-maintenance pets

CEBU, Philippines - Pets are great companions to have at home, sure to lead to countless hours of fun with their silly antics and quirks.

But as wonderful as having a pet can be, keeping a pet is a huge responsibility, one which requires a lot of devotion from masters, a lot of time, and even a significant amount of money.

Fortunately, there are quite a number of "low-maintenance pets", pets which don't really demand a lot of time and effort in their care from owners.

A pet fish would be one good example, given how relatively easy they are to keep and care.

Fish as "Starter Pets"

Described by countless pet circles as "starter pets", a pet fish (or two) is great to have at home, known to help their caretakers learn more about the value in being responsible.

However, it has to be said that keeping a pet fish isn't without its own set of particulars, with their care more than just a matter of feeding them with fish food once or twice a day or having to regularly clean their bowls/tanks.

Picking the right kind of fish is also important when talking about keeping them as pets, since there are certain types of fish which require special aquarium equipment and special care and handling.

The guppy is quite popular in this regard, since guppies are quite adaptable with different freshwater environments. They are also known to be very sociable with other guppies, which mean that one can keep more than one pet guppy at one time.

Also known as the millionfish, guppies come in different colors too, and are also quite playful with aquarium plants, making them interesting fishes to keep.

Another "sturdy" type of fish would be the swordtail, which bears the same adaptable characteristics found in guppies.

Also known to come in different colors, swordtails are perfect for large-sized tanks, since they enjoy swimming around in different areas, constantly exploring and moving about.

The Platy is also another popular "sturdy" type of fish, famed for being sociable and being active, especially when there are a lot of plants placed in their aquariums.

They are often considered to be the top choice when "starter pets" are being talked about, since they aren't all that fickle when it comes to the size of their tanks or fishbowls.

Should you actually be entertaining the thought of keeping a pet fish at home, do well in remembering that their care may be relatively easy, but they still require your care and attention as their masters.

Keeping any (or all) of the fishes mentioned above are perfect as "startup pet" choices, sure to pave the way into the keeping and handling of other, bigger fish types.

Visit Riverfront Aquaria located at the Ground Floor of Ludo & Luym Building, Plaridel Street (032-254-9812) for your aquarium needs and some fish care advice.

The Leafy Seadragon

The Leafy Seadragon may have the words "leafy" and "dragon" in its name, but the sea creature is not a reptile or a plant.

Found in the southern and western coasts of Australia, the Leafy Seadragon is actually a marine creature that owes ties to the Syungathidae family, which means that it is a relative of the seahorse.

Given its unique looks, the Leafy Seadragon is known for being one of the more interesting looking marine creatures known to be, bearing leaf-shaped protrusions on its body which serves two purposes: underwater propulsion and camouflage.

Classified as a Near Threatened species, the Leafy Seadragon is oftentimes "harvested" for alternative medicine purposes, with authorized enforcement agencies in Australia closely watching over Leafy Seadragon populations.

While they are certainly interesting to have as pets, keeping a Leafy Seadragon as a pet is generally frowned upon, given how the marine creature's numbers are dwindling in the wild.

As having a pet calls for significant responsibility from pet owners, responsible pet owners should always remember that there is a limit to the type of pet one can keep, especially when talking about endangered and near threatened species.