We may be a little biased, but we think aquariums make some of the absolute best Christmas presents. They’re exotic, compact, and cool to look at. They’re alive. They can add to a room’s interior design. If you’re buying one for a child, taking care of the aquarium can teach him or her a lot about responsibility and a love for animals.
In short, we think that’s a great idea. However, because gifting an aquarium is also gifting a commitment, do take these 5 points under consideration before you move forward:
- Make sure the person you’re buying it for would actually be interested in taking care of an aquarium. There’s nothing that takes the wind out of Christmas like a gift that brings unwanted responsibility.
- Make sure the level of maintenance is appropriate for the person’s skill level and budget. You probably shouldn’t buy a state-of-the-art saltwater reef aquarium for your 10 year old daughter, unless you’re willing to help with the maintenance bills!
- Make sure the size of the aquarium is appropriate to the space where it will be placed. An aquarium that underwhelms is not ideal, but neither is one that takes over 75% of the room it lives in.
- Make sure you’re giving a complete gift. An aquarium isn’t much use without the necessary equipment that it needs—filters, a water pump, lights, some basic decor. You don’t want to force the recipient to have to go out and buy this extra gear just to be able to use your gift, do you?
- Don’t just give an aquarium; educate. Keeping an aquarium requires responsibility, but it also often blossoms into a lifelong love for the hobby. Consider the value in also giving the recipient a book or other resource for learning to care for an aquarium to get them started.
Take these tips into consideration before you give the wonderful gift of an aquarium, and the likelihood of your present being a holiday showstopper increases exponentially. And if you’re having trouble deciding on the right tank to buy, reach out to Blue Planet Aquarium and we’ll be happy to help!
