Sap or Sucker? You decide.

I am one or the other, not sure which.

I grew up in a household of pets. All shapes, sizes, warm blooded, cold blooded, etc. We had dogs (a dachsund named Inga - with two sets of puppies, a German Shepherd named Brandy, and an obnoxious cocker named Twix are the ones since my memory), cats (Suzy - with one set of kittens, Jocko, Ally - another set of kittens, and Calley), a hamster named Chrissy - from Three's Company, a gerbil whose name evades me (it was evil), a rat named Morrison, hermit crabs, a guinea pig named Jezebel and many fish (guppies named Sandy and John - from Grease and their many, many progeny, black Mollys and neons, and my betta bowl). There were equally as many animals at my dad's house post-divorce. Lhasa Apsos named Sam and Gene, cats named Popcorn and Sparky that moved to a "farm", my dad's rotty, a number of Monitor lizards (that my stepmom really thought was only one Monitor lizard for a long time due to mishaps no one would admit to - topic for later)...

Ok, you get the idea. I grew up with pets of all types. Having only one dog for the last nearly two years after Calley's passing has been good for me. But the time has come to add to our family. I believe that barring allergies, that it is good for kids to grow up with animals. It teaches responsibility and compassion (of which towards animals I have an overabundance AB believes).

I decided after Leif's obsession with fish, that he should have a fish bowl with a goldfish on his dresser. AB thought this idea was less than good and asked me a few times about Leif's obsessive nature and his growing climbing ability and will we be picking up rocks and a flopping fish off of the carpet. He gave in reminding me he would have nothing to do with this ish and tagged along to Petsmart for the humor of it all.

I picked up a cute little one gallon "tank" with a filter and some food, some rock for the bottom and some plants. Then I went to the counter and asked for two goldfish please.

The pet care manager looks in my cart and sighs. "You aren't planning to put them in *that* are you?" And goes on to tell us that for every inch of adult fish you need one gallon of water, he talks about ammonia levels (yes I am a chemist, but I blank out leaving the water chemistry discussions to AB).

He tells us that before long, in that small tank we will be explaining why Mr. Goldfish is floating and must visit the toilet. Well the explaining part isn't what got me, Leif is 18 months and has no concept of death and if the fish disappeared one night and in a few days another one appeared, I doubt he would notice.

What killed me though is pet responsibility. I believe in my heart that if you bring an animal into your home that you are bound to providing, within reason, the best care for that animal. Fish, dog, lizard, whatever. It is a lifetime commitment. The thought of a poor helpless fish swimming in ammonia... *gulp*.

Long story shorter? We walked out of Petsmart with a 10 gallon aquarium setup and will go back tonight for our two goldfish.