Las Vegas is filled with surprises, including a handful of amazing aquariums. Some of our favorites include the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the Aquarium at the Silverton, and Atlantis at the Forum Shops. There are others, too: mesmerizing places that inspire pet ownership, even in the desert.

Nationwide, more than 11.5 million households have freshwater fish tanks, and 1.6 million have saltwater fish tanks. Nevada is no exception. About 10 percent of pet owners include fish, making them one of the more popular pets — even among people who already own a dog or cat.

In fact, pet fish are gaining in popularity in younger households, with as many as 12 percent of Millennials and 26 percent of Gen Z owning fish. Much of the excitement can be attributed to disposable income, urbanization, and interior design. Others simply see it as something else altogether.

“Fish are much smarter than people have previously given them credit for,” said Evan Bera, a fish tank enthusiast in California. “The Oxford University Zoology Department recently learned that one tropical fish can distinguish one human face from another despite lacking a brain section that homo sapiens have. They like to play. They chase laser beams just like cats do.”

Bera said fish lack expressive facial muscles, which humans tend to equate with intelligence. But just like recent studies have found birds to be social creatures, fish can be as well. Fish even ranked among the top five pets for young children.

“I can’t imagine not living with fish, but it makes sense for me in California,” he said. “They are fairly low maintenance if you block out time to keep the tank clean and the water in good condition. I suppose it might be trickier in a place like Nevada.”

Bera is referring to hard water conditions in Southern Nevada. However, many fish owners in Las Vegas have learned to adjust. Some have learned that using API Stress Coat, a water conditioner, in the tank will eliminate many harmful chemicals. A couple of gallons of reverse osmosis water can also help stabilize water chemistry, especially to counteract the concentration caused by evaporation.

“Many of the freshwater fish sold here in Las Vegas do fine in our tap water conditions, especially African cichlids,” says Kevin Kenstler of Reef Solutions in Las Vegas. “I use RO/DI (reverse osmosis deionized) water and then add additives for fish that require soft water conditions.”

The reason certain African cichlids do so well is that they are used to similar water conditions. Most of these fish come from the Tanganyika and Malawi lakes of central Africa, which have harder water. Salt water fish can be trickier.

“Always quarantine your fish because you can’t trust stores to properly quarantine them,” Kenstler said. “Educate yourself as much as possible, and if you’re buying coral, be extremely cautious if the retailer is keeping fish in the same holding tanks as corals and live rock.”

Most fish stores will provide new fish tank owners with advice. All of them are happy to help new pet fish owners, even recommending aquarium service providers as needed.

Most owners, however, manage their tanks. And just like most pet owners planning to take a vacation, they ask family and friends to check up on their fish. But fish owners have other options, depending on how long they will be away.

• Automatic feeders have timers that can be set to dispense the proper amount of food. Some people use them regularly, even when they are home.
• Fish sitters are always a great option, provided they understand fish like to beg for food. Since overfeeding is always more dangerous than underfeeding, pre-measured amounts can be helpful as well as including such information in fish pet records.
• Vacation feeders can provide food in a calcium or gel block in 2-day, 7-day, and 14-day sizes. Just be aware that calcium blocks can impact water chemistry.

Remember that feedings are not the only concern while traveling is also important. Lighting timers, water temperature readings, and physical condition are essential to ensure you never come home to an aquarium of sick or dying fish.

“If the aquarium will be unattended during vacation time, it is very important to have a company monitoring water parameters and inspecting for disease,” advises Kenstler. “Some parasites can wipe a tank out in a very short period, so having a company monitor the aquarium can potentially prevent a disaster. Having online records could also be beneficial if a client wanted to monitor their aquarium’s parameters remotely.”

The best advice for summer adventurers is simple enough. Clean the aquarium and top off the water before you leave. Check the temperature, light timers, filters, and fish themselves. And, if you are asking a fish sitter to stop by, make sure that your fish pet records are up to date about feeding times, any issues to watch for, and the phone number for your preferred local pet shop, aquarium store, or a service like Reef Solutions!