My Son's First Fish Tank

For his ninth birthday, my son asked for a fish tank. He did weeks of research. He made a presentation, with slides, about water quality, fish compatibility and the importance of a good filter.

We got him a small tank and five fish. He named them after his favorite foods: Taco, Burrito, Waffle, Noodle and Pepperoni. He feeds them every morning before school and every evening before bed. He checks the water temperature with the seriousness of a scientist.

He talks to them. He tells them about his day. He reads them chapters from his books. When he's sad, he sits in front of the tank and watches them swim.

Pepperoni, it turns out, was pregnant. Last month, we woke up to fourteen tiny baby fish. My son was over the moon. He's named them all after sauces.