Awesome Aquatic Petpets, Dude

One great thing about Aquatic Petpets is that they don’t need salt in their water like Maraquans do. That makes it easier to take care of ‘em! They usually don’t need a whole lot of space, either. Just make sure they have a tank with enough room to swim around. A good rule of thumb, (or fin, ha!) is to make sure your Petpet can easily turn around and has at least four times its length to swim. The water will need to be kept at around seventy-two degrees, so get a heater! But hey, no sweat, drop by the Rock Pool and I’ll give ya one free, dude!

Aquatic Petpets like friends, just like you and me! Most of the time you’re gonna want to give your Petpet a tank mate. Just make sure they like each other! Each Petpet has its own personality, but you can make a good guess if you know something about its breed. I’ll tell you about that in just a minute, dude, so hold on! If you keep more than one Petpet, your tank’s gonna need to be bigger than if you kept just one. But hey, you figured that out already, didn’t ya?

Your Petpets will also like toys and other stuff to hide and play in. As far as toys go, almost any plastic toy will work. Avoid plushies and wooden toys ‘cuz they get all moldy. You can use sand, gravel and rocks from just about anywhere. A lot of people think seaweed would work in their tank, but it won’t! Seaweed needs salt, dude. It won’t last long with your aquatic Petpet. But the cool thing is you can put almost any plant that can grow on land in your tank! Just make sure it gets sunlight and that the plant won’t outgrow the tank and bust it. I once knew this dude who tried to put a dwarf tree in with his Catamara! It was so funny.

Also, you’re gonna need to replace half of the tank water every week with fresh water. How would you like it if you never got a breath of fresh air? I know I’d go crazy without some wind in my fur! It’s the same thing with the Petpets, dude. They like a breath of fresh water.

Like everything else living, Petpets like to eat! Aquatic Petpets like eatin’ mostly veggies, and occasionally a little lean meat. Nothing fatty or filled with preservatives! Just chop up the food real fine and feed ‘em once or twice a day. Only a little bit, please! Aquatic Petpets only need maybe an ounce or two of food each day. If ya over feed ‘em, their water’ll get all dirty and the Petpets’ll get fat. None of that’s good for their health! They might make big eyes at you for second helpings, but be strong, dude, be strong! Oh, the exception to this rule is the Jawshell. They like five-ounces meals, but only one meal every other day.

So now I’m gonna tell you about the fun stuff—the Petpets, dude, the Petpets! Since most of us aren’t exactly neomillionaires, all of the Petpets I’ll be tellin’ you about will be on the cheaper side. That means the ones rated under ninety rarity by the Neopian Goods Values Commission. There’s twenty-three total! The Maraquans can’t offer you that.

Baby Blus are way popular on Roo Island. ‘Cuz they look like Blumaroos, of course! If you like Blumaroos, you’ll love these little guys. They’re real easy to take care of, too. Just stick some tall plants in there and they’ll wrap themselves around the stuff.

Bowlas are all cute n’ stuff, but they can be pests. They can soak up to ten times their body weight in water, and sploosh! They can hit ya up to twenty feet away. If you’re close to it, it’ll knock ya right off the ground. The Bowla’ll think it’s the funniest thing it’s ever seen.

Bubblisaurs’re real awesome! They grow a new bubble every year if they’re healthy. I have one that’s a whole seven bubbles long! He gets bigger every year, and yours could, too! But nothing too sharp in the tank; Bubblisaur skin is real delicate.

One of the more popular Petpets at the Rock Pool is the Catamara. They have a wicked sense of smell. They can sniff out food even if it’s as little as one part per thousand! So I wouldn’t eat dinner ‘round them. They get upset if they can smell but can’t taste.

Cheerlubs love playin’, dude. They make this sweet “meeba meeb” noise when they’re happy. If your Cheerlub is healthy and happy, be prepared for a noisy Neohome! But if it isn’t well taken care of, be afraid. They can get just as nasty as an abusive owner.

Cubetts aren’t the sharpest knife in the aquatic drawer, but they sure are lovin’ and lovable. They sleep a lot, too, so make sure there’s plenty of flat, soft space on the bottom of its tank. It’ll love ya all the more for it!

Probably the most active aquatic Petpet is the Dartail. They have a sharp, whip-like tail they cut their food up with. Be careful, dude! You could get a wicked cut from his tail, and so could his tank mates! ‘Cuz of that, you shouldn’t keep your Dartail with delicate or slow Petpets. A Jawshell would be a good tank mate ‘cuz of its hard shell.

Filamen are little dudes who anchor themselves to rocks and glow in the dark. My lil sis loves her Filamen ‘cuz he’s a great night light for her room! Got an easy time takin’ care of him, too. All he needs is a little powdered food every couple days.

Poor Frillabons ain’t so popular, but just look at ‘em! They’re all snaky and frilly and cool. If you ya put some tall, thin plants in his tank, he’ll hide in there and make himself look like part of the plant. They’re way cool! I’ve got like five of ‘em.

Neopians who come to my Rock Pool are always like, “ooh!” and “aah!” over my Ghotis. They are righteous and all flowy, but they’re real delicate, dude. They need calm, clean water and a sandy tank bottom. Be sure you can take care of it right before you go and buy one!

Now this is one totally righteous Petpet, dudes and dudettes! Jawshells are full of colors and they’re all spiky. They don’t move around much, but smile real wide when their favorite Neopet’s in the room. Speakin’ of their big mouths, Jawshells will eat anything! You might wanna keep smaller Petpets away from ‘em, and totally avoid plants. Even small rocks shouldn’t be in a Jawshell’s tank. But c’mon, they are so worth it!

Kelpflakes are, paws down, the easiest Petpet in the Rock Pool to take care of. They don’t move around, so they only need a little fishbowl. You don’t even need to feed him, dude! Just put his bowl in a place that gets lots of sunlight, and you’ll have a happy, bright green Petpet in no time.

You’re gonna love these dudettes! If you make your Leeble happy, she’ll start hummin’ some sweet tunes for ya. I even taught mine “Surfin’ Mystery Island!” So if ya like music, you should definitely think about gettin’ a Leeble. But don’t get more than one! They get real irritated with each other when each is hummin’ a different tune.

Dude, I have no idea where Meturfs came from, but they are awesome! They need big, well-secured tanks ‘cuz they like wanderin’ around on dry land for a few hours at a time. But that can also be a good thing when your Neopet wants to play with its Meturf for a little while! And really dude, how can you resist those big, dark eyes?

Make sure you have a tight lid on your tank if you decide to get an Orp! They aren’t real smart, so the slightest noise or movement, and pow! They jump out of their tank like it’s on fire. That is not good, dude. They can only survive a few minutes out of water, but even worse, they are bouncy! That’s right, I said bouncy. First off the floor, then off the wall, then off the ceiling; before you know it, it’s crashin’ holes in the walls and breakin’ windows!

I don’t like Peadackles so much. They make this underwater crow the instant the sun comes up. I guess if you’re a morning person you might want one. They eat a lot of food, but lay an egg almost every day in return. But I’m a vegetarian, dude.

I hear lots of people complain Pepitos aren’t real nice to look at, but they’re smart! They like nothin’ better than playin’ fetch with ya in their tank, and they learn tricks real easy if you give ‘em a reward. You should really think about gettin’ one! If you can’t promise a couple hours a day to playin’ with your Pepito, get two so the little dude’ll have a friend.

Pfish are gnarly, but in a fun way. He should have a tank mate to keep him company, but do not put two Pfish together, ‘cuz mischief loves company! Believe me, I know, dude. I once had a pair of Pfish together in a tank, and they totally destroyed a sand sculpture I made ‘em. But they are funny little clowns if you keep ‘em away from breakable stuff.

Ramosans are usually friendly, but those red flames around ‘em aren’t just cool-looking—they’re shockin’! This is an electric eel, dudes and dudettes. It will shock anything in its tank if it’s startled, and they get startled real easy! Be careful, their shocks sting. They can even seriously hurt a tank mate. It’s best to keep the dude all by himself and wear rubber gloves when your paws are in the water.

Soreens’re friendly and flowin’, just like the ocean. They like lots to do in the tank and need plenty of room. They like caves and toys, but don’t really need plants. The water needs to be calm like a lake! Actually, they do awesome in ponds.

Another Petpet that’ll jump outta your tank if you’re not careful is the Sproing. If he does spring out, he’s only got a couple minutes before he’ll dry out. But in the tank, they’re real cool ‘cuz they’ll bounce off the walls of the tank! So, keep the tank pretty empty and totally clear of sharp stuff. Do I have to tell ya to keep a tight lid on its tank?

If you keep a water bottle handy for regular misting, your Tanizard will love nothin’ more than riding around Neopia on your shoulders. Inside its tank, it needs plenty of room and tower-like rocks to wrap itself around. They’re pretty little dudes, aren’t they?

Waleins’re chunky, but don’t move around a whole lot. (Guess that’s why they’re chunky, huh?) Don’t forget that Waleins actually breathe in air, not water, so make room above the water for him to surface and breathe. They’re real mild little dudes and easy to please, so they’re great for busy Neopians.

Well, those’re the aquatic Petpets that are under ninety rarity! Oh, and you can paint several of them if you want. Most of the time the painted Petpets don’t need special care, but there are a few exceptions. Petpets painted Pirate like a little salt in their water, so add a tablespoon per five gallons. Fire Petpets, of course, need their water heated to a boilin’ ninety-two degrees! Be real careful if you have to touch water that hot, and wear rubber gloves! Christmas and Snow Petpets have the opposite problem; their water needs to be kept at thirty-six degrees, so be careful you don’t get frostbitten! Oh, and just so ya know, somehow Plushie Petpets don’t soak up water and sink to the bottom. It must be some awesome faerie magic. Clay and Custard Petpets just don’t sound like a good idea to me, but if you’ve gotta have one, clean their water every few days and make sure there are no hungry Petpets with them! Pirates, Fires, Christmases, Snows, Clays and Custards can’t be kept with Petpets of different colors. Their water needs would be too different, dude!

So, I know this’s a lot to take in, so I’m gonna give you a couple examples of some awesome tanks I’ve seen. Including a few of mine, dude! They’ll give you some ideas for a tank of your own.

My lil sis, Kimmy, loves her tank; it’s not too big ‘cuz her room’s small. It’s got all dark rocks and no plants, ‘cuz the darker the tank the brighter her Filamen glows! He doesn’t move around too much, so she’s got a Leeble that swims around all day and hums her to sleep at night. It’s the perfect setup for a kid’s room!

My favorite tank is pretty big, but not totally enormous. There’re three Jawshells that add tons of color and a Pepito for action and adventure. They eat a lot, though, so be sure you can afford the food bill! I put a bunch of rocks in the tank, and a treasure box full of plastic gem rings, bendy swords and fake crowns so it looks like an abandoned treasure. I love those treasure hunting stories, dude, but I’ve never found one! Guess I’ll just have to settle for my Jawshells.

A buddy o’ mine’s got this thing for trouble-makers, so he made up what he calls “The Fortress.” He actually put every trouble-making aquatic Petpet breed there is and put ‘em all in his gigantic tank. It’s made with thick glass and an unbreakable lid to keep the Petpets inside, so you probably shouldn’t copy this unless you’re in for a full-time job. But it’s righteous to watch, so I’m includin’ it in this list. It’s full of rocks and really hardy toys, but no plants. There’s a Bowla, a Dartail, three Orps, a Pfish and two Sproings. Is the dude crazy, or what? Hey, he has fun with it.

Most of the setups I’ve talked about don’t have plants, so let me tell you about one of my newer tanks. It’s green all over and full of peaceful Petpets. It’s a big tank, but easy to take care of. I put in a bunch of Cheery Plants and a Twisted Vine. After that I put in five Kelpflakes. A tank like this is going to need a lot of sunlight, so make sure it gets at least nine hours a day of direct, full light. If ya can’t swing that, take out the Twisted Vine and a few Cheery Plants so the Kelpflakes will have plenty of sun-food. After that, go ahead and put in a Ghoti and a few Frillabons. They’re all calm, so they make for a seriously relaxing tank.

The last tank setup I’ll tell you about is one I just set up for a friend of mine. She wanted a tank all the little ones in her Neohome could enjoy, but still be easy to take care of. So, of course, I made a Meturf and Tanizard tank for her! It’s a medium-sized tank ‘cuz the Meturf and Tanizard should be spending a lot of time outside the water with the little ones to play. The inside of the tank is full of caves and resting spots so the Petpets’ll have a nice place to chill out.

Well, there you have it, dudes and dudettes. The basics of the Petpets I love, and love to help other Neopians enjoy. Now, what’re you waiting for? Get over to the Rock Pool and I’ll help you get set up with an aquatic Petpet of your very own! In the meantime, Tashni helped me get this article into the Times, so drop her a neomail and thank her for me!