Help about Nemo and Dory.....

My son is a big, big fan of Nemo in the movie Finding Nemo that he keeps on badgering me on putting up an aquarium and putting a few Nemos and Dorys in there (good thing he doesnt like Bruce! ) I have no idea what kind of fishes are those and I also have no idea how to take care of them. But then I think it'll be a good idea to have an aquarium and to let my son feel responsible. Besides, his 5th birthday is coming up, so I really hate to disappoint him.....hope you could help me guys!

Well Nemo is a Clown Fish

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Percula Clownfish
Percula Clownfish, Amphiprion percula, is frequently mistaken for its close cousin, the Ocellaris Clownfish. The common names alone can be confusing; This fish can also be known as the False Ocellaris or the True Percula. Aside from the naming issue, the main differences are in hardiness and in coloration. For overall hardiness in any Clownfish, the Tank Raised specimens are always recommended. They are sturdier, are less panicky shippers, and do better overall. For coloration, the black striping that outlines the white bars on the Percula is typically somewhat thicker. Percula Clowns have been said to inhabit a slighter higher horizontal plane in the aquarium (“they swim higher”) that the middle-hugging Ocellaris, but this will likely vary by specimen. Clownfish, also known as Anemonefish, are omnivores that will eat a wide variety of prepared and frozen foods. Brine Shrimp are a favorite treat of these amusing little fish. Clownfish have gained a high level of popularity in the saltwater hobby because of their hardiness and abundance of personality. When introduced in numbers, they will form schools in the home aquarium with the two dominant fish becoming a pair. The largest Clown is typically the terminal female, the next largest the male, and the others remain juveniles.

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In the aquarium

A clownfish swimming.Clownfish are a popular fishes for the reef aquarium. Clownfish are now tank-bred to lower the number taken from the wild. Compared to wild-caught clownfish, tank-bred clownfish are more disease resistant and also less affected by stress when introduced to the aquarium.
When a sea anemone is not available in an aquarium, they may settle in some varieties of soft corals, or large polyp stony corals. If the fish settles in a coral, it could agitate the fish's skin, and, in some cases, may kill the coral. Once an anemone or coral has been adopted, the clownfish will defend it. As there is less pressure to forage for food in an aquarium, it is common for clownfish to remain within 2-4 inches of their host for an entire lifetime.
Clownfish that are far removed from their parents through captive breeding may not have the same instinctual behavior to live in an anemone. They may actually have to be coaxed into finding the anemone by the home aquarist. Even then, there is no guarantee that the anemone will host the clownfish.

And Dory is a Blue surgeonfish

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The powder blue surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon) is one of the most beautiful saltwater fish for the aquarium. It is also commonly called the powder blue tang. It belongs to the family Acanthuridae, which includes the tangs, unicornfish, and the surgeonfish. In case you are wondering, surgeonfish get their name from the scalpel-like projection located on both sides of their tail. They reach an adult size of about 9-10 inches (23-25 cm).
In their natural environment, powder blue surgeonfish are found in shallow waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are often found along coral reefs where they feed on algae. They are sometimes seen in groups or in pairs. However, they don't do well in groups or pairs in the home aquarium. In the aquarium they are very aggressive toward members of their own species. You should only keep one powder blue surgeon fish in your aquarium or they will fight.
They can be successfully kept in a reef tank. You should provide lots of live rock in their tank.
Because powder blue surgeonfish are herbivores you should have algae growing in their tank. You should also supplement their diet with frozen plant-based food for marine fish and dried seaweed. They will also eat meaty aquarium foods for marine fish, but most of their diet should be plant-based.
Powder blue surgeonfish must have good water quality and the proper diet to remain healthy. They are somewhat susceptible to marine ich and other diseases and won't survive long without the proper environment and diet.
Males and females have similar coloration, but females are larger than the males. There are no reports of them spawning in the aquarium.
Powder blue surgeonfish can usually be obtained for about $60-100.

These are salt water fish, and you do need to spend some time reading about the different types of aquariums. Reef, salt water, fresh water.
On our AdsAds link at the top of the forum, there is a store advertising that has all different kinds of fish and information you might want to check out.

Wow what a great post! I never really knew what kind of fish they were either. Now I do. Thank You!

When you do get those fish a salt water aquarium is a little more difficult to take care of. You need to check the salinity constantly because if the water is too salty it will kill them, if it's not salty enough they won't live either. If you need any help feel free to PM me because I use to take care of salt water tanks and have a minor in marine bio. :-D Also, corals are a little more expensive, but if you want you can propagate your own coral from small polyps. And let it grow and propagating finger leather coral and mushroom coral is probably the easiest to propagate.

I suggest you just buy an ordinary aquarium fish for a start until your son knows how to take care and manage his pet. But if you think he'll appreciate more the clown fish "nemo", good luck. Anyway you're there to guide him right?

I knew that Nemo was a clown fish, I remember that from the movie when the guys were asking Nemo's father to tell a joke (and he couldn't, LOL), but I had no idea who Dory was. So she is a Blue Surgeonfish, now I know! Thanks Topdog!

As it is so good to look at those type of fish he wants, it is impossible for the 5 year old to manage them, especially over time.

I suggest you go for the next best thing. Buy him a thick fish bowl. Those are the best for starters. Get some zebra danios, it might be not as nice as the clown fish but its perfect for starters like your kid.