
Without a filter, the water quality will quickly decline and even small changes in water chemistry could be deadly. This is impossible to create without the use of a heater. There are also many species of fish that need a warmer or more ‘tropical’ environment. For example, goldfish should be kept in a tank that is kept between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit to thrive. While some species of fish can adjust to a wider variety of temperatures, they still need their environment to be kept at a steady temperature that they can adapt to. Without a heater, the water temperature in your fish bowl is subject to fluctuations which could stress or kill your fish. They aren’t big enough for heaters or filters.Ī fish bowl isn’t designed to accommodate a tank heater or filter. In a fishbowl, there simply isn’t enough water or space to cultivate an adequate colony of beneficial bacteria. In order to keep the water quality in a fish tank high, you need beneficial bacteria to convert the chemicals produced by the breakdown of waste into less harmful substances. We often associate the word ‘bacteria’ with negativity and problems, bacteria is actually needed in a fish tank to create an optimal environment. They have also banned the use of goldfish as prizes. For example, in Rome, a bylaw was passed to ban spherical goldfish bowls. Recognizing how cruel and inhumane this is for the fish that are kept in these conditions, some locations have banned their use. Like with humans, high levels of stress can contribute to physical health problems and complications. This distorted view of the world around them can be incredibly stressful for your fish. Keeping a fish in a rounded bowl can be disorienting. If you have ever tried to look through a fish bowl you probably noticed that it distorted your vision.
Fish in fish bowl free#
But, if you break free from this cycle and provide your goldfish with enough room to grow, you may be surprised by how large they can be! As a result, society sees goldfish as small fish without the need for a larger habitat and continues to place them in smaller fishbowls and tanks. They simply stop growing because there is no space to grow into. Keeping a goldfish in a smaller fishbowl will stunt its growth. The small size that we often associate with the goldfish is part of a hazardous cycle. A small fish bowl simply doesn’t offer enough swimming space to keep a fish healthy. Meanwhile, the recommended tank size for a goldfish is at least 10 gallons for each goldfish. If you are incorporating live plants or significant décor, the size needed is even greater. The recommended tank size for a single betta fish is 5 gallons. In addition to promoting toxic conditions, here are just a few more reasons why fish bowls are bad:īetta fish grow up to 3 inches long and goldfish can grow much larger. Related: Tank Stocking: The Truth About The 1 Inch Per Gallon Rule This is why many goldfish only last a few days after being brought home from the fair. If you don’t change the water in the bowl, the accumulation of waste can quickly lead to toxic conditions which could kill your fish. As a result, it accumulates in the bottom of the fish bowl where it will have a negative impact on water quality. The key to keeping aquarium fish healthy is to maintain high water quality in the tank, and that simply isn’t possible with a fish bowl unless you change the water every day.Īs your fish eats, it naturally produces waste and in a fish bowl there isn’t anywhere for that waste to go. These bowls are not only keeping the waste contained in a smaller space with your fish, but they also fail to offer any filtration to cycle that waste out of the water.

Keeping a betta fish or goldfish in a small fish bowl is equivalent to soaking in a bathtub contaminated by your own waste – there simply isn’t enough water to dilute the waste. The image of a goldfish in a rounded fishbowl is a popular and stereotypical one, but the fact that they are portrayed this way in so many places doesn’t mean that it’s right! What many people do not realize is that keeping a fish in a fish bowl is tantamount to animal cruelty. In many cases, the fish are just given away in bags, but some places give them away in small fish bowls.

If you have ever gone to the fair or a carnival, you’ve probably seen goldfish or betta fish being given away as prizes.

Small space and toxic water conditions are just a few of the things wrong with this popular fish habitat. They may be compact and stylish, but there’s nothing cute about fish bowls.
