Can I keep Goldfish in a bowl? (2024)

FAQs

Can I keep Goldfish in a bowl? ›

Can Goldfish Happily Live in a Bowl? The short answer to this question is a simple “no”. Fishbowls are small – the biggest issue with fishbowls is their small size, which isn't enough space for a goldfish. Not only that, but studies have shown that goldfish are also social and prefer to live in groups.

The lack of space causes an otherwise healthy fish to become stunted and develop problems with internal organs which can remain unseen but deadly over time. To give your goldfish a happy and long retirement, move him into a nice garden pond or large aquarium where he can grow old gracefully.

Goldfish. Goldfish are perhaps the worst choice for a bowl, or any small container. Not only are they notoriously messy fish that generate copious amounts of waste, but they also grow to sizes more fit for a pond.

It is not okay to keep a goldfish in an unfiltered tank or bowl and not perform regular water changes. You should be checking your water parameters weekly or more frequently so you know if your tank is retaining ammonia and nitrites, which can be dangerous to your goldfish.

Can goldfish survive in a bowl without an air pump? Yes, if the bowl is big enough.

If your fishbowl does not have a filter, you should do a 100% water change at least once a day to remove any waste or toxins from the water. Getting a top cover for the bowl or a filter can reduce the water changes you will need to do on a daily basis and protect your fish from getting an infection or a disease.

Make sure you don't keep your fish out of the water for too long. With all of the pebbles you have at the bottom, drain the bowl through a strainer and into the sink. After the bowl is completely empty, use fish bowl cleaner that you get from a pet store and clean out the tank. Do not use soap or detergent.

Household cleaning products, including soap, are harmful to fish. In addition, you'll need a water conditioner, which will instantly neutralize the chemicals in tap water, making the water safe for your Goldfish. Tap water can be full of dangerous chemicals that can harm your fish, such as chlorine and chloramines.

Despite their name, goldfish should really not be kept in a “goldfish bowl.” With no room to move around and no filter to maintain the cleanliness of the water, pet goldfish will generally only survive 3 to 9 months–a much shorter lifespan than their 20-year potential in an appropriate pond or aquarium setting.

As a general rule, you should not keep more than two (2) inches of fish per gallon of water. For example, a 2-gallon fish bowl should not house more than two, 2-inch long goldfish. It is very important to understand that goldfish do not tolerate tropical fish food well. Goldfish do not have a stomach.

Is it okay to keep goldfish in a bowl? ›

Bowls have poor oxygen concentration – Oxygen is vital for all life, and goldfish are no exception to this rule. In aquariums, oxygen exchange occurs at the water surface. However, the narrow neck of a fishbowl means that the oxygen level of the water in the bowl will be low, which isn't ideal for goldfish.

Healthy adult goldfish that are housed in a suitable environment with the proper water temperature and adequate filtration can usually go around a week without being fed with no adverse effects. Though some goldfish can tolerate longer periods of fasting (up to 2 weeks), this isn't recommended by most fishkeepers.

Goldfish require a minimum of 20 gallons of water for two fish and a bowl of that size will not provide enough space or oxygen for the fish to thrive.

Most fish are slightly denser than water, so sink immediately after death. However, like a drowned human, they become more buoyant over time as bacterial decomposition produces gases inside the body. Usually, enough gas builds up in body cavities to make the corpse float, like an inflated balloon.