About Goldfish Bowls

Goldfish are arguably the easiest pet fish to care for and were one of the first fish to be domesticated. Many pet owners opt to house their goldfish in goldfish bowls, which with their clear sides and open top make an excellent medium for viewing the activities and beautiful coloring of their goldfish. Goldfish bowls were once considered the ideal housing for pet goldfish, but over time veterinarians and aquarists have begun to urge pet owners to house their goldfish in larger, filtered aquariums.

History

Goldfish were originally domesticated in their native China centuries ago by emperors that enjoyed watching the beautiful fish swim around in garden ponds. As time passed, goldfish were brought inside in glass bowls to enable closer, more frequent viewing. These first goldfish bowls had two flat sides, much like the drum goldfish bowls common today. Eventually the western world was introduced to the idea of keeping goldfish as pets, and the use of goldfish bowls as their most common housing became widespread.

Types

Most goldfish bowls are made from clear glass or plastic to optimize viewing. Typically glass goldfish bowls are more costly than plastic goldfish bowls, but still relatively inexpensive. Goldfish bowls generally range in size from 1/2 gallon to 3 gallons and are either drum-shaped or round.

Features

There are several ways that pet owners can help to make the environment of goldfish bowls more conducive to the health of their pet goldfish. First special filters, called under gravel filters, made for goldfish bowls should be placed in the bottom of goldfish bowls and covered by 1 to 2 inches of clean gravel. Goldfish bowls should then be filled with conditioned tap water and left to sit at least 30 minutes before introducing new goldfish. Goldfish bowls should be cleaned at least once a week by removing half of the water from the goldfish bowls and replacing it with conditioned tap water that has been sitting at room temperature for 30 minutes. Once a month goldfish bowls need a complete cleaning that requires placing the goldfish in a bowl with some of the old water and removing the dirty water from the goldfish bowls and rinsing the gravel. After replacing the gravel the goldfish bowls should be filled with conditioned tap water and left to sit at room temperature before adding the goldfish back in.

Benefits

Goldfish bowls provide an excellent view of goldfish as they swim, allowing their owners to appreciate the beauty of the fish and be aware of its behavior and actions. Most goldfish bowls are also priced below $20, making them a good choice for a family that would like a pet but is on a limited budget. The ideal maintenance and upkeep involved with goldfish bowls is frequent but simple and quick, whereas cleaning and maintaining a large aquarium can be quite an undertaking.

Misconceptions

Despite the convenience and cost-effectiveness of housing pet goldfish in goldfish bowls, these bowls do not provide an optimal environment for goldfish. Goldfish bowls are considered by most veterinarians and aquarists to be too small to house even a single goldfish, as their general rule is that 10 to 20 gallons of water are needed for each adult goldfish. Healthy, adult goldfish should reach a length of at least 6 inches, but when confined in small goldfish bowls the fish are unable to thrive and meet their optimal size. Also, goldfish bowls either have no filtration systems or less effective filtration systems than most aquariums, allowing waste and bacteria to build up in the goldfish bowls, creating a potentially harmful environment for the fish. Still water in goldfish bowls does not receive the amount of oxygen necessary to keep goldfish healthy, leading to a shortened lifespan and stunted growth.

Resources

• Guide for goldfish care
• More about goldfish bowls