How to Wash a Goldfish Bowl

Because goldfish are a cold-water species, they don't need a
heated tank. If you're one of those people who love the classic
look of a fishbowl, read on.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper Towels
• Paper Towels
• Paper towels

1. Plan on cleaning out your fishbowl every two weeks, if not weekly.

2. 

   Catch your fish with a small net and place it in a smaller secondary bowl full of room-temperature water from the original bowl.

3. Empty the primary fishbowl into the sink. Catch any rocks or other objects in a strainer as you pour the water out.

4. 

   Rinse the bowl thoroughly with hot water, scrubbing the sides with a paper towel, if needed.

5. 

   Pour out the dirty water, and repeat with more hot water. This will help kill germs and bacteria.

6. Clean your bowl using a chemical cleaner designed specifically for gold-fish bowls. Never use soap or detergent when washing a fishbowl.

7. Rinse the bowl out thoroughly with cold water.

8. 

   Run cold water over the objects in the strainer (gravel, plastic plants) until they are clean. Return them to the bowl.

9. 

   Refill the bowl and let the new water sit for 24 hours to allow the chlorine in the tap water to evaporate and to bring the water to room temperature.

10. 

    Return your fish to the primary bowl.

Tips & Warnings

• Transfer the fish quickly from one bowl to another. A fish out of water can suffocate and die with-in minutes.
• Ask at the fish store about special chemical cleaners designed to safely clean your bowl in the event that your fish has died and bowl sterilization is necessary.

[Emmaxx]

on 11/2/2008 Yesterday me and my sister went to a fair and won 2 goldfish, we had to buy a bowl and some food because we didnt have any at home. We have now had them for nearly a day and already there bowl is full with poo so this morning we went to get a fish net to take out the fish but the shops we went to didnt have any. Would it be ok to leave them for another day without cleaning the bowl? I would really like to get a bigger bowl but the thing is my dad says its not worth it because we have already paid for the other one, our bowl is about 20cm by 13cm is it too small? Please reply. Emma xx

[jenndc31]

on 6/23/2008 Any information is greatly appreciated here, my 2 boys 7 and 11 won 2 goldfish at the fair and we have them in a fishbowl right now, too expensive to buy tank and filter etc, so anything would be helpful! thanks

[mwdragondk]

on 12/3/2006 bowls should never be used to home a fish!!! its cruel! you require a filter only 10% water change regulary and you must use some thing to remove chlorine!!!

on 8/8/2006 Make sure your fish is in a safe place while you clean out your bowl. My little brothers fish was very energetic when we were changing his water and it landed on the oven.

on 7/22/2006 Have you ever noticed how much and how quickly a goldfish poops? Feed it now and out comes its string of poop in a matter of seconds. You cannot keep a goldfish in a bowl for sanitary and health reasons. In order to keep it in a bowl, the water must be clean, and since it poops so much, you would need to clean the water every day. This is harmful to the fish's coating and stresses him out like mad!

Since goldfish are large fish, putting him in a bowl stunts natural growth. Either way, you lose. Get at least a 20 gallon tank for two goldfish and a good filter, or don't get a goldfish at all. If you want to have a fishbowl, buy at least a one-gallon and a Betta (Siamese fighting fish). These guys are well-suited for the bowl and breathe from the surface.