Are You Keeping Your Goldfish In A Glass Bowl?

If you are, get your goldfish out of the bowl now or as soon as possible!

It’s good news indeed that Monza, a northern Italian city, had passed a ruling to ban pet owners form keeping their goldfish in bowls. This ruling, the first in Italy, may be a tiny drop in the aquarium, figuratively speaking, but let’s hope it will create bigger ripples around the fishkeeping world.

Many people have the notion that keeping goldfish in a “goldfish bowl” is an acceptable thing to do. This is a misperception that is likely to have come from our being weaned on too many cute graphic depictions of a lone goldfish sashaying about contentedly in a glass bowl, in popular comic books and TV cartoon series.

Contrary to popular belief, a glass bowl isn’t the ideal home for goldfish.

Here’s Why Goldfish Won’t Thrive Well In a Bowl

1. They Eat a lot, and They Grow Bigger

Goldfish need sufficient room to swim around – the optimum amount of space should be about 10 to 20 gallons of water per fish in an aquarium, or 30 to 50 gallons of water per fish in a pond. An aquarium measuring 60 x 30 x 30 cm should be adequate for housing about five to six goldfish.

These fish are voracious feeders. As they grow, they will eat just about anything else that’s edible in the aquarium, so they will keep on growing in size too. Some species are capable of growing to well over 12 inches in length.

2. More Waste Output, Higher Level of Toxins

Most goldfish kept in bowls do not survive long because of poor water quality and other accompanying factors. Unlike the betta, which can breathe at the surface of the water, goldfish do not thrive well in small containers.

Goldfish excrete larger amounts of waster products than smaller tropical fish. The larger waste output results in higher level of ammonia being produced. Thus, if you keep your goldfish in a smaller aquarium, you will have to maintain it better, and make more frequent water changes.

Though goldfish may be hardy, they will be happier and healthier in an aquarium that’s properly equipped with a filtration and aeration system—which will keep the water clean and maintain a sufficient amount of oxygen for the fish.

3. Better Growth, Longer Life

While a stimulating environment is necessary for all fish to thrive, it is particularly important to goldfish.

Keeping them in the bare and confined space of a bowl could stunt their growth. On the contrary, if they are provided with adequate space and a proper diet, they grow very well.

To create a stimulating environment, provide them with tank-mates to interact with, objects like plants and rocks to play with, a variety of foods to eat and different places to explore. Rearrange fake plants and ornaments (if any) in the tank periodically to make their surroundings more interesting.

A health goldfish, kept in prime conditions, may have a lifespan of up to 20 years or more!

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