I want to keep goldfish in a bowl. Is there absolutely no way?

Question

I didn't think I would, but I won two goldfish at a county fair yesterday. They are small common type goldfish, both of which are slender and just a bit longer than an inch. Before I read anything about them, I put them in a small tank. This morning, when I went to the pet store to buy food and something for them to hide behind, I was given a large bowl (flat on the sides like a tank, with rounded edges) for free with my purchase. I have tropical fish at home who have lived for about ten years in a filtered tank, but I figured since I'd seen goldfish thrive in bowls and tanks without any special filtration, that I didn't need all that for my new fish. I transferred them to the new bowl which was obviously a traumatizing experience for them.

Now I've read that bowls are actually a terrible place for a goldfish, let alone two, but I really don't want to put them through another move. Keep in mind these are small fish, not fancy, and the bowl is only a couple gallons but still tank-sized with plenty of room for the both of them. I don't know if they will poison each other or what, but I'd like to preserve them even though they are fair fish. Please let me know if filtration is extremely necessary and if it would be more harmful to move them or to keep them where they are. As you can understand, this is somewhat urgent as the fish have already been used to the bowl for a couple hours, now.

Answer 1

If you don't want to move them at the moment its OK...however, you soon will need to get a very big tank for them...you can either get one now & put them in it when its set up, and yes with filtration (they are VERY dirty fish) and they will be happy for the rest of their long lives...(they can live for many many years)...or u can wait until they grow a little bit and then do it. But either way you need to buy a big tank

Answer 2

http://cellar.org/2002/recordgoldfish.jp...

http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/d...

Yeah I'm not sure if those 2 images would look right in a bowl (heck the second one is in a bowls!)

But in short, no. Carnival Goldfish grow up to a foot and a half long, and require a 75 gallon tank to live their full life. Read this article on Goldfish in bowls: http://www.epinions.com/content_31856149...

Oh and yes, all fish need a filter.

E-mail me for any questions!

Answer 3

One goldfish needs at least 20 gallons of water to live in. They are small now but if they don't die shortly, which they most likely will because you won them at a county fair so they were bred as feeder fish and bought for about 10 cents each, they will grow to over a foot long. I have a goldfish now by itself in a 30g tank, we bought him as a feeder fish and he is now about 18 inches long and almost 8 years old, so there is still hope for you! Bottom line- filtration is extremely necessary for goldfish, they create a huge amount of waste, and yes, without a large tank and a very very good filter with weekly partial water changes, they will die of ammonia poisoning.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/gold-fish-ca...

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/care.html

http://www.goldfishconnection.com/

Answer 4

A couple of years I bought a single goldfish and a large bowl like the one you described, to put on my desk.  I thought it would be that simple, but like you, I learned quickly that there is just not enough oxygen in the typical goldfish bowl, even for ONE small fish.

It is because the bowl is narrower at the top, so the area of the surface, where oxygen exchanges into the water, is a smaller area than in a tank, in which the walls go straight up vertically instead of the rounding of a bowl to a narrow neck of the bowl.  The surface area of the water exchanging oxygen from the air is greater in a tank.

It turned out that for my one tiny goldfish, I had to get a filter going if I wanted to keep it in a "goldfish bowl".  You have TWO fish in a bowl, so they're using up their oxygen fast.  You will definitely need to get a filter for their bowl.  It would probably be easiest on them at this point, rather than move them to a tank, as you mentioned.  And even if you went to a tank, it would have to be pretty big for your two fish to have enough oxygen without having to buy a filter anyway.  So to save yourself money and save your goldfish from any further stress, get them an air filter, and FAST!

Answer 5

The bowl will be okay temporarily. If you want to keep them you'll need a 30 gallon tank minimum with a good filter. These goldfish will eventually get to be about a foot long and produce much more waste than most other fish. They could also live in an outdoor pond if your climate is mild enough. If you can't provide a bigger tank for the fish you really should find them a new home.

Answer 6

Your big concern should be the nitrogen cycle, not the size or shape of the bowl.  Goldfish waste contains ammonia, and until the bacteria get established that neutralize the ammonia the level of ammonia in the bowl can rise to a level high enough to kill the fish.  So initially it is necessary to change the water frequently, or to add a neutralizer for the ammonia.  Ask the pet store about this before your goldfish suffocate from the ammonia.

Answer 7

You need a 50 gallon heavily filter aquarium for these fish, they get a fooot long! Fancy goldfish are the smallest variety at only 6 inches at adult size. Tank or torchured goldfish. Your choice. The move will be stressful, but better for them in the long run. As long as you acclimate them properly it will not be as stressful.