Keeping Goldfish - Need Advice

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Black_Hawk

Black_Hawk

Juggernaut
Hi!

I recently have wanted to keep a fish bowl in my room. Now the thing is I want to have one Goldfish in a fish bowl neatly perched on a glass table. I was reading on the net that keeping Goldfish in a bowl isn't a very good idea. But will one fish in a fish bowl hinder it's life span? I don't want a large fish tank, so was wondering if the fish bowls are conducive to a life of a Goldfish?

Need some advice from fellow TE-ians who keep/kept fishes in aquariums/bowls. Also if not Goldfish which other fish would do well in a fish bowl?

TIA :)
 
Black_Hawk said:
Hi!

I recently have wanted to keep a fish bowl in my room. Now the thing is I want to have one Goldfish in a fish bowl neatly perched on a glass table. I was reading on the net that keeping Goldfish in a bowl isn't a very good idea. But will one fish in a fish bowl hinder it's life span? I don't want a large fish tank, so was wondering if the fish bowls are conducive to a life of a Goldfish?

Need some advice from fellow TE-ians who keep/kept fishes in aquariums/bowls. Also if not Goldfish which other fish would do well in a fish bowl?

TIA :)
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No fish should be kept in bowl, unless its really large bowl and very well aerated. Ahh where is the privacy they want so much ....:no:

+LT
 
I'd say get a single male betta. Bettas are really low maintenance fish;

1. they don't eat as much and hence they don't shit as much; even love stuff liked dead mosquitoes

2. better looking than a single goldfish

3. respond to the the surroundings and people instead of just running around and surfacing only to eat the feed

4. much better suited for a bowl (unlike goldfish which ideally need a bigger aquarium since they swim around a lot)
 
Gold fish are not suited for bowl life. It only looks great in marketing brochures and photos. Some people considers it cruelty to put Gold Fish in a bowl.

Siamese Betta are rather better suited for bowl life. Ensure that you only have one Siamese Betta in a bowl or else they will fight and die.
 
Thanks folks! I guess I'll go with a single Beta fish then.

The only thing making me stay away from getting a large fish tank (although I find this option highly tempting due to it's sheer beauty) is the fact that changing water from it is a rather tedious process. I wonder if i could use a pump system to make the process easier? If there is a way to make this water change process easier I would go the larger fish tank way then. Can someone shed some light on this please.
 
Maintaining an aquarium is a tough task even for those who like aquariums and ornamental fishes.

For Siamese Betta frequent water changing is not needed as it can breath air from atmosphere a bit (unique to these type of fishes) and create less waste.

Normally people use a thin pipe to pull out water from tank.

I found website: wetwebmedia.com a very informative site on aquariums and ornamental fishes.
 
Black_Hawk said:
Thanks folks! I guess I'll go with a single Beta fish then.

The only thing making me stay away from getting a large fish tank (although I find this option highly tempting due to it's sheer beauty) is the fact that changing water from it is a rather tedious process. I wonder if i could use a pump system to make the process easier? If there is a way to make this water change process easier I would go the larger fish tank way then. Can someone shed some light on this please.
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Most efficient way is to have gravel and a filter but a good fish tank will need still regular water changes (once a week or so) and need your daily attention (food, health problems, some fish getting too aggressive). The only way you could go without significant maintenance is if you have a larger outdoors tank/fishpond but I don't know if that is even an option in your case.
 
I have heard that Marine Aquarium doesn't need much care and changing of water can be done once in 6 months or so, coz only Seawater is used in this kind of Aquariums and the sea water is kind of expensive(here in Bangalore)...

Can anyone put a light on Marine Aquarium or can anyone share there experience on Marine Aquarium....
 
i had few gold fish but life span is not much, cleaning the water is also pain as i have a very huge 4' tank so cannot change the water instantly from tap a the water contains chlorine which kills the fish, so have to keep the water for 2 - 3 days before changing it, so gave up the idea for gold fish, the dead ones were food for my sucker fish's, thay had a good feast, so i only have fresh water sharks & sucker fish & now i can change the water without keeping it, guess they have adapted themselves to chlorinated water.
 
If you plan to keep a Goldfish, make sure that you put a zero watt bulb somewhere in the vicinity and switch it on before you turn off the main light source.

Goldfish do not respond favourably to sudden change in light conditions and that has averse effect on their life span.
 
betta fighter fish- crown betta if you can find them. Just make sure you dont put 2 males in one bowl or else they'll fight. I had 2 of them and they lived for about 2 years.
 
Yes pretty much made up my mind, I'm going to get 2 Betas tomorrow morning from the local aquarium and fish store. Will keep them in separate bowls. This will keep things nice and simple. I'm not going the fish tank way now.

Thanks for all the help guys, made me decide which fish to get and keep. Really appreciate it. :)
 
+++ for a Betta. And, not a bowl even for a Betta. Even they need space and, the common thought is, one gallon per inch of the length of the fish. A fish-bowl just can't provide that. I got a Betta and a tiny aquarium for a friend as a gift. Chuck the bowl, go for those tiny, but adequate capacity aquarium.

Go to Indian Aquarium Hobbyist and you can interact with very helpful people. Just like TE is for tech, IAH is for aquarium hobbyists.

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Betta's are beautiful, and, smart. We lost him, though :'( ... some mismanagement in taking care of its habitat.

EDIT: Aslo, the Bettas that I found in Def Col here in Delhi were badly abused lot; kept in containers the size of a coffee mug. So read all you can about them, the fin rot and all the diseases that they are prone to ... see some pics on the net and check for fin damage. When you get it, keep a close look whether it is active and eating ... DO NOT over feed, cos they'll keep on eating as long as you keep dropping food in the tank (Google on this) ... for whatever reasons, they just won't stop eating, and that can lead to big trouble (experience).
 

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In betta bowl, fill it 75% only and put mesh on it in order to prevent excess dust entering the bowl.

Put a few marbles at the bottom, so that the dirt won't be visible in case you don't get time to clean the bowl.
Don't put small coloured stones, as they are bit difficult to clean. Marbles look better.

Also if possible put a small mirror in the bowl too. Betta loves it ( actually hate it, but looks good and gives him something to do)
 
So what do folks here think about cichlids ?

My roomate used to have those and they were very low maintenance. His tank was big tho, at least six feet long and a cpl of feet deep and high.

Feeding time with guppies was always a treat :ohyeah:
 
^^ Duh, I was told by the salesman guy that Guppies have a very short life span...like a week or so (true or false, I dunno). So I dropped the idea of having them. Group of Guppies swimming in a pattern do look cute though.

The problem is that fishes are presented by the sellers as no maintenance, no space, fun pets. Which is not true. They are not able to express like dogs, but still they need physical room. The very idea of keeping a goldfish in a bowl is revolting. And if one has a look at a full grown goldfish, given the proper room he'd understand that goldfish are simply not bowl ornaments...its cruel to restrict their growth by restricting their environment.
 
But why would you want the poor thing to be locked up inside a confined space ,while it should be in river or something .Imagine you being locked up . :| . Its utter cruelty .
 
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