Ok got. A little fishy today and I can't find the aquarium. So for now we have it in a vase and we plan on getting a fish bowl for it. Will it be ok in a fish bowl with some bed rocks or something and maybe a little hut thing?
A 'fish bowl' should be considered a very temporary home and it will need a very good filter and/or about 75-100% water changes every 24 hours to maintain ideal water conditions... Sure you 'can' keep them in it longer as some do, but that doesn't mean it's good for them to do so... Even though it might sound like a lot even a single gold fish needs about a 10 gallon tank of water with a decent filter to maintain a decent level of water quality as they are a heavy bio-load fish...
Ok got. A little fishy today and I can't find the aquarium. So for now we have it in a vase and we plan on getting a fish bowl for it. Will it be ok in a fish bowl with some bed rocks or something and maybe a little hut thing?
Would you expect your fish to live happily in a bucket? Probably not, but a bucket might actually hold more water, and it would have more of that critical surface area for gas exchange.
I don't know why fishbowls persist in the hobby; a true hobbyist has no real use for them, and the first-time fancier usually loses interest when they can't keep a fish alive in one. Such a small amount of water rapidly gets foul, so daily water changes become necessary, and you may constantly be dealing with inadequate oxygen levels because the surface area is so small. A filter might help the oxygen levels slightly, but you still don't have much water in there. I'm working with "old info" here, but I was always told that goldfish are cold water fish, and they require higher oxygen levels than tropical fish do. Warmer water doesn't have the ability to hold as much dissolved oxygen that cooler water does, so a goldfish in a bowl would probably spend a lot of time gulping air at the surface, even with the frequent water changes. Not the way I'd want to keep one.
But do you understand that this is the point? I am not inferring that you will be neglecting it, what I am saying is that it is so difficult and labor-intensive to keep a fish in such a small space, that most (particularly inexperienced) people can't do it, and the fish doesn't get bigger, it dies.
Just imagine how you would feel if you were locked in a small closet with someone farting it up and no place to escape!
One thing you should consider is doing very often water changes. If you have chlorine in your water it is toxic to fish. You can let it evaporate for 24 hours so you don't have to buy some kind of remover. Evaporation will not work for chloromine if you have that in your water. You can find out by checking your local water quality report or just calling them and asking. The real problem with goldfish is they put of high levels of ammonia. (I know somebody will call me out if I am mistaken!) So the PH gets very high very fast especially if there is any excess feed, which is sometimes difficult to assess since goldfish seem like they are ALWAYS hungry. Your fish may not grow at it's normal rate since the water quality won't be ideal (even though you do a good job cleaning). Also doing frequent water changes IS a stressor to the fish as they thinking their life is in danger with all of the commotion. I thought people were crazy when they said 10 gallons per goldfish until I was the one taking care of them. And fancy verses feeders have different requirements and they cannot be combined or the fancies will have a harder time competing for food.
Also, goldfish will come greet you at the glass and are even able to recognize some faces!
Please be encouraged. Goldfish don't need the aquarium to be fancy. And they can withstand appalling conditions. But you both will be happier when they are healthy. Like with chickens, fish keeping is the same... the larger area they live in, the easier it is to maintain (keep clean) for you. When you get your aquarium, go as big as you can so you will have room to add more if you wish. In addition, in case you didn't know... only goldfish or coy can go together. If you try to add tropicals, they will die because the ph is to high (aside from the different temp requirements). Also, people like rocks because they look pretty, but they don't serve too much purpose as far as I know. If you use the colored ones, rinse, rinse, and rinse some more until your water runs clear.
Best wishes!
@Bunnylady You are right. I forgot that info, but WIDER is BETTER than DEEPER! Greater surface area allows for greater exchange of gasses.
It really has little to do with size, it has to do with water volume and surface area as said above, a fish bowl is honestly too small for even a day old gold...
Fish bowels belong in the same filing cabinet as battery cages for chickens...
I like it but, it's more like being locked in a closet and not having garbage removal for any left over food or a toilet to do your duty beyond the floor of the closet, and only a small ventilation hole allowing barely enough oxygen to breath...
I have two babies fish that are one inch each, my mom thinks it's fine for now. Its not my decision my mom is the boss and it all is up to her. We both thinks it will be fine for now so that's what Its going to be for however long they live until they get bigger. Once they get bigger I'll buy a tank with my own money if they are still alive. Thanks for all the info throughout this time and the fish are fine for now but AGAIN I PLAN TO MOVE THEM TO A BIGGER TANK SOON. thanks!
I like it but, it's more like being locked in a closet and not having garbage removal for any left over food or a toilet to do your duty beyond the floor of the closet, and only a small ventilation hole allowing barely enough oxygen to breath...
There you go again..... Getting more technically accurate than me, again!
Nice detail. My hubby likes to use examples like that to get his point across in a way that the person he is talking to can understand. (here he goes right now, talking to my daughter comparing Linux as a Corvette and Windows as a bus.)
I have two babies fish that are one inch each, my mom thinks it's fine for now. Its not my decision my mom is the boss and it all is up to her. We both thinks it will be fine for now so that's what Its going to be for however long they live until they get bigger. Once they get bigger I'll buy a tank with my own money if they are still alive. Thanks for all the info throughout this time and the fish are fine for now but AGAIN I PLAN TO MOVE THEM TO A BIGGER TANK SOON. thanks!
We all have to do that sometimes. We work with what we have.
Just try to remember the extra info that was provided and make it the best environment you can. The fish is depending on you for it's life. And they can be a lot of fun!
Also, work hard to save your $ and with your parents approval and help you might find a cheap aquarium on Craigslist. I even see them for free often.
