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RE: goldfish bowls

Punch1 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:55:18 GMT

the information in this topic that the minimum size that should be for a goldfish is considered to be twenty gallons actually was a correct statement . This information was taken into consideration that the standard goldfish and twenty gallon tank are sitting in a home of people that do not frequently maintain the tank or filter system . It was based, as well, on the fact that most fancy owners feed two to three times more food than they need to feed them.

Unfortunately this is especially true for novice fish keepers . As fancy owners know ; they are great con artists -- they always are begging you to feed them . I swear that they can make Sad eyes as if they are being starved to death at times. This sets up a perfect opportunity for disaster with new owners.

And any fancy owner will tell you that , although they know that it is not possible ; goldfish put out waste as if they produce more waste then they take in food . Of course, one of the problems with fancies is that a very small portion of the food taken in is actually utilized by the fish . A high percentage of the food taken in simply goes out the other end...LOL another words their internal food processor has a very low efficiency rating .

the other comment regarding increasing it to two was correct when said that the filter system must be on a greatly increased rate of recharge and Detoxification . it is a true balancing act . But as all of us know there are not a lot of people that maintain the tanks in the condition that they should be maintained in .

My standard practice for fancies is a minimum of 28 gallons for every two fancies and four fancies for every 55 gallon tank . However ; the filtration system is anything but normal for each of the 55 gallons. In each one has a three basket chemical filtration canister system with a separate three stack biological filtration wave canister. As well ; a third intake that runs through a micron filter system and then thru a UV stearlization light system before being returned to the tank .

with goldfish especially fancies ; the caution to the less numbers and considering stocking with a high quality appearance goldfish fits the concept of quality versus quantity .

The comment that the curvature of a goldfish bowl hurts the eyes of the fish is a new one for me. In terms of the flat glass ; it was noted from some research that with the light turned on at the top of the tank ; the fish sees very little else I'd the tank because of the reflection and the magnification of what is in the tank.

Then again; maybe the person claiming that it hurts the eyes may be correct -- after all -- Don Knox when he was turned into a fish had to wear extremely large and thick glasses LOL

RE: goldfish bowls

princessotfu — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 20:34:52 GMT

the goldfish memory thing is bunk too. It's been tested. They have very good memory for fish. I know of one that was taught to play underwater soccer.

RE: goldfish bowls

FattFishy — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:16:05 GMT

Well... fancy goldfish like oranda redcaps and telescopes should do fine in a 20 gallon with excessive filtration in a pair. Comets need around 75-90 gallons to reach full length and lifespan.

RE: goldfish bowls

teamtetra — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:20:05 GMT

I found info that may be desturbing to some aquariusts.

goldfish need MINIMUM 20 gallons for their aquarium.

a person i know told me goldfish have a memory span of 7 seconds and then said '' ahh im drounding oh.. i have gills.......ahhh im drounding.

errrrr.... some non aquariusts underestimate my feelings, that makes me sick

RE: goldfish bowls

FattFishy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:31:39 GMT

Applause for the law in Italy. That's how it should be...

RE: goldfish bowls

jsmith11618 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:52:04 GMT

The Incredible Mr. Limpet is the movie, released in 1964, one of my favorite movies and Don Knotts was one of my favorite actors. (I wasn't around in 1964, and my parents were only 6, but I have seen the movie many times.)

RE: goldfish bowls

Punch1 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:41:08 GMT

did'nt Don Knox star in a movie about him becomming a Goldfish with glasses some years back???

Just as trivia - Italy made it illegal to put specifically goldfish into a goldfish bowl - considered animal cruelty - carrying a hefty fine and imprisionment - i guess a good way to seek revenge on a troublesome neighbor - where is the protection law here - LOL

RE: goldfish bowls

math-only aquarium — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:25:28 GMT

Jeny,

The eyesight thing is a very small consideration for GFB's. In fact, most fancy goldfish don't have good eyesight anyway. More importantly, GFB's are simply too small for the amount of wastes that a goldfish produces. It's simply a matter of concentration: big fish in small container equals high concentration of wastes, but big fish in huge container result in a much more manageable concentration. Also, goldfish bowls don't give goldfish enough swimming space. When you consider that most goldfish, even the fancy strains, can reach a foot in length, it becomes apparent that a little one or two gallon bowl isn't suitable for the fish to grow in.

Also, bettas don't show any signs of eye problems related to fish bowls either. Bettas have a pretty small strike distance that their eyes are focused for and it is only a couple inches. Anything beyond that is fuzzy/distorted anyway.

MOA

RE: goldfish bowls

GRUBYGUPPY — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:02:23 GMT

We should not knock the lowly goldfish bowl they serve a few useful purposes, if a tank leaks a GFB makes a handy emergency container.They also make a good place to keep loose change.Where does the change come from,well you place a GFB on a small stand next to your tank............when ever you go near your tank to mess with something that does not need messing with,or forget to do some tank maintainece you should not have forgotten or do something you know you shouldn't be doing but are doing(like adding those beautiful new(unquarentined) fish you just got,for each of these things you throw the change in your pocket into the GFB and at the end of the year reflect on how ALL that change got there and go buy fishy stuff!

RE: goldfish bowls

Jeny — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:20:47 GMT

Ive always loved having/the look of goldfish in bowls I had no idea that it harmed their eyesight what a shame! The same with betta here

RE: goldfish bowls

FattFishy — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:02:16 GMT

Maybe because it looks "easier" to maintain a bowl than a "high-tech" fish tank.

RE: goldfish bowls

princessotfu — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:18:54 GMT

I don't get it either. The gallon bowls are actually more expensive at my lfs than the tanks by $1.

RE: goldfish bowls

filipem — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:02:12 GMT

I still don't know how fish stores sell them. The price of a 1 gallon bowl compared to 2.5 gallon tank is only a few dollars. ($6 difference at my LFS) Yet they still seem to sell a lot of them. People must like the way they look :unsure:

RE: goldfish bowls

braden — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:51:12 GMT

well then I feel bad about that beta my sister gave me in that small bowl, I that forever, and she had it a while before me

And come to think of it when you change the water in those small bowls, you really dont have a choice but to change the whole thing so its kinda shocking it everytime, unless thats just me. But I didnt know a thing about fish then. So I really feel sorry for that fish now.

RE: goldfish bowls

FattFishy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:23:14 GMT

Airation problems... waste problems... size problems...

RE: goldfish bowls

princessotfu — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:17:58 GMT

Not to mention that distorted vision is at the very bottom of the list of things wrong with goldfish bowls....

RE: goldfish bowls

FattFishy — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:04:01 GMT

Um... this should really be in General Freshwater... or something like so.

goldfish bowls

teamtetra — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:38:58 GMT

goldfish bowls distort vision thereby hurting the fishes eyes.the sphere shaped glass is bad but the less common octogontal bowls do not distort vision and are o k by me.

for proof look through curved glass and your eyes WILL get sore:[