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I didn't know anything about this. The article talks about goldfish specifically - is this true for other fish? My mother has had one of those really frilly fi

I didn't know anything about this. The article talks about goldfish specifically - is this true for other fish? My mother has had one of those really frilly fighting fish (betta?) in a bowl for I think several years. The bowl is larger than what is shown in this article, though. She moved it to separate it from other fish because it's very aggressive.

drakonka 5y ago
The problem with bowls isn't just the normally very small size of the bowl, but the shape itself. Being tapered toward the top, there is not enough surface area to properly oxygenate the water for the fish. That in itself is reason enough to go for a tank in my opinion, but bowls are also more difficult to add proper filtration and heating to (although unfortunately people who house fish in bowls often don't get to the stage of even considering filtration or temperature regulation). Betta fish may not need as much space as some other fish, but they still should not be kept in bowls (no fish should). They can be very hardy fish, but just because they _could_ survive in a mud puddle or a tiny bowl without proper filtration doesn't mean they _should_ be kept in those bad conditions. They should be housed in an appropriately sized tank with low flow filtration and a heater (they're tropical fish and like warmer temperatures). I'm linking some articles on the topic of housing bettas below. * https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/betta-fish/ https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/betta-fish/ * https://bettafish.org/faq/do-betta-fish-need-a-filter/ https://bettafish.org/faq/do-betta-fish-need-a-filter/
notjulianjaynes 5y ago
Goldfish especially should not be kept in bowls, and often small to medium tanks are not adequate. They can grow quite large and need companions. 3 gallons is the minimum size you should keep a beta fish in, but many peoe recommend at least a 5 gallon tank. It's possible to keep beta fish in a tank with certain other fish but I don't know much about it. One of the best things you can do if keeping a freshwater aquarium is to fill it with plants. They help to filter the water, provide oxygen, prevent algae blooms, provide hiding spots for fish, and can even be a food source if done right. Diana Walstad's The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium[1] is an excellent book on this topic. Easy to find a PDF version online. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91597.Ecology_of_the_Planted_Aquarium https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91597.Ecology_of_the_Pla...
MBCook 5y ago
Yes it is. A betta should have a few gallons. Requirements depend on the fish species and the total number in the tank. I’m not sure a bowl (even a big one) is appropriate for any species of fish.
hansthehorse 5y ago
You can keep a beta in about a 1 gallon bowl if you use about a 1 inch thick substrate, provide some cover and don't over feed. Change half the water once a week and vacuum the substrate once a month. Placing it in a high traffic area or too close to a sound producing appliance like a stereo speaker or tv can induce unwanted stress.

drakonka 5y ago

The problem with bowls isn't just the normally very small size of the bowl, but the shape itself. Being tapered toward the top, there is not enough surface area to properly oxygenate the water for the fish. That in itself is reason enough to go for a tank in my opinion, but bowls are also more difficult to add proper filtration and heating to (although unfortunately people who house fish in bowls often don't get to the stage of even considering filtration or temperature regulation). Betta fish may not need as much space as some other fish, but they still should not be kept in bowls (no fish should). They can be very hardy fish, but just because they _could_ survive in a mud puddle or a tiny bowl without proper filtration doesn't mean they _should_ be kept in those bad conditions. They should be housed in an appropriately sized tank with low flow filtration and a heater (they're tropical fish and like warmer temperatures). I'm linking some articles on the topic of housing bettas below. * https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/betta-fish/ https://vetmed.illinois.edu/pet-health-columns/betta-fish/ * https://bettafish.org/faq/do-betta-fish-need-a-filter/ https://bettafish.org/faq/do-betta-fish-need-a-filter/

notjulianjaynes 5y ago

Goldfish especially should not be kept in bowls, and often small to medium tanks are not adequate. They can grow quite large and need companions. 3 gallons is the minimum size you should keep a beta fish in, but many peoe recommend at least a 5 gallon tank. It's possible to keep beta fish in a tank with certain other fish but I don't know much about it. One of the best things you can do if keeping a freshwater aquarium is to fill it with plants. They help to filter the water, provide oxygen, prevent algae blooms, provide hiding spots for fish, and can even be a food source if done right. Diana Walstad's The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium[1] is an excellent book on this topic. Easy to find a PDF version online. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91597.Ecology_of_the_Planted_Aquarium https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91597.Ecology_of_the_Pla...

MBCook 5y ago

Yes it is. A betta should have a few gallons. Requirements depend on the fish species and the total number in the tank. I’m not sure a bowl (even a big one) is appropriate for any species of fish.

hansthehorse 5y ago

You can keep a beta in about a 1 gallon bowl if you use about a 1 inch thick substrate, provide some cover and don't over feed. Change half the water once a week and vacuum the substrate once a month. Placing it in a high traffic area or too close to a sound producing appliance like a stereo speaker or tv can induce unwanted stress.