Can any fish go in bowls

I've heard that there is lots of criticism against fish bowls. Is there a single type of fish that can be put in a fish bowl? If not then what is the point of selling fish bowls if they are not good? If a fish can go in a fish bowl how many can you put in a fish bowl and which ones?

 

The only fish that can really go in a bowl is a Betta... But that doesn't mean you should put them in a bowl. They really need a heated/filtered tank to live a happy life. Fish stores only sell bowls because its a cheap alternative for people who don't want to invest more into the hobby.

 

Additionally, a lot has changed in the knowledge of fish care over the years. I sort of view fish bowls as an old carry over. Like the platforms that I've heard they used to sell with live goldfish in them.

 

No, not really. Unless you're doing a shrimp bowl, which isn't exactly a fish.

The point of bowls being sold is because they're cheap, simple, and kinda pretty. Sadly, a lot of uneducated fish owners don't know any better, and then there are some that simply don't care.

In any case, it's sad that a poor fish often ends up suffering because of an owner's neglect to care for it and research it's needs properly. :/

 

Maybe a tiny goldfish but it would be kind of cruel...

 

There are a number of fish that are fine in bowls. Many species of Killifish will thrive in a gallon drum bowl, even let fry grow up with them. I use 1/2 gallon drums to isolate single Killifish, they get fed live food usually, and water changed regularly. Heterandria formosa can be very happy in a bowl with a few plants. Bowls are great isolation tanks, better than a net in an aquarium for any number of small species. Right now I have an aerated 2 gallon drum with 6 young CPD and a clump of susswassertang. They will eventually get a tank for breeding, but they are fine where they are for a month or two.

The key is surface area. You can't fill a bowl all the way, as that reduces the surface area. I usually do about 2/3 to 3/4.

 

I raise and sell Bettas. When someone purchases one of my kids they also get a 2.5 gallon tank or giant 3.5 gallon bowl. A betta can live quite well in a large bowl or tank. I grow them out from their fry tank in square one gallon glass bowls. But they really do much better in a small aquarium or large bowl. Of course, in such small containers you really need to be on your toes with water changes and checkin water parameters. Much better you keep fish in 5 gallon tanks and larger.

 

It depends on the bowl. I've seen some customized fish bowls that are three to five gallons. That could work for some fish along with a heater and filter.

 

My lfs has some stunning betta vases like a giant drinking glass at least 18 inches tall and almost dinner plate sized opening

 

I think you can keep a number of fish in bowl's but why would you.? Yes they can live but do you feel it's right to keep fish in a tank where they can't swim freely? To me I want to see fishes like I would in nature, able to swim freely with lots of space for hides and to seek out food.

 

My lfs has some stunning betta vases like a giant drinking glass at least 18 inches tall and almost dinner plate sized opening

Very seriously, stay away from "Betta vases" or the tiered containers, small plastic -- whatever they are pushing. A big glass globe than contains at least 3 gallons of water can work for a Betta, because you only fill it slightly more than half way, giving the betta lots of surface space and plenty of water to explore during the day. But you need to do regular water changes and keep those bowls or globes clean. The same globes and bowls are really not practical for keeping other fish because they can't breath air as Bettas do (in addition to getting oxygen through their gills). When choosing containers for Bettas and other fish, first ask yourself if you would enjoy living in that container.

 

Very seriously, stay away from "Betta vases" or the tiered containers, small plastic -- whatever they are pushing.

That Betta Falls thing that Aqueon sells is a travesty. It looks neat, but each tank is way too small, and I've read that fish can actually fall out through where the water cascades.

 

That Betta Falls thing that Aqueon sells is a travesty. It looks neat, but each tank is way too small, and I've read that fish can actually fall out through where the water cascades.

I agree 1,000%. My Bettas live for several years. Just lost my favorite oldest breeding male who lived the last year in a 75 gallon tank. He was five years-old. A screaming flame orange double crowntail who would only eat if he was hand fed. I've got 80 more breeders plus two hundred boys filling out in individual one gallon square containers and a couple of sorority tanks with 40/60+ females, but I'm going to miss "Lorenzo." Note: Always name your breeding bettas with the names of Latin lovers.

 

Killifish have many species that live in puddles in the wild; some don't even live in the water half the time. A bowl is often a step up for them. Least Killifish, which is actually a livebearer, I've also collected from mud puddles. I have no clue how they got there, but they did. Getting easy meals and clean water, they don't need a lot of space. There are other fish that can be kept in bowls. Of course fish "do better" in larger tanks. That does not mean some aren't perfectly happy and healthy in a smaller one, so long as it is properly cared for.

I just deleted a paragraph concerning Bettas in bowls. You folks aren't ready for that discussion just yet.

If there is a problem with bowls, it is that they are too easily dropped/knocked into the floor and broken. However, they are much easier to sterilize than a standard aquarium after a bad quarantine. I know a really great fish breeder who uses 2 gallon drums and gallon jars to spawn many small minnows and Tetras. He's bred more species of fish than most of you have seen. If it works for him, why shouldn't it work for anyone else?

 

chromedome52

Do the killfish live 24/7 in puddles or is like the betta fish where there may be a short time where they are in puddles but that isn't really what they live in a more permanent way?

As far as that breeder goes I don't breed well anything. My fish are pets only not breeders, so I tend to go with a size tank that I feel makes the fish healthy and happy based on research. It's why my betta is going into a ten gallon soon from her five gallon.

I know that many breeders do use smaller containers when selling and raising the babies. Again I'm not a breeder so it wouldn't work for me *shrugs.*

 

I use bowls for my fry.

 

Many killifish do live in puddles their entire lives, if they're lucky. Some prefer to live in the leaf litter in the rain forest. A boot heel depression with water in it is a spawning territory.

Personally, I don't think Bettas belong in large tanks except for breeding purposes. I think you are harming a Betta, both physically and mentally, by putting it in a 10 gallon tank and not giving it a female to mate with. The last several hundred, or even thousands, of generations of his ancestors never saw a body of water as big as a puddle. They were bred to grow up in small containers, except when spawning. They have evolved to NOT live in large bodies of water. So the argument about what the wild fish live in is irrelevant.

 

Many killifish do live in puddles their entire lives, if they're lucky. Some prefer to live in the leaf litter in the rain forest. A boot heel depression with water in it is a spawning territory.

Personally, I don't think Bettas belong in large tanks except for breeding purposes. I think you are harming a Betta, both physically and mentally, by putting it in a 10 gallon tank and not giving it a female to mate with. The last several hundred, or even thousands, of generations of his ancestors never saw a body of water as big as a puddle. They were bred to grow up in small containers, except when spawning. They have evolved to NOT live in large bodies of water. So the argument about what the wild fish live in is irrelevant.

You should try telling my betta that his 10 gallon tank is mentally scaring him. I'm pretty sure he loves it.

 

Many killifish do live in puddles their entire lives, if they're lucky. Some prefer to live in the leaf litter in the rain forest. A boot heel depression with water in it is a spawning territory.

Personally, I don't think Bettas belong in large tanks except for breeding purposes. I think you are harming a Betta, both physically and mentally, by putting it in a 10 gallon tank and not giving it a female to mate with. The last several hundred, or even thousands, of generations of his ancestors never saw a body of water as big as a puddle. They were bred to grow up in small containers, except when spawning. They have evolved to NOT live in large bodies of water. So the argument about what the wild fish live in is irrelevant.

I disagree. I'm surprised to see this

 

I deleted those comments in an earlier post, as I did not think most of you here were ready to deal with the reality of Bettas. Then it got to be late, I was tired, and without thinking, I posted it the second time. Since I have let the cat out of the bag, I may as well finish it.

Betta fins are not bred for swimming, they are bred for flaring/display. Swimming with all that unnecessary finnage and weight is a strain, and stresses the fish. If the tank is too big, they have to put out more effort. What's more, they have been selectively bred for a very long time; Betta breeding predates Western aquaristry by hundreds of years. So while their wild cousins were dealing with water levels rising and falling, they were living well and consistently in small containers.

The expanded finnage of Aquarium Bettas is frequently weakened by excessive swimming. I have seen posts where people wonder where the damage on their Betta's fins came from. It may have simply come from swimming too much. I have actually watched a male Betta split his caudal fin in a flare. This is not serious damage, though it hurts the aesthetics of the specimen. They heal quickly, and it can be sped up by adding the right vitamins.

"He looks happy swimming around". Really? How do you know that's a happy look and not a frustrated look because he can't find a nice quiet spot to rest? I have never anthopomorphised a fish, I judge by what I have learned about the species. A swimming Betta is NOT happy, he is searching, for food, for a quiet corner, for a possible mate, or for a rival with whom he can start a fight.

My great-niece was given a Betta in a bowl when she was two years old. Her mother took care of it for the first few years, then when she was old enough, the great-niece took over the care of her fish. She was eleven years old when that Betta finally passed. Yes, he lived 9 years in a bowl. I could make the argument that a Betta that died after a year in a 75 was mistreated by putting it in an excessively large tank, and died early, even at the age of 5. But I also would imagine that fish, a favored breeder, probably had a good life, and being kept at a warm temperature, simply expired sooner naturally.

As far as allowing your fish to breed: everyone claims that they want to make their fish "happy". How can they be happy if they are not given the opportunity to procreate? It is their deepest instinct (I am not just talking Bettas now), sometimes even more important than eating. Eggbound females of some species can actually die from not being spawned out. I'm not saying you have to raise the young. But fish that go through the spawning ritual in an aquarium, those are the happy fish.

Nor am I saying that you are abusing your fish by not allowing them to breed. IMO, so long as a fish is healthy, meaning eating and not ill or harrassed, it is being kept adequately. Fish that attempt to breed in community tanks are displaying the maximum level of health: the ability to reproduce. I have observed many Tetras and Barbs in community tanks making egg laying runs at the plants.

I keep fish to breed. I give them the optimum conditions to encourage this. This is how I learn more about the species, how they mate and how the young grow. IMO, a community tank is a decoration. Others don't see it as such, that's fine if it encourages you to give the fish good food and clean water. Besides, I need someone to buy the fish I raise.

To the point of the OP: Bettas are fine in bowls, as are a number of other species of fish.

 

someone said a small goldfish. this is so upsetting to me that so many people think goldfish are a little fish that doesn't need space or clean water. fancy goldfish get bigger than my hand, and commons get bigger than my foot! no fish can live in a bowl, but ESPECIALLY not a species that grows to 12"

 

Sorry to jump in randomly, but every single post was quite enlightening since I've never taken care of small fish like bettas.

Although I don't know much about killifish, I can assure you that betta fish can survive in bowls from my friends' experience. The OP is asking about fish that can live in bowls and be okay (not necessarily completely happy) and fish that prefer isolation like bettas are fine. You usually can't have more than one due to the lack of space and temperament. Schooling fish are absolutely out of the option.

Although he couldn't heat the water efficiently, he did have to change the water several times a week since he had a 3 gallon bowl. Is his betta happy? To be honest, I can't tell what a happy betta is, but he provided resting spots about half way to 3/4 to the surface of the water and the betta fish was always laying down whenever I visit. I'm not sure how old his betta is. His betta didn't have any fin damage. He also had to test his water very often.

As mentioned above, they can live fine in bowls, but it's difficult to attach a filter or a heater which means more maintenance and less ideal conditions.

Places still sell bowls because, of course, they sell well and can be used for other creatures like shrimp or babies while being cheap and affordable. Walmart sells some "0.5 gallon betta tanks" and some fish keepers (judging from the comments) still buy it, not for bettas but for shrimp and snails. Contrary to what you've heard, OP, there's nothing wrong with bowls (as you can see from chromedome52's experience) but most people are misinformed from movies or TV shows that display gold fish being kept in fish bowls.

Although the lack of a filter and heater leaves fish in less than ideal conditions, they still can survive.

On the other hand, a larger tank for a territorial fish usually makes them happier. Chromedome52 mentioned that space would hurt a betta mentally, but I have to disagree since their wild forms strive in large rice paddies. Sure, once they're bred in smaller containers, they can be accustomed to smaller spaces, but in a large tank with shallow water, plenty of plants, and resting spots, I don't see an issue.

But I've never taken care of them. These are merely conjectures since I've been looking into keeping a betta fish inside a twenty gallon and researched quite a lot and looked at several posts on other forums for experience.

So OP, I believe your questions were already answered quite well by the rest of these experienced fish keepers. I sort of just regurgitated it and wasted time for you to reread it.

Do I recommend using a bowl? No. Is it possible to successfully take care of fish in one? Yes.

 

Maybe a tiny goldfish but it would be kind of cruel...

Please don't do this, fancy goldfish get to be 5-6in and need 29 gallons minimum and common goldfish can get up to a foot long and usaly do best in ponds.

 

chromedome52, out of curiosity, are you saying that it's acceptable and healthy for a betta to be kept in a bowl without a heater or a filter? If so, please explain.

 

In the homeland of the betta, the fighters have not historically been bred in captivity. The fish are caught and pitted against one another and the winners are released back into the pond to produce a new generation of hopefully champion "fighters". They haven't been bred in captivity for nearly long enough to not want to swim. If a betta's fins are too heavy, and I do agree that some are, the betta will stop swimming or even bite his own fins off. I don't know where this "too much space stresses them out" business is coming from but I've only heard it once before and that from a kid working at a pet store.

 

chromedome52 I think when most of us suggest a larger space for the betta, we also expect that there will be places for the fish to rest and décor to break up the size of the tank, not something like a 55 with nothing but a few rocks in it, but something with a lot of places for the betta to explore and resting places near the surface. Whether they use those available resting places or not, is another story all together.

It is much harder, as previously mentioned, to get a heater and filter in a bowl, so it requires a higher level of care and maintenance to ensure that the fish is being kept in a healthy environment. If you are breeding fish, then as you mentioned, you are keeping them in an environment that is ideal for their breeding, but far too often people will get a bowl, think they can set it up without anything, and do water changes once a month, and then wonder what happened to their fish.

 

Many killifish do live in puddles their entire lives, if they're lucky. Some prefer to live in the leaf litter in the rain forest. A boot heel depression with water in it is a spawning territory.

Personally, I don't think Bettas belong in large tanks except for breeding purposes. I think you are harming a Betta, both physically and mentally, by putting it in a 10 gallon tank and not giving it a female to mate with. The last several hundred, or even thousands, of generations of his ancestors never saw a body of water as big as a puddle. They were bred to grow up in small containers, except when spawning. They have evolved to NOT live in large bodies of water. So the argument about what the wild fish live in is irrelevant.

The killfish statement is interesting, they are a pretty fish. I've looked into them myself.

As far as betta's go I never said I have a betta with long fins. I have a plakat, very short tail and fins. I agree that some bettas do have too long of tails such as the rosetail, and they have many issues including biting off their own tails so they can swim. They were unfortunately bred to have excessive fins and tails.

I also don't agree that I am somehow being cruel that I don't give my female betta a male to spawn with. Pet animals don't need to breed, unlike in the wild where it's a survival of the species. As far as bettas are concerned breeding can in fact be dangerous and fatal. Now i'm not against others breeding, if doing it properly and responsibly, but I would never breed anything myself. I also understand why breeders use smaller containers, especially with betta fry who often need to be separated as they grow.

 

As I said, I realize that many of you aren't ready or willing to change your way of thinking. I usually avoid Betta discussions for that reason, but I was addressing the OP's inquiry about keeping fish in bowls. I was tired, and slipped. I would have preferred to leave you with your misconceptions. Seriously, you folks have taken overkill to a whole new level.

Selective breeding for large fins has made fish that suffer physically from too much swimming. This is true of all longfin mutations. Believe it or not, this time that "kid in the store" was right. The breeding of large finned Bettas, at least, goes back more than a hundred years, because the only way Bettas with those fins can exist is in captivity. Experience tells me that selective breeding really does not take that many generations to alter some instincts of a species.

If you want Bettas built for swimming, I suggest females and Plakats, which have closer to wild type finnage. I have never heard of, nor seen evidence of, a male domestic Betta biting his own fins off. Too bad, because that would be proving my point.

Yes, the temperature tolerance of Bettas is lower than the Internet tells you these days. Innes gave the range as 68-90 F as far back in the 1930s, and this continued to be accepted until the advent of all the misinformation of the Internet. In a moderately warm or humid room/space, no heater is required. "Water changes can replace filtration; filtration cannot replace water changes." It is not that difficult to change out the water in a small drum bowl every couple of days. Water that is changed frequently does not have to be cycled, as it is refreshed before ammonia has even come close to harmful levels.

Just to note, the cups that you often find Bettas being kept in at the store are only supposed to be shipping containers. They used to take the fish out of these and put them into barracks of small tanks. Some good stores still do. However, I see nothing wrong with the Betta Falls display tank, as the fish actually has filtration there and probably heat, and from the photos, I don't see how they could fit through the grate at the top of the overflow area. If the containers lack lids, they might jump.

The only thing I would like to see come out of this is that some people here not jump on novices about keeping Bettas in bowls/small tanks. A 5 is not necessary, a ten is for breeding them, and anything bigger is harming them. This is a fact I was given by several real Betta experts, including two IBC Betta Man of the Year winners, and Dr. Gene Lucas. The internet is full of "facts". The purpose of experience is to teach you how to differentiate real facts from the regurgitated falsehoods that outnumber them.

 

If experience is so important then from my own personal experience bettas are healthier and "happier", or at least more active and interactive, kept in larger tanks than in small bowls. Instead of hanging in their tank and paying no attention to what passes outside their tiny world, they actively swim and "hunt", hiding behind leaves waiting for prey, or resting on top of them. None of them have the thousand-yard stare that past bettas did after months without mental stimulation. They're just like any other captive animal, they need environmental enrichment. At the very least, if you're going to keep one in a bowl, provide it with toys! With TV! With... stuff to do! Boredom kills.

 

Ok imo for a betta, 5 gallon minimum and personally 10 gallon is a good stopping point. You say they aren't swimming around for fun. Well, yeah I'm sure. But mine likes to explore. For absolutely no reason other than to see what the snail is doing or see what's lurking behind his plants. I know because I watch him.
I personally would not put anything living in a bowl. I don't see the point in something so small. Hard to decorate, hard to take care of. And quite frankly I wouldnt want to live in something so small.

Bettas are a very misunderstood fish. And from the looks of it, they will always be.

Feel free to do what you wish, but I'll keep my betta in his 10g

 

Once again, you are anthropomorphizing your fish. To a Betta, environmental enrichment consists of easy food and a fat female. And my great niece's Betta that was in a bowl for nine years frequently reacted to activity outside the bowl. Activity is not a good thing for longfinned fish, physical damage can occur just from swimming. Get a Plakat, then you will see normal activity levels of wild type fish.

what you have are unfiltered observations, not experience. Experience is a combination of knowledge and observation. First comes the knowledge, and that is used to filter the observations. One should always seek additional knowledge, and make closer observations. That is science. And stop thumbing your noses at old knowledge.

I'm sorry, but I will be dropping this conversation that I did not intend to start. As I said, I'm not going to change everyone's way of thinking. I really don't care if I did't change anyone. But I know that some of you are thinking now, rather than just blindly accepting your "internet experts". The real experts are those who do things, and have accomplished things. None of them spend their time on forums like this. And yes, I do recognize the irony of that statement.

 

So why do zoos invest so much in enrichment for their animals? If all they needed was food and females (or males, let's not be sexist) then zoos would have always had fat, happy animals.

 

It's fine to have differing opinions, but lets keep it polite.

 

you are anthropomorphizing your fish.

I anthropomorphize everything. fish, frogs, inanimate objects lol

As interesting as this discussion has been, let's get back on topic and not focus on that age old betta debate
While everyone will not agree on everything let's respect the fact that there are many different views on different subjects.

Here is the original question.

I've heard that there is lots of criticism against fish bowls. Is there a single type of fish that can be put in a fish bowl? If not then what is the point of selling fish bowls if they are not good? If a fish can go in a fish bowl how many can you put in a fish bowl and which ones?

 

OP, the answer is no.
Why do they sell bowls? Because its a quick buck and for people who don't want to invest a lot money or time into such a hobby.
People think smaller "tanks" would be easier to take care of. Which sounds accurate. Until you learn about things like the Nitrogen Cycle. Then it makes sense that the smaller the container, the harder it is to care for.
And that's from experience.

 

Never put fish in bowls. It's like leaving your dog in a kennel, miserable.

The only time I use a bowl is if I need to remove fish from the tank. This way They have a little more space to sit in while I work with the aquarium. It's not permanent! They sit in their bowls for a couple of hours so I can vacuum real good, or reposition decor... Things like that.

Currently I have a Molly fry in a bowl that gets 100% water change daily.

Please do not make your fish live in a prison. Give them the very least a 5 gallon. And only 1 fish or you'll have a bad time.

Our betta came with a 1 gallon bowl and he only used it for 3 days while I had a 10 gallon cycling for him. In the bowl he just sat on the gravel and he never ate. As soon as he was acclimated into the 10 gallon, he flourished! He started eating, he swam around, he really turned into a different fish

Use low flow filtration speed! The fast flow makes it hard for betta to swim. My hob filter has a knob you turn to control the flow speed.

Goldfish like cooler water so you don't need a heater in their aquarium.

Whatever fish you're considering, do not keep it in a bowl!

Also, bowls require 100% water changes. That's no fun

 

A big bowl or vase with a heater and filter, is fine. You have to treat it the same as you would a standard aquarium. Part of a bettas purpose is protecting his territory and protecting his young. I like to give them more territory to protect.
I actually don't like seeing them in really big tanks but every tank is different. I think 5 to 20 gallons are the easiest to control the variables in, but it always depends on how they are set up and managed.
Unheated and unfiltered bowls create stress on the fish and for that reason, I do not believe it is appropriate.

 

Not everyone has room for or cannot afford an aquarium. A bowl, with a small species of fish that can live comfortably in that space, allows them to enjoy the hobby the same as any one else. Some even set up large bowls as nanotanks. I am not, nor would I ever, suggest a goldfish in a bowl. I might suggest a pair of Dwarf Golden Barbs, with a clump of plants to spawn in, in a 2 gallon bowl.

Unheated and unfiltered bowls create stress on the fish

It very much depends on the species of fish, and how often the water is changed. As for filtration, I will go back to the fact that it is easy to pick up a bowl and change the water - I know, I do it all the time. I shall also go back to my initial assertion that there are many species of fish that are fine in bowls. Certain species of Killifish are often kept in small tanks and bowls by the hobbyists who know them. And Killies generally do not require heat. Temperature preferences are another set of internet fallacies that seriously need to be corrected.

Seriously, stop telling people they can't keep fish in bowls. It can be done safely, it is appropriate under the right circumstances, and it gives many people an opportunity to enjoy a part of nature that they might not otherwise have.

 

imo, giving the right room temp, a betta in a bowl is fine. use the right plants to act as filters and don't over feed.

 

imo, giving the right room temp, a betta in a bowl is fine. use the right plants to act as filters and don't over feed.

I have to disagree 100% with you. NO fish is meant to be in a bowl. Its first way to small. Second plants can act as a filtration, but you will need to cycle the tank before and without a filter you can't cycle the "bowl." Third, the betta has VERY little room to swim to. They won't be able to really explore anywhere.
Edit: without the tank cycled your betta will die (the ammonia will spike), so you won't be able to really even spend time with the fish.