Help Needed For A Extremely Overstocked Koi Bowl

HI guys,

I've been on firelore for a while and this is my first time posting.

My friend, who is a complete beginner at fishkeeping just decided to get 8 kois and put them into a large ceramic goldfish bowl, which under my estimation, hold at most 20gals of water with no filtration. Naturally, I told her koi are pond fish and should not be kept under such conditions and that she's severely overstocked and suggested she should return them and get a couple of goldfish and a filter instead. She wouldn't listen, then I suggest she should at least get a for those poor fish, which she also refused. I don't think she would do the daily water change I recommended either...

I don't want those fish to die but there's little I can do. Maybe I can talk her into getting an internal filter for then but I think that's about it. Is there something else that I can do? Please help.

Attached are the pics she sent me, just to give u an idea how horrible the situation is.

 

HI guys,

I've been on firelore for a while and this is my first time posting.

My friend, who is a complete beginner at fishkeeping just decided to get 8 kois and put them into a large ceramic goldfish bowl, which under my estimation, hold at most 20gals of water with no filtration. Naturally, I told her koi are pond fish and should not be kept under such conditions and that she's severely overstocked and suggested she should return them and get a couple of goldfish and a filter instead. She wouldn't listen, then I suggest she should at least get a for those poor fish, which she also refused. I don't think she would do the daily water change I recommended either...

I don't want those fish to die but there's little I can do. Maybe I can talk her into getting an internal filter for then but I think that's about it. Is there something else that I can do? Please help.

Attached are the pics she sent me, just to give u an idea how horrible the situation is.

Hey it's not your fault. Sounds like they're just being stubborn as 1 koi needs 999 gallons Imo. I'd say the most effective and convincing way to tell them to give them to a responsible owner is to explain to them the detail of what happens to koi in small tanks (ammonia, stunting etc.) Don't worry I had a friend who was told he could keep a koi in 2 gallons and he did :'( it is very sad to see things like this

Ps are you sure that holds 20 gallons??? Looks more like 20 liters.

 

Does she know how large they can get? They can get up to 4ft in the right conditions, and most seem to easily obtain sizes of 3ft.

 

Hey it's not your fault. Sounds like they're just being stubborn as 1 koi needs 999 gallons Imo. I'd say the most effective and convincing way to tell them to give them to a responsible owner is to explain to them the detail of what happens to koi in small tanks (ammonia, stunting etc.) Don't worry I had a friend who was told he could keep a koi in 2 gallons and he did :'( it is very sad to see things like this

Ps are you sure that holds 20 gallons??? Looks more like 20 liters.

hI Tang thanks for replying, I've told her that they're pond fish and shouldn't be kept like that. I guess she just doesn't care if they die. I had to tell her about the nitrogen cycle just last night, which she knew nothing about.
I calculated the volume of that bowl as a 20-inch-hemisphere, so the result is more or less inaccurate

 

Does she know how large they can get? They can get up to 4ft in the right conditions, and most seem to easily obtain sizes of 3ft.

Hey Aussie thanks for replying. I told her that, she's just being stubborn I guess.

 

You’ve done what you can, but if she’s not willing to listen to you, she will certainly pay attention when they start dying. Maybe the best you can do is offer good advice when she eventually comes to you for it?

 

I'd be straight with her.

What she is doing is cruel and inhumane.

Those Koi's eyes, spines and organs will continue to grow, while the rest of the fish will not. The fish will eventually die from their organs and spine deforming and bursting, to a point where they can no longer continue to survive their miserable existence.

Be vivid with your explanation.

Koi can live well past 30. Those fish will be lucky to live 1 full year.

 

I'd be straight with her.

What she is doing is cruel and inhumane.

Those Koi's eyes, spines and organs will continue to grow, while the rest of the fish will not. The fish will eventually die from their organs and spine deforming and bursting, to a point where they can no longer continue to survive their miserable existence.

Be vivid with your explanation.

Koi can live well past 30. Those fish will be lucky to live 1 full year.

love that tactic- brutal & graphic honesty. also try searching youtube for videos showing deformed koi from being in unsuitable living conditions.