Would Fish Enjoy A Faceted/not Clear Bowl?

I bought a large fishbowl for my work desk that is thick faceted glass. It is very similar to this but transparent and round so the fish will likely not be able to see very well outside of it's own bowl as everything will look distorted/blurry. At first I thought it was a great idea as it would have more privacy, but now I am wondering if fish enjoy people watching.

I this may be dumb but I am also concerned that somehow this might damage the fishes eyes or give it headaches like someone looking through another person's glasses.

Thank you!

 

Fish will not enjoy any kind of bowl.

 

Hi, it seems you are new. First of welcome!
So I want to say very kindly that fish should not live in something like that. It won't hurt them but that bowl is not suitable for a fish. If you want a office pet I would get a 5 gallon tank, a filter and heater. Then buy some tetras or 1 molly. This all together would probably be around 100$. This would be a much better fit. Also the nitrogen cycle, basically you need to buy test stripes and test the water about every week.
Ammonia should be: 0
Nitrite should be:0
Nitrate should be: 1.5
PH should be: 7-8
Hardness depends on the fish
You have to let the tank run for about a month before you put a fish in so it can cycle. Hope this helps and if you have any questions just let me know

 

Welcome to FishLore!
As DaloAquatics mentioned, your fish cannot live a full life in a bowl. I know the $100 charge can be a bit deterring, but keep in mind you can get a similar setup for $10-$30 on Craigslist or a similar resale site, if you are interested in going that route. Fish make a super relaxing office pet, but a bowl will only lead to smelly, sick, and potentially dead fish.
Best of wishes!

 

Welcome to the forum.
As Simply Fish said, Craigslist is perfect to get used tanks. I got two 5 gallon tanks for $5 each. You can get a sponge filter for about the same amount. Sponge filters run with an air pump and you can get them for around $6 on Amazon.
There is a lot of info here. We will help you get up and running.
Good luck

 

What kind of fish do you have? I'm assuming a betta?

There's a lot of disinformation out there about betta fish. "They don't like big tanks" "You can keep them in a plant vase and it will create a contained ecosystem and they'll nibble on the plant roots" "They don't need a filter or a heater" - Every single one of these quotes is wrong. Betta fish, and really any fish, *NEED* filtration and stable temperature, and room to swim around, and bettas in particular *need* a meaty diet. 2.5 gallons is the bare minimum for a betta, with 5 gallons being much more appropriate. Putting a betta in anything smaller than 2.5 gallons is like keeping a dog permanently locked up in a crate and not even letting it out to go pee. So I truly do hope you get an appropriate, proper tank with a filter and a heater for your fish. If it's not a betta, tell us what kind of fish it is. Different fish have different requirements for tank size and temperature.

To answer your direct question about if a fish would rather have privacy or be able to see outside the tank: It depends on the fish. The more intelligent the fish, the more they like to observe what's going on outside their tank. Bettas and Puffers are particularly interested in what's happening outside their tank, and will watch your every move when you are within eyeshot. I have a 3.5 gallon tank (filtered & heated) on my desk at work with a male betta in it. He likes to watch me work on my computer. He stares at me all day.

 

I was wanting a betta fish I was thinking with maybe 1 mystery snail. I was going to buy a heating pad, and a few marimo balls for filtration. I am new to this though, so am just researching things at this point. I could do a complete water change twice a week if need be. The bowl holds 1.5g so I may have to hold off for awhile and use this one for flowers.

 

It's obvious you really want to provide your fish with good care, something that is unfortunately rare in the fishkeeping world, and you've done a great job so far. I highly recommend you do a bit of research on the nitrogen cycle before moving on, <---- click the blue words to learn more!

 

Marimo balls will *aid* with filtration, as would any live plant, but they are not a replacement for filtration. It would take a LOT of plants to justify not using a filter. And even then, frequent water changes.

If the bowl is only 1.5 gallons, I would advise against using it for that reason alone. Nevermind the fact it's a bowl. Bettas NEED room to swim, so 2.5 gallons is the bare minimum for them, and even that is a bit tight.

The pet stores (yes, the big box chain stores) have some really good deals on 5 gallon and smaller tanks kits that come with a lid, light, and filter. This 3.5 gallon tank I have on my desk cost around $30 (US), and it has a bow front, a multi-color LED, and a filter. All I had to buy separate was gravel, a heater, and decorations (and of course water conditioner and fish food). Just let the tank cycle before you put any fish in it.

 

Hi, it seems you are new. First of welcome!
So I want to say very kindly that fish should not live in something like that. It won't hurt them but that bowl is not suitable for a fish. If you want a office pet I would get a 5 gallon tank, a filter and heater. Then buy some tetras or 1 molly. This all together would probably be around 100$. This would be a much better fit. Also the nitrogen cycle, basically you need to buy test stripes and test the water about every week.
Ammonia should be: 0
Nitrite should be:0
Nitrate should be: 1.5
PH should be: 7-8
Hardness depends on the fish
You have to let the tank run for about a month before you put a fish in so it can cycle. Hope this helps and if you have any questions just let me know

You shouldn’t keep Tetra or Mollies in a 5 gallon tank. I would advise against test strips, as they are not very accurate. You should get the API liquid test kit. You can’t just let a tank run with nothing in it for a month to make it cycle, there must be a constant source of ammonia for bacteria to feed and grow. Whether that be pure ammonia, fish food, or fish, you need some kind of source. The acceptable range of PH is much more broad that 7-8, so long as it’s stable. Where are you getting the nitrate of 1.5? Usually a cycled tank will test anywhere from 5 ppm of nitrate or more. The safe and healthy range being somewhere between 5-20, some say to 40, but never more than 40.

 

Thank you all. I have a lot more to research now, I will use the bowl for flowers and buy a more adequate tank.

 

I bought a large fishbowl for my work desk that is thick faceted glass. It is very similar to this but transparent and round so the fish will likely not be able to see very well outside of it's own bowl as everything will look distorted/blurry. At first I thought it was a great idea as it would have more privacy, but now I am wondering if fish enjoy people watching.

I this may be dumb but I am also concerned that somehow this might damage the fishes eyes or give it headaches like someone looking through another person's glasses.

Thank you!

another thing to think about: Fish have excellent vision and a faceted bowl (or even an octagonal tank) throws around a lot of reflections of whatever moves... most fish are prey animals and very vigilant of their surroundings. A faceted tank would make even just walking by throw reflections as though things were moving by all around them, which is kind of terrifying!

 

I agree with everyone that advise you to get a bigger tank. Cut glass bowls are very pretty but really aren't suitable as a home for a fish.

I know a lot of folks seem to think it is cruel to put a fish in a tank that isn't already cycled. That really isn't the case if one is willing to keep up the water changes to keep the water safe for the fish.

A single fish in a small tank (5 gallons or less) produces such a small amount of poop (poop forms ammonia) that if regular water changes are performed there will not be enough ammonia to cause a problem. 50% water changes twice a week until the tank cycles will keep your water pet safe.

It may take a long time for the small tank to cycle but that really shouldn't be the main goal. The main goal is keeping your pet safe and healthy. Even if the tank NEVER cycles it isn't the end of the world as long as one does regular water changes.

I think some folks spend so much time and energy trying to get perfect numbers they fail to stop and just enjoy their fish.

 

The vase will look pretty with flowers in it You wouldn't be able to see your fish in something like that anyway.
You can get cheaper setups for a 5 gal tank.

For example, PetSmart hat the 5 gal long kit for $20 over Memorial day weekend.

My tank:
5.5 gal Aqueon from Pet Supply Plus $11
Azoo Palm Filter $7
And a heater...

 

Thanks for listening to us and deciding against it. Many people are very stubborn when they’re told no on here.

 

You could also use it for aquatic plants! A red tiger lotus would look cool. They are lotuses like the ones people keep in ponds, but much smaller. They have big leaves that shoot up to the top of the water, and supposedly they get blossoms at nighttime.