My dad and his brother owned a pet store when I was a kid, so I've always been into keeping animals. As I grew older my interests shifted to aquariums and I eventually got a job at a pet store when I was 16. It's a small family owned shop, and the people there really know what they're talking about.
On my first day this young couple came in asking me to help them set up a small fish bowl for a couple of goldfish. I went over the basics and started gathering everything they needed: bowl, gravel, some decor etc. As I was about to catch and bag two goldfish, the owner came up to me asked what the hell I was doing. Not knowing any different, I explained to her what was happening. She stopped the sale dead in its tracks and gave all three of us (the couple and I) a lesson in goldfish:
Goldfish are ABSOLUTELY NOT a good idea for a "bowl" fish. In fact, you should try to stay away from keeping any fish in a bowl (with the exception of beta fish). The common misconception around fish is "they grow to the size of their aquarium". This is just flat out false, and the reality is that you're simply just stunting the growth of their skeletal system. Their organs however continue to grow, making them feel a little like...
Here's some rapid fire facts about why goldfish are terrible bowl fish:
- They are EXTREMELY messy fish. This means LOTS of poop, and bowls are hard to keep clean. This translates to many water changes, or dirty water.. your choice.
- Goldfish are pond fish. They grow big ( 12 inches plus in many cases), and they have a long lifespan. Expect 10+ years from a fish who is well taken care of. Expect 1-2 years for your average goldfish in a bowl.
- They eat A LOT. This means lots of waste on top of all the poop... gross!
- They're cold water fish and depend on stability. They tend to be a little more susceptible to temperature changes than other fish, and bowls are hard to regulate.
The point that i'm trying to get across is: Goldfish do best in aquariums of 30+ gallons. They require proper aeration and filtration in order to stay healthy. Larger aquariums are easier to maintain in terms of water quality. There's more room for mistakes, and beginners make A LOT of mistakes.
So remember, be kind to your fishy friends. Do your proper research; every fish is different and most pet stores don't tell you the whole truth when it comes to their adult size. Keeping an aquarium can be very rewarding, just make sure you do it right!!!
