Goldfish bowl

[dylanjs]

Hi All,

Does anyone have recommendations for plants I can keep in my son's 3gallon goldfish bowl to keep the water marginally cleaner and provide a snack for the little bugger?

I was thinking duckweed and hornwort, but I don't have any experience with either of these. The light is whatever is on in the kitchen during the day and natural light in the afternoon 'till sunset.

Thanks!

[rileynapalm]

go with anacharis! It doesn't really care what light it gets, and it feeds off of nitrates in the water column! It's also good for your goldie to eat. You can just float it too.

[Barbgirl]

Please don't keep a goldfish in a bowl. They get much too large and produce too much waste

[dylanjs]

The fish is maybe an inch long in a 3gallon bowl. I'll get him/her out when he/she gets bigger. I promise.

rileynapalm, thanks for the suggestion.

[rileynapalm]

it can be done (keeping a goldfish in a bowl) but it just requires a little more upkeep and keeping the bowl clean. while it won't be a cure all, the plants will certainly help out.

[madness]

Anachris usually looks ugly but it might just be the easiest/fastest/best nutrient sponge plant available. Float it, plant it, etc.

At one point I thinned a lot of it out of my tanks and tossed it in a 5 gallon bucket with water still in it and promptly forgot about it for weeks. When I went to toss it I noticed that it was still growing in the bucket and I ended up using some of it in a new tank.

Don't quote me on this but I think that anacharis might be one of the plants that people use to 'feed' goldfish as well.

[rileynapalm]

Originally Posted by madness

Don't quote me on this but I think that anacharis might be one of the plants that people use to 'feed' goldfish as well.

It definitely is. They really seem to have no problems with digesting it. I'm in agreement with you, it's an all around good plant to have with your goldfish.

[HybridHerp]

Originally Posted by dylanjs

The fish is maybe an inch long in a 3gallon bowl. I'll get him/her out when he/she gets bigger. I promise.

rileynapalm, thanks for the suggestion.

while true, realize that the amount of waste a goldfish makes means that even a 3 gallon bowl is too small for it as is. They are messy fish that produce a lot of waste, and even one that small I wouldn't have in anything less than a well filtered 10 gallon.

Honestly, if you want to keep this fish correctly, you'd need either a nice little pond or at least a 75 gallon (regular goldfish can and will get a foot long). Goldfish are also commonly kept with other goldfish as well, which is something to consider.

I'm not trying to get on a case or anything, so excuse me if I'm coming off as rude, I just wish to tell proper fish keeping is all.

[gt turbo]

Originally Posted by HybridHerp

while true, realize that the amount of waste a goldfish makes means that even a 3 gallon bowl is too small for it as is. They are messy fish that produce a lot of waste, and even one that small I wouldn't have in anything less than a well filtered 10 gallon.

Honestly, if you want to keep this fish correctly, you'd need either a nice little pond or at least a 75 gallon (regular goldfish can and will get a foot long). Goldfish are also commonly kept with other goldfish as well, which is something to consider.

I'm not trying to get on a case or anything, so excuse me if I'm coming off as rude, I just wish to tell proper fish keeping is all.

I'd have to agree with you. A lot of things can be done but that doesn't mean that they should.

I'm also hoping to achieve an avuncular feel with my message and not be seen as rude.

[rileynapalm]

When I'm working at the fish store I ALWAYS advise against buying a goldfish for small tanks or bowls. I point out that three should be kept in a 75 gallon and anything less is just too cramped. Making the best of a bad situation would just mean keeping up on your water changes and giving him a bigger home when you can. Do what you can! =]

[xjasminex]

I must also say something too,.. and im not trying to be rude but even though the goldfish is just an inch, its bioload is three or more times the size of the fish itself.

Keeping it in a tank that small even when it is young can hurt it, ammonia will build up and cause ammonia burn to the gills and fins. You will need to do water changes twice a day or more until you are able to find a more appropriate sized tank. The rule of thumb for goldfish keeping is twenty gallons for the first goldfish then 10-15 gallons for every goldfish there after. Goldfish depending on the kind can grow to 12 inches or more and can live for over ten years if properly taken care of. I have had mine for five years and i only have two fancies in a fifty five gallon.

I strongly urge you to improve the living conditions your keeping your goldie in, walmart has ten gallon tanks for 12 dollars....and a ten gallon kit with hood and filter is right around forty dollars i believe.

If you have any questions about proper goldfish care you can PM me, or visit http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzon...orum/index.php or thegab.org they both have tons of great information about goldfish.

[dylanjs]

I appreciate all the feedback and concern over the fish's living conditions. I don't see it as rude at all. Animals have rights to a good life. I'll do my best to get it out of the bowl as soon as I can.

In the meantime, I'll get some anacharis and keep the duckweed.

Thanks, all!

[xjasminex]

Great! The plants will def help!
By the way, the sooner you can place this little bugger in a planted tank the more likely you are to have success with it living in a planted tank with out it eating all of the plants!

Also giving it the best nutritional diet also helps, that way its not trying to supplement its diet with the plants!

Good Luck!