Fish Tank Sizes: The Fish Bowl

This is the second post in a series about fish tank sizes. 

I wanted to cover the fish bowl first because a lot of parents used this vehicle for housing a child’s first pet. It is ideal for keeping one or two fish and teaching responsibility to kids because the fish and the fish bowl will need constant care but the tasks to maintain it will not be overwhelming to your child. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy a fish bowl and they are small enough that you can always find enough space to place them safely in  almost any room.  They range from the very small  to the large 3 gallon fish bowl. I  think it’s best to keep fish in a tank with a filter. However if you want a bowl I recommend no less than a 1.5 gallon fish bowl and the rest of this article pertains to this size bowl. After all even the smallest fish that you keep in a bowl will want some swimming room. The small size of the bowl makes them ideal for a kids bedroom or a small apartment. So let’s talk about some of the other variables you need to think about when purchasing a fish bowl:

Your skill level -Anyone can start and maintain a fish bowl successfully as long as they take the time to learn a few tasks. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be willing to maintain the bowl. Starting a fish bowl is as simple as buying the bowl (1.5 gallon), putting in about a quarter inch of gravel on the bottom, placing in an aquatic plant such as a Java Fern and  filling it about two inches from the top with bottled water. Do not use tap water! Cover your bowl with an airy top or screen to keep your fish from jumping out. Yes, fish will jump out of the tank, especially the kind that are suitable for keeping in bowls.

Type of fish you would like to keep – Many people refer to a fish bowl as a goldfish bowl. You may have noticed that so far in this article I have referred to this type of tank as a fish bowl. That is because you do not want to put goldfish in a bowl. It may be acceptable for a short stay but your goldfish will quickly out grow the bowl and you will have wasted your money or hurt your fish. 

The best type of fish to keep in bowl are white clouds. They are very sturdy fish. They are small in size and you can have two or three living in the bowl comfortably. A lot of people like to keep Siamese Fighting fish also known as Betta’s in a bowl.  People love the bright colors and flowing fins of this fish. The Betta are sturdy fish and originally come from shallow waters so they can survive comfortably in a bowl as long as there is only one of them.  I feel the need to point out that although these fish come from shallow waters those waters were very warm. You can’t really maintain a steady temperature in a fish bowl. The bowl will be the same temperature as it’s surroundings, so Betta’s really should be in a tank with equipment that can filter and maintain the environment.

If you are thinking about purchasing any other type fish then you should think about a different tank.

Number of fish you want to maintain – The 1.5 gallon fish bowl is suitable for one Betta fish, a plant and maybe a couple of snails. It can hold up to three White Cloud fish (which some people mistake for goldfish) a plant and maybe a couple of snails. If your thinking of any other number than you want to move to a different size tank.

Amount of work you are willing to put into maintaining your tank – I can tell you right now that I’m not willing to maintain a fish bowl. It has to be clean far more often than a larger tank. This is what makes it ideal for teaching kids responsibility. They will have to clean the bowl (changing about 20% of the water) two to three times per week. In addition to feeding their fish, if they fail in their tasks it will be quickly noticed.

Your budget – The amount of money you can afford is often overlooked by the first time fish owner. Luckily a fish bowl isn’t expensive to buy or maintain. You can purchase every thing to start for about twenty-five dollars or less. Maintenance is the cost of food and bottled water. If push came to shove you can skip the expense of bottled water and use conditioned water.

I think that about sizes up the fish bowl.