Fish bowls are the best short-cut for budding and beginner fish keepers. These are especially best suited for people who want to keep a fish but do not have the luxury of a huge fish tank.
3 reasons a fish bowl is a good choice for you
- They’re inexpensive
- Easy to maintain
- Small and ‘Mobile
A few tips for maintaining your fish bowl
Unlike an aquarium, a fish bowl does not have filtration, aeration or heat. Fish bowls need maintenance once or twice a week. You will also need water conditioner to remove chlorine and other harmful contaminants. You should also select gravel, stones or marbles to cover the bottom of the bowl. Decorative plastic plants are your best bet as live plants don’t thrive in fish bowls.
You will also need a fish net for handling the fish as you do the maintenance. When washing the bowl, whether new or used, avoid the use of soap or detergents. Use warm water and non-iodised salt to wash it, or just plain water. Wash out the gravel and other decorations regularly to rid them of any excess color, dust or sediment.
When changing water, don’t throw out all the previous water. Re-use at least a quarter of the previous water. This re-establishes the biological state of the water, which is good for the fish.
Pro-Tips for having a fish bowl
Before introducing new fish to your bowl, place the bag containing the fish into the bowl for some time so the temperature can equalize. Ideally, your bowl’s water temperature is usually your room’s temperature. Temperature (heat) shock due to drastic/rapid changes in water temperature might negatively affect them. If your water becomes green too fast, you probably have the bowl too close to the window.
Do not over feed your fish. The golden rule is to always underfeed if in doubt. Overfeeding makes your bowl get dirty too fast.