Isn’t it the staple of Disney films, household fish as pets and the perception in general that our precious goldfish need to be kept in a bowl? That the bowl is the ideal environment for our pet goldfish to thrive in and enjoy its life? These statements could not be further from the truth! Goldfish, just like any other type of fish requires its space, ideal environment and proper care. It has been recorded that the majority of deaths regarding home kept goldfish is ammonia and or nitrite poisoning due to the minimal levels of oxygen. Let’s have a look at why keeping a goldfish in a bowl is a bad idea.

First and foremost, goldfish bowls are too small. Although the Goldfish you buy at the store looks small, it’s only a matter of time before it outgrows the Goldfish bowl. If properly cared for even a small Goldfish can easily grow to a half foot in length, and many will grow larger than that. Furthermore, Goldfish bowls are too small to accommodate a filtration system, or equipment to circulate and aerate the water. As a result, the water will quickly become depleted of oxygen, and build up toxins that are dangerous to the fish. With such a small quantity of water, it doesn’t take long to hit the danger zone. The bowl usually contains only a few litres of water. If the fish gets lucky and gets a big fishbowl, it contains 10 to 15 litres of water. That’s far too little for a goldfish who needs at least 250 litres.

Secondly, there is just too much waste in such as small area. Goldfish are robust fish that produce more waste than similarly sized fish, which presents a huge challenge in a Goldfish bowl. The absence of a filter or a trace of stable beneficial bacterial colonies, the only way to remove waste, debris and any by-products that are formed is to constantly change the water. In order for this to be effective, water changes must occur every day without a filtration system. Although water changes are beneficial, performing them daily is stressful for the fish. Most owners are tired of the perpetual work and tend to go for longer and longer periods between water changes. If the fish appears healthy in the slightest, the owner may let water changes slide for weeks or months. Under such circumstances and environmental stress, there is a high chance that the fish will soon die from ammonia or nitrite poisoning. Even if the fish doesn’t die, it will become more  and more susceptible to disease as time passes.

Goldfish, just like any other fish should be accommodated inside a tank that is equipped with a filter. The tank should be spacious enough to accommodate an adult goldfish. Their size ranges from half a foot to well over a foot in length. Here at Guppy’s we also say no to the so called “mini-aquariums”, which are only used as a marking hoax! The smallest size tank to consider for a Goldfish is twenty gallons. If you want to keep several, you’ll need a larger tank. Filtration is a must and should be rated at a minimum of four times the tank size in gallons, per hour. Here at Guppy’s Warehouse we house the utmost finest tanks and filtration systems in Australia. Our tanks are also equipped with thermometers, not that a goldfish need warm water, as they prefer cooler water, however, it is wise to have one in order to monitor the temperature. As water temperature rises the amount of dissolved oxygen drops. This can be harmful to the goldfish!

No Goldfish kept in a Goldfish bowl lives as long and healthy life as one kept in the properly sized and equipped tank. Some tough Goldfish may survive in such circumstances for a few years, but that is far from a normal lifespan for a Goldfish. A fish tank filter is a vital component for each and every fish tank configuration. Filtering of the water plays a vital role for the well-being and overall health of the fish, ensuring ammonia poisoning will not impact its life!

Without the utmost latest technologies that Guppy’s has mastered and provides to you, a normal fish tank filter is prone to clogging and accumulating malicious particles that put your fish at harm! Think of water as the fish’s air! It needs to be clean and healthy as possible. We are always researching and evolving our fish tank filters to suit the demands of new technology. We are always educating ourselves, in order to provide the utmost professional service to all our clients. This is why we stand out here at Guppy’s Aquarium and we urge you to browse our online market place for a variety of products, such as fish food online Australia, aquarium pumps, wave maker apparatus, aquarium chiller systems and any aquarium supplies Australia that you might require.