Home  Articles Equipments Fish Bowls, Instruments of Torture?
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Fish Bowls, Instruments of Torture? |
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Written by Leon Huang
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Friday, 05 August 2005 |
Introduction
 Almost everyone had seen one of these. On the television, in
restaurants, and in shops. And the most common fishes being housed in
these bowls are none other than goldfishes. The goldfish may not look
any unhappier than other goldfishes in proper fish tanks. But
if fishes can frown, you would know otherwise!
The size
The maximum length that goldfishes can grow up to, is 23 inches. No
doubt that the size is very rare, but most goldfishes can easily grow
up to 12 inches. And from what I see, most fish bowls can't even fit a
12 inch goldfish in it.
The size of a fish's home is very important for its growth. Think about
it, have you ever seen a fish outgrowing its fish tank? Probably not,
as the fish tank's size will determine if the fish will grow up to its
potential size. Thus a fish is stunted if its home is too small for it
to grow to its potential size.
Not only will you have a smaller fish, a stunted fish is not as healthy
too. Definitely something to avoid, if you love your fishes.
"Now, can you imagine yourself
inside the fish bowl for twenty-four hours a day, and every direction
you look are distorted objects outside the fish bowl?"
Filtration
Being curved in shape makes usage of most filters impossible. You could
only use specially designed filters, sponge filters, or corner box
filters. But using a filter means you'll have cables hanging out of the
bowl. And unlike a rectangular fish tank, you have no proper way of
hiding it.
You might ask, “What if I perform water changes everyday? I won't need
a filter!”. Yes, this will keep the water clean. But daily water
changes will stress out the fish badly, causing it to be prone to
sickness and diseases.
The shape itself, is evil
Firstly, the opening of the fish bowl is small. This is bad for air
exchange, causing less-than-ideal oxygenation of the water. Especially
if no filter is used, and there is no water surface disturbance to help
oxygenation.
Secondly, the curved shape also causes viewing distortion. If you ever
looked at an object inside a fish bowl, you would notice how much
larger the object looks, compared to its actual size. The curved shape
also causes the object to look distorted. Now, can you imagine yourself
inside the fish bowl for twenty-four hours a day, and every direction
you look are distorted objects outside the fish bowl? I bet you would
feel awfully giddy.
And lastly, because the fish bowl is round, the fishes inside will most
likely be exposed at all sides. If you ever kept fishes in rectangular
fish tanks, you would notice that scared fishes instinctively hide from
frontal view, behind decorations and plants. Having places to hide
makes the fishes feel safe, which is something the fish bowl cannot
provide. A scared fish is a stressed fish, and a stressed fish then
becomes a sick fish.
Conclusion
Most people may not know how bad fish bowls are. So whenever you see
relatives or friends keeping their fishes in fish bowls, educate them
why they should stop, or simply show them this article. Your efforts
will help save the lives of innocent fishes! |
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