Bowl Keeping

[Luzi]

Has anyone got any advice on keeping a healthy fish bowl?
I have a 10L bowl with 1 male platy who's been there for 2 weeks. I feed him flakes once a day and fish out any uneaten food. I do 25% water changes every 2 days, 50% once a week. Water is filtered but has no added chemicals or treatments
Bowl has 1cm gravel (uncoloured), conch shell, ornamental rock and 2 plastic plants as well as an airpump.

 

[kelly528]

Wait how are you heating this thing? Contrary to P@H's B.S. I am highly skeptical that there is such thing as a coldwater platy.

You may also want to take into consideration the fact that platies are relatively energetic fish and also seem to enjoy the company of other platies. IMO they are not suited to bowls in the least.

I think you might be better off with a paradise fish, which do much better in cold water. Although admittedly I am not sure how much bigger the ones I see in pet stores get.

Also just a note, if you arent conditioning your water already I strongly suggest doing so. Not only does aging fail to remove chloramines and heavy metals, even if your water is fine straight out of the tap be aware that following major storms / floods, cities will often crank the chlorine levels to disinfect any overflowing water. I have heard horror stories about people who manage for years without conditioner only to kill all their fish in one go when the city suddenly decides to dump an extra helping of chlorine into the water. Furthermore, if your fish falls ill and you have to do a major water change or put him in quarantine, do you really want to wait 2 days for water to age?


Try a paradise fish or put the platy in an actual tank. Also because of the small volume with water I would be testing for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate daily for a good month to make sure water stats are staying smooth.

 

[crazychris]

Hi. There's no such thing as a coldwater platy! They're tropical fish so do you have a heater? They may be okay down to the low 70's but no lower temp. than that so it'll die in winter when your bowl gets much cooler.

 

[Luzi]

Fish are indoors, temp. is probably around 20-22*C. They've survived 2 winters and have bred (only one survivor though.. parents were hungry )

 

[kelly528]

You'll probably want to invest in a Hydor Mini-Heater (7.5w)... before I knew that fancy goldfish needed a heater I had mine in an unheated tank. I kept tabs on the temperature and it was all over the map, depending on whether we had the heating or air conditioning on or off.

There are tons of hardy fish out there who will 'survive' without a heater... but is it good for them? No. They're not meant to handle cold temperatures without compromising something else, ie their immune system.

Further to that nitrifying bacteria thrive best in the mid 70s and up, so your filter won't be running at maximum efficiency if the bacteria's metabolisms are sluggish.

Have you tested the ammonia in the bowl lately to see if the biofilter is coping?

 

[char la]

You'll probably want to invest in a Hydor Mini-Heater (7.5w)... before I knew that fancy goldfish needed a heater I had mine in an unheated tank. I kept tabs on the temperature and it was all over the map, depending on whether we had the heating or air conditioning on or off.

There are tons of hardy fish out there who will 'survive' without a heater... but is it good for them? No. They're not meant to handle cold temperatures without compromising something else, ie their immune system.

Further to that nitrifying bacteria thrive best in the mid 70s and up, so your filter won't be running at maximum efficiency if the bacteria's metabolisms are sluggish.

Have you tested the ammonia in the bowl lately to see if the biofilter is coping?

Eh? Who told you that

 

[crazychris]

You'll probably want to invest in a Hydor Mini-Heater (7.5w)... before I knew that fancy goldfish needed a heater I had mine in an unheated tank. I kept tabs on the temperature and it was all over the map, depending on whether we had the heating or air conditioning on or off.

There are tons of hardy fish out there who will 'survive' without a heater... but is it good for them? No. They're not meant to handle cold temperatures without compromising something else, ie their immune system.

Further to that nitrifying bacteria thrive best in the mid 70s and up, so your filter won't be running at maximum efficiency if the bacteria's metabolisms are sluggish.

Have you tested the ammonia in the bowl lately to see if the biofilter is coping?

Eh? Who told you that

An idiot obviously as goldfish don't need a heater, fancy or not.

 

[kelly528]

You'll probably want to invest in a Hydor Mini-Heater (7.5w)... before I knew that fancy goldfish needed a heater I had mine in an unheated tank. I kept tabs on the temperature and it was all over the map, depending on whether we had the heating or air conditioning on or off.

There are tons of hardy fish out there who will 'survive' without a heater... but is it good for them? No. They're not meant to handle cold temperatures without compromising something else, ie their immune system.

Further to that nitrifying bacteria thrive best in the mid 70s and up, so your filter won't be running at maximum efficiency if the bacteria's metabolisms are sluggish.

Have you tested the ammonia in the bowl lately to see if the biofilter is coping?

Eh? Who told you that

An idiot obviously as goldfish don't need a heater, fancy or not.

A few world-class koi vets and goldfish enthusiasts / authors actually... Dr. Richard Hess comes to mind. Doesn't seem to be a commonly held idea on this forum but on legit goldfish forums such as the GAB and koko's this school of thought also prevails. A temperature in the mid 70s is recommended, because DO levels only start to become seriously compromised at temps in the 80s. Personally I noticed a positive change in my fancies after installing a heater and as mentioned before it causes bacteria to metabolise ammonia & nitrite faster. It has also been proven to improve the color of fancies (I can find the paper if you want). Furthermore it allows for the optimal upkeep of live plants, of which I have quite a few.

 

[char la]

Now you've put your handbag down, YOU stated "before I knew that fancy goldfish needed a heater", goldfish do not NEED a heater thats why i asked who had told you that.

 

[kelly528]

???

Sorry, not many tropical fish keepers have heard of heating fancy goldfish tanks so I am used to proffering the reasons why without waiting for people to post back asking. I didn't mean to put my handbag down, whatever that means.

I heard it from 'Fancy Goldfish' by Drs. Richard Hess and Erik L. Johnson, moderators and members on the GAB, #121### and Koko's, Dr. Helen Roberts, and various sources and studies on the internet.

Now can you tell me who told you goldfish don't need a heater and direct me to some studies that validate that statement? Lets stay on topic here guys.

 

[Mikaila31]

I agree with the fact that gold fish are cold water fish and do not need a heater. A heater will make a cold water animals more active by increasing metabolism. A higher metabolism leads to a shorter life. Good bacteria will metabolism faster in warmer waters, however just like above the reproduce and die faster than they would at low temps. Also you fail to look at the fact that ammonia becomes more toxic in warmer waters and oxygen levels of the waters decrease as well. As far as I know 65-75 is good for cold water. Things like koi and goldfish can live in temps from 35-85, but that doesn't mean they should. Its important to know how these temps effect the fish and to take the proper care for the fish to survive at extreme lows and highs.

This however is a platy... IMO get a tank with a filter and heater. Its not a fish that belongs in a bowl.

 

[char la]

???

Sorry, not many tropical fish keepers have heard of heating fancy goldfish tanks so I am used to proffering the reasons why without waiting for people to post back asking. I didn't mean to put my handbag down, whatever that means.

I heard it from 'Fancy Goldfish' by Drs. Richard Hess and Erik L. Johnson, moderators and members on the GAB, #121### and Koko's, Dr. Helen Roberts, and various sources and studies on the internet.

Now can you tell me who told you goldfish don't need a heater and direct me to some studies that validate that statement? Lets stay on topic here guys.

Never mind, its a Northern English thing.
I didnt need anyone to tell me goldfish dont need a heater its common knowledge, thats why they're kept outside...in the cold. Maybe its a Canadian thing.

 

[kelly528]

As far as I know 65-75 is good for cold water. Things like koi and goldfish can live in temps from 35-85, but that doesn't mean they should. Its important to know how these temps effect the fish and to take the proper care for the fish to survive at extreme lows and highs.

This however is a platy... IMO get a tank with a filter and heater. Its not a fish that belongs in a bowl.

Yeah, exactly I keep mine at 72. Which for me at least requires a heater, as our house stays at about 62 normally. Where are you finding that ammonia becomes more toxic in warmer water? I've never heard that before.

But yeah, on the topic the platy needs a heater.

 

[three-fingers]

Uh, I'd be more concerned about the water being changed so frequently without any dechlorinator added...

That, and how the water is actually filtered, as given the nature of the question, it's probably not filtered properly.

Also, like Mikaila pointed out...10l for a platy...not really right there.

An active social fish in a tiny space kept on its own? It's like keeping a horse in an average sized garden - why would you even want to keep the fish like this? It's boring apart from anything else.

 

[MBOU]

No fish belong in a bowl! its inhumane, impractical and cruel TBH.