With regards to the bowl situation its more the lack of filtration leading to bad water conditions thats the problem, you cant have a filter in a bowl really, and in water that small ammonia etc will build up quickly. I hope your doing water changes every few days then.
Yeh, at least its getting fed. Thats ok then, at least its surviving. Perhaps those "first omg thoughts" are because time after time, day after day, the same basic husbandry requirements are being ignored. You wouldn't go out and buy $20,000 horse without researching and providing basic care, so why do it to a fish? I'll tell you why, because its only $6 and its only a fish.
And time after time, someone comes out with the, "they live in dirty puddles" claim
Like i say, its basics.
