I am 100% sure they are white cloud minnows. As for keeping them in a bowl I dunno. I would say tell your friend to get them a tank. They could be keept in a really big bowl, as I have done it with my white clouds. I only did it for two days because 1. There was only 6 white clouds left in my lfs and 2. I wanted to make sure my tank was 100% cycled. They look so much happier in my ten gallon then they did in th bowl.