Subscribe in a reader

Sunday, May 1, 2011

The Goldfish Dilemma

One of the biggest mythologies I've ever encountered in the pet industry, is not about dogs or cats, but fish, specifically goldfish. It seems almost everyone over the age of 18 has, at some point in their life, had a pet goldfish that they kept in a goldfish bowl. It's almost a rite of passage, teaching a child responsibility, to have a goldfish as a first pet. Every year at the fair, they have games where the winner gets to take a home a goldfish, and it seems like everyone wins! If you walk into your local pet store, there are thousands of small goldfish for just a few cents, and small ornate "goldfish" bowls complete with pearls and a small castle. But, did you know, that a goldfish cannot survive in a bowl?!

It has always amazed me that this myth has survived over generations, when I'm sure without a whole lot of luck, few if any of these fish have survived past a few days. Here's the reason. All fish kept in a enclosed system like a bowl or a tank, depend on a delicate balance of bacteria to keep the water free of ammonia, which the fish excretes almost constantly in its urine. Within 2 to 3 days, even in a larger tank, the water becomes cloudy as the waste builds up. In a larger tank, the fish can survive riding out this increase in poison, while the bacteria has time to grow and start cleaning up the mess. In a small bowl, there is just not enough water to dilute these toxins, and they almost certainly become fatal.

Before the critics jump down my back, with claims of having kept their fish in a bowl successfully when they were a child, let me ask a question. Is your fish still alive? I've heard of reports of goldfish living as long as 40-60 years, maybe even longer. They are not a disposable animal that is only designed to live a few months (Another myth I've been told). To successfully keep a small goldfish, at least a 10 gallon tank with a filter system is required. Even then, the setup will probably only last you a year, before the fish outgrows it. This is what that small little goldfish should look like after one year!

This is not to say that a fishbowl cannot be an enjoyable part of growing up. There are a few fish that actually do quite well in an unheated fish bowl. The first of these are the zebra danios, and the new genetically engineered "Glofish". These fish are hardy and so small that a few of them do not create enough waste to overpower the bacteria in a small 1-2 gallon bowl.


The other is a Betta, or Siamese fighting fish. Although these are solitary fish, they hail from the rice patties of Asia, and have evolved to survive in small amounts of unclean water. To the Betta, a fish bowl seems like an impressive piece of real estate. Most people prefer these because of their brilliant colors and size.


The reason the carnival games use goldfish as a reward is because they are cheap and brightly colored. The goldfish you win are usually sold as "feeder fish" for other larger predatory fish, and can be as cheap as 10 cents a piece. Just cheap enough that a carnival can afford to give them away. Even though the prospect of having their first pet can be almost too alluring to a child, every animal should be researched before purchasing or winning it. Impulsive pet ownership can lead to fatal results for the animal.


Subscribe in a reader

No comments:

Post a Comment