Goldfish at Work

[RochelleMay]

Hi Guys,

I have never kept goldfish before apart from when I was little and they died all the time. So want to do this right.

At work we have a possibly 80 - 100L Round Bowl that we want to put 3 smallish goldfish into. My boss is very into feng shui and either wants 3 or 8... 8 is too many, so has to be 3.

We are hoping to do it without a filter, but with a bubble Blower (not sure the actual name but I hope you know what I mean) as I have a spare one.

Will this be ok if we did regular water changes.

What would be your recommendations. Really need some help with this.

Thanks

[Morcs]

Hi Guys,

I have never kept goldfish before apart from when I was little and they died all the time. So want to do this right.

At work we have a possibly 80 - 100L Round Bowl that we want to put 3 smallish goldfish into. My boss is very into feng shui and either wants 3 or 8... 8 is too many, so has to be 3.

We are hoping to do it without a filter, but with a bubble Blower (not sure the actual name but I hope you know what I mean) as I have a spare one.

Will this be ok if we did regular water changes.

What would be your recommendations. Really need some help with this.

Thanks

If its a round bowl the L will be much much lower than what youd think. I really cant be bothered giving a lecture about how cruel bowls are etc.. as im sure youd know.

Should be fine otherwise, just get them as small as you can, that makes things easier with to start.

[RochelleMay]

Yeah I understand the cruel thing but it is what my boss wants to do so I atleast need to make it is done in the best way possible for the situation.

The bowl is rather large it is just under a meter from the ground to the rim and it is round like a ball only has 150mm ish Flat part on the bottom that stops it rolling. So it is pretty big.

I know to do weekly water changes but if not using a filter would you suggest more often?

Also what is a good pH for Goldfish?

Thanks

[malevolentsparkle]

Goldfish without a filter sound like a disaster. I would recommend all the water changes you can do, daily or every second day. what is the reason for not using a filter?

Goldfish should be fine with tap water, they have been captive bred for hundreds of years. just avoid extremes.

[Caryl]

The bowl is really not suitable for 3 goldfish. Does it have to be goldfish? I assume it needs to be coldwater so what about leopardfish or white cloud minnows instead?

Goldfish are very messy and, as said, would not do well without a filter or daily water changes.

If the boss is set on goldfish and doesn't care about their welfare so much, get the fancy ones that just hang about with droopy tails, not comets.

Is the 80 - 100L when it is filled to the top? Ideally it should just be filled to the widest part to give maximum surface area.

[RochelleMay]

No filter cause of aesthic reasons - there are none that fit well with a spherical tank that I can find and $. Unless you have some ideas of cheap ones that we could use? the pet stores havent been too helpful with that they recommend, the waterfall type ones which would be cool but dont fit on the side of the tank.

She is pretty set on Goldfish as it is going to be in our reception area but I will try show her the others and see what she thinks. The bowl will be filled about 1/2 - 3/4 of the height.

Are fancy goldfish easy to care for then comets?

I am planning to do daily water changes, it will be part of our closing down at the end of the day routine. So if doing daily water changes how much would we need to do?

And what plants are best suited for Gold Fish?

Thanks. I really do know it is not the best circumstances but she has it set in her mind what she wants so I just have to work with it.

[Insect Direct]

Read this - viewtopic.php?f=10&t=47736

Once you understand how to cycle a tank you wont look back, will have crystal clear water and happy fish (with a filter ).

Could use an undergravel filter, powered with your air pump. they blend in ok.

If you want to do the right thing this time around, go chuck the bowl on the pavement seriously though, without a filter your asking for trouble. Bowls look good but thats about where it ends imo.

[WTM]

Undergravel is the best idea... possibly could even sneak it in why she's not looking.

I know what that's like Rochelle, boss decides on an idea, beyond all realms of logic and good sense, but they are boss and as long as the don't break the law there is little you can do to stop them (as they will just get someone else to do it)

Luckily in my case it has always been IT issues, not ones involving defenceless animals.

Perhaps point out it is extremely bad feng shui to inflict cruelty on animals?

[Caryl]

You can get circular under gravel filter plates too.

Fancy goldfish aren't easier, they are just more suitable. Comets are short tailed fish that require a lot of length in which to swim as they are very active. They can't do this in a round bowl. The fancy goldfish, fantails, google eyed, orandas etc do not swim much, or fast, so don't need the length to do so.

If you decide on no filter I suggest you use a lot of live plants. Hopefully there is enough lighting to keep them alive.

I would suggest about 10L daily (a bucket) change to start with. May need to be increased as the fish grow. They will grow (do not believe the myth that they only grow to the size of the container) albeit more slowly and will produce even more waste as they get bigger.

[diver21]

under gravel would be the way to go, the only 'ugly bit' about it is that theres a clear tube that sticks out of the gravel. you might be able to get away with trimming a square one if you cant find a round one. or you could use something like this:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 201502.htm

not too expensive, easy to clean.

can yopu take a photo of the bowl? seems big from your description

[RochelleMay]

Thanks. It is big its not just a little bowl Ill try remember to take my camera to work to get a photo. It sits on the floor and If I wrap my arms around it I cant touch my fingers on the other side lol. If that gives you a better idea.

With the sponge filter would I also need an air stone as well? Or would the sponge filter give off alot of bubbles?

[diver21]

the filter gives alot of bubbles

[Stella]

Is your boss aware of how distorted the round bowl will make everything?

Even if it was packed with fish, most of the time the fish will be invisible or warped due to the bend of light passing through water+curves.

If you *have* to go with the bowl, mountain minnows or similar sound like a much better option

[phoenix44]

Bowls make goldfish look even uglier :lol:

[jn]

If you can understand about water quality you can help make your life easier and better for the fish.

Make sure your boss lets you buy a test kit and use it on a regular basis, it will be a good guide for how much and how often your water changes should be.

Do post a picture of that bowl. It sounds nice and big but it'll help people get a better idea of what you're in for.

To make it more interesing for the fish maybe you can find some long fine twisty pieces of driftwood and make an arrangement in there. Give them something to poke at and swim around. Maybe add some plants that like low light to help use up some nutrients (Java moss comes to mind, and ludwigia repens) and THEN you might see that you probably could hide filter somewhere behind it

I've seen hollow resin 'trunk' ornaments at animatates that are designed to cover the type of filters that sit in a tank! I'll see if I can find a link somewhere.

If the fish are unhealthy the tank will be a failure and IMHO.. nothing grabs your attention like tank of unthriving goldfish placed in view of everyone!

You can get canister filters like this below that don't actually sit in the tank (bowl), and could be easily disguised next to it (behing a potted plant or under a little table or in a cabinet).

http://www.petmart.co.nz/cart_product22 ... ory_ID=251

Best of luck and keep us posted.

[Zayne]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 201502.htm

not too expensive, easy to clean.

can yopu take a photo of the bowl? seems big from your description

+1

[RochelleMay]

I have a water testing kit that I am going to use from home. So will use that regulary. I will try member my camera when Im next there.

I can hopefully sneakly put one of my filters in it maybe but that wont be until I have more plants and ornament things to hide it. I do want it to be very planted so fingers crossed shell agree with letting the filter be hiden

[raewyna]

Is the bowl one of these? http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/ ... 3_392.html

If so, it's 45 litres. I have one and it's great, but I have guppies and platies in mine. It's too small for goldfish. Originally it had it's own filter system up under the lid, but it was unreliable and after having a crisis in the tank I replaced it with an air pump under the lid and a simple cheapo filter that just lies on the bottom. The visual distortion factor isn't a problem. If you are up close the fish at the back look funny, but sitting back in the room and watching it they look fine. I was worried about fire when it was brand new - the sun light gets focussed on the wall behind like a magnifying glass. But it didn't happen and now that it has a biofilm there is no longer a point of light magnified on the wall.

One point about your boss's feng shui concepts - I doubt that it's good feng shui to keep live animals in overcrowded or otherwise unhealthy conditions. Maybe some white clouds and a simple filter are better feng shui after all.

[Windsparrow]

Goldfish will eat the plants if they're hunrgy. I was thinking maybe feeding every two days (If you didn't go planted) which would lower the waste output.

Also make sure you're the one feeding and not your work mates who might dump the whole canister in.