Fish In A Filterless Bowl?

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Michele

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Feb 13, 2004
Messages
25
Location
CO USA
Hello! Sorry, I accidentaly posted this in your saltwater section.
I just started an officey job and we're allowed to have fish at our desks. Beta fish are ideal because they can inhabit a simple bowl which fit nicely on my desk, but I would rather have a fish that's more interesting to look at such as a catfish. What I'm wondering is, can a catfish live in a bowl without a filter? (I understand betas and goldfish are built to gulp air for oxygen.) Is there a way I can oxygenate a fishbowl without a filter? I was looking into possibly using live plants to introduce the oxygen, but I'm not sure if it will be enough. Please help!

Much thanks,
~Michele
 
There are other, perhaps more important considerations: size, temp.
I cannot think of a catfish that would fit in a bowl. What size bowl and what will the temperature be like? (remember to use a cover on the bowl, too)

cowfish7
 
Well, I was thinking of starting off with a baby one to keep in the bowl, and then gradually move it to a bigger tank. But please, what about the oxygen??
 
Personally, the only fish I'd keep in a bowl would be a betta, and then only a bowl with a capacity of a gallon or more. My bettas are in tanks with filters and heater though, and I think most betta keepers would agree that bettas are tropical fish, and need higher temps than you often are offered in an office environment. In my office, the thermostats are rolled back in the winter for the weekends and up in the summer. It's enough to be uncomfortable when I get there on Monday mornings. One of the worst things you can do to a fish is have the temp bouncing around all the time.

Please do not keep a goldfish in a bowl - for more info about that see www.goldfishparadise.com. Also, most catfish generate enough waste that a bowl would not be suitable for them either, not to mention the need for oxygen and heat - FW catfish are considered tropical fish also (and yes, I know that even here in Arkansas, we have channel cats and other catfish that live in our unheated lakes in the winter, but I suspect no one will suggest keeping a channel cat in a bowl. . . )

Get at least a 2.5 gallon subdivided tank for a couple of male bettas - they have an incandescent light you can attach to a timer that will help with heating the water and come equipped with an appropriate filter.
 
Well You can always take your fish to work and back..but that would stress it to. It would have to be a secure and daring betta.

There are Battery operated Air Pumps...9.99-15.99
As long as it is a cooler water fish it would work..I guess...maybe
 
My advice - never make a bowl a long term solution for any fish except maybe a betta. Even now though, I like my spoiled betta in his 5 gal with heater et al. :)

I have had lots of fish in bowls for short terms though (2 weeks to 2 months). My plastic bowl currently has two baby glolight tetras in it. They are much too small to put in my tanks with my other fish still, so I wanted to keep them separate until they get bigger. My advice for short term usage is as follows:

1) Get a plastic bowl and keep it up against something that is usually warm. ie - I have my plastic bowl pushed up against my glass 10 gal. It stays pretty warm that way.

2) Change the water every 3 days - do NOT go beyond 4 days. Even if you wait 3-4 days, you may have to put a drop of Bio Safe in it to make it that far without changing water. Otherwise, it can easily get high ammonia.

3) Put small live plants in there to help your fish have oxygen. I have some of my baby sprouts from my Narrow Leaf Chain Sword in there, and one twig of my anacharis that is shorter. But do this only if you have #4.

4) Lighting. Get a little desk lamp and put it pointed down toward the bowl. Or one of those clip on lamps that are cheap. The light that I am using is circular and was once part of a flea trap I used to have eons ago (used to have a bottom to it where the light would attarct the flea and it would get stuck on sticky paper underneath). I put little nightlight bulbs in there and my baby plants are growing nicely in there. It does not put out a whole of heat. Desk lamps - be sure to keep them high up as I believe they can put out some heat. Don't want to cook your fish.

I also recommend - if you have an established tank anywhere setting up your bowl with some water from the established tank. Seems to cause less trauma to start with. :)

HTH
 
PS - If it's size constraints you are worried about, get a 2.5 or 3 gallon kit. They're pretty cheap ($15-$25).
 
I think a little froggy and some pretty snails are your best bet. if you can't have noise/use power or heat.
And just get one of the little kits without hooking it up to power.
But question? No power for heat or pumps? You have no lights or computer at your station? 8O Are you a draftsman?
 
One thing you may want to think about, if you want something a little different than a betta tank, is a biosphere. They are expensive, but last a long time, and maintence is next to nothing. Here's a link to one.

If you are dead set on a fish tank, perhaps white cloud minnows would do.
 
My LFS is selling these two gallon kits with a small filter+heater for $15. I think pair of corys would do well in there, or maybe a single upside-down cat. But NEVER buy a single cory, they dont do well on their own.
 
You have a really good idea about adding plants for oxygen. Another good point is that you will have to do frequent (partial) water changes on a small bowl, which will also help oxygenate the water.
The only fish I can personally recommend is a white cloud minnow - they can take cooler temps, stay pretty small, and I have kept them w/o aeration (although I do not remember how long I did this). Right now I am also enjoying some snails and a shrimp in a bowl. I would say that catfish all get too large (isn't there a pygmy/dwarf cory cat, tho?).
 
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