Tiffi-
Now that I have owned a bubble-eye fish for half or three-quarters of a year, I tend to agree with you.
In my opinion, the fish is deformed in a way that negatively impacts his ability to live well. He has to work hard just to swim at all. He can't see the gravel without exerting himself to swim upside down. Generally I'll be surprised if he lives half as long as a more common fancy goldfish.