Can goldfish survive in a bowl without a air pump?

Question

I know a goldfish can live in a bowl as long as the water is changed 2 times a week, but what about oxygen? How can I be sure that the fish is getting enough air?

Rude people need not reply.

Ok just to be clear, my goldfish isn't a tiny little fishy. He's over 5 inches long and a small type of koi fish. He is in no way a 25 cent feeder fish. He needs to get his own bowl because at the moment he's in a 35 gallon tank because he'll kill anything that is put in with him.

Answer 1

goldfish get pretty big and need room to be happy and healthy i suggest you get a tank and ditch the bowl. theyre the dirtiest of fish (not my opinion-its fact) so youd need to do alot less maintenance with a larger tank. as far as air i believe theyre all better off with it.

Answer 2

Your gold fish (or koi) really should not be in a bowl. Goldfish, as well as Koi grow. Chances are if it isn't a 10 gallon bowl, it is already too small. They require high oxygenated water and a space big enough for them to swim freely.

When the stores say "goldfish bowl" this is just a term they use, it isn't meant to keep goldfish in the bowl. This was an old county fair saying.

If you really cannot move your fish into a 10 gallon tank, I would suggest at least getting some sort of air to him/her until you can. Your fish will continue to grow if it is a Koi, they do not STUNT because of their environment, they will keep growing.

If you cannot afford a small air pump, use a cup and a few times per day dip it into the bowl and slowly pour the water from a decent height back into the bowl. This isn't a solution, but believe me when the power goes out, it has saved my fish. (Till I bought a battery back up air filter)

Good luck with your fish, and I hope you can move him toa new home soon.

Answer 3

Goldfish can't live in a bowl, even if the bowl is cleaned every day. Fancy goldfish need a minimum of 10 gallons each when babies and 20+ when adults, goldies with single tails need at least 20 gallons when babies and 50+ when adults. You say it's a koi though, well koi shouldn't even be in tanks let alone a bowl, they can grow 3 feet long and NEED a pond, that is way they are called pond fish. The pond can't be a little 100 gallon either, it shouldn't be smaller then 1000 gallons and each koi needs 250 gallons. Stop killing your fish and either put it in a pond or return it to the store and don't buy any more fish until you learn how to care for them. Actually look up what the fish need since you obviously can't go on what you know.

Answer 4

Actually, a goldfish can't survive in a bowl. Period.
Oxygen factor aside, goldfish big, heavy fish. Even the smallest types, fancies, can grow to 8" long and 3" high, and they produce copious amounts of toxic ammonia. They can manage to survive in a bowl for a month or two, but this is nowhere near their actual lifespan. Properly cared for, a goldfish can live well into its teens.
A healthy goldfish needs a proper sized tank; about 20 gallons per fancy goldfish is sufficient for the size of the fish and the amount of waste it produces. Large types like commons and comets are POND fish and do not belong in aquariums.
Goldfish also need a lot of filtration and, yes, oxygenation.

Fish suffering from a lack of oxygen will hang near the surface of the water, gulping at the air.

Please move your goldfish into a real tank. No fish should live in a bowl.

Edit: I'm surprised and dismayed that you would consider moving him from a nice healthy 35 gallon tank, to a tiny little deathtrap of a fish bowl. It's like moving a healthy person from a nice house into a tiny closet with no toilet and little air circulation. If you must move your goldfish, move him to a 20 gallon tank. If your only option is a fish bowl, well, try to find another, better home for your goldfish. Or look into gettng another goldfish of similar size as a tankmate for him.

Answer 5

No, they need filtration, and oxygenated water. They also need a minimum 15-20 gallon aquarium, and koi need a pond. Here's a good link to read:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art3503.asp

And here's another one on stunting a fish with photos. Yes, the outside of a fish will stop growing to the tank size, but their insides and guts don't stop growing. So the fish's life is drastically cut short, not to mention the suffering they're going through in the process. The photos aren't working now, but I promise you, they were really sad looking.

http://www.oscarfish.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=605

Answer 6

We had a goldfish for years in a goldfish bowl with no pump at all. so I'd say quite a while. plants can oxygenate the water if you haven't got a pump set up.

Answer 7

No goldfish can survive in a bowl, with or without an air pump. Especially not a 5 inch koi.

Answer 8

kylie anne is right..... they can live for up to 20-25 years if taken care of properly.

he may be being violent because he's not in a big enough tank. I have a 7 year old calico veiltail, and when he got too big for his tank, he killed all of his other tank mates. he's amost 8" long. If you move him into a smaller bowl or tank, chances are he'll die very soon, he's still growing, and it will stunt him even qucker if you move him into a smaller tank. if you need to move him for a week or so until you get a bigger tank, then i'd use a 5 gallon plastic NEW bucket with a bubbler and treated water, changed at least 20-30% EACH DAY since you won't have a filter in there.

you can find fish tanks on craigslist.org for very cheap if not free, depending on your area. I just bought a 20 gallon from a lady for 40 bucks, EVERYTHING included. see what you can find,and good luck. (if you keep him by himself, he won't beat anyone up, and you can get by with a 20 gallon for him alone.)

hope this helps!!

Answer 9

Please do not take this as rude, I don't mean to be, but I am just concerned for your fish. Not any kind of goldfish can survive in bowls. There is so much more to it than water changes. Additionally, koi can grow up to 3 feet long, so, koi definitely cannot be in a bowl. Koi don't even belong in aquariums. But, as long as you have it, you need to get an aquarium that is at least 40 gallons in size. You need to get a good filter and an air pump and you need to cycle the water and test it regularly and do 25-30% water changes once a week.

Answer 10

it's not just how dirty goldfish are that makes them unsuitable for bowls, they also grow to be very large and bowls stunt their growth. sounds harmless except everything inside keeps growing and it because very painful and will eventually kill the fish.

and no, goldfish need super aerated water.

*edit to person above me*
not true, goldfish can live for many many years if cared for properly. I think the oldest was something like 40yrs, but I could be getting my numbers mixed up. if so I'm sure someone will correct me.

*edit*
ther is no such thing as a little koi, koi are koi. he is little because he is young. he should be in POND, not a tank. koi are not tank fish. do research BEFORE you get fish, they are living things and deserve proper care.