How often should water in a goldfish bowl be changed?

Question

Yesterday we bought new goldfish and already the water is cloudy. The fish seem to be floating around at the surface to get more air... how often should the water in a plain bowl (not aquarium, without pumps) be changed?

Answer 1

First of all if you aren't willing to buy a filter and a real tank you need to take the fish back to the store so they can at least get a little bit of decent care. Goldfish grow to 6-8in (Sometimes longer) each, cannot live in a bowl, need a filter and need at least 10G per Goldfish with 20G or more preferred. Goldfish produce a LOT of waste and need a clean tank in order for proper survival. Keeping your fish in these conditions will allow the fish to live oh say...A few days, a week at the most. A Goldfishes life span is 10-15+ years (Even 20+ isn't unheard of or uncommon) if kept in the right conditions with the oldest Goldfish ever dying at the age of I believe it was 49. You will need a filtered tank, an air stone, an air stone pump (You can buy the set up of the stone and pump for about $8 at Wal-Mart.) and I'd suggest getting a gravel cleaner as even with a 10G tank you will need to do a 25%-50% (25% should be fine for a little one but once it's bigger you'll need to do more) water change every week and that will help get the nasty stuff out of the rocks so it doesn't build up under them. A testing kit for pH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, etc would be a great thing to keep on hand and should be tested once a week before you do the water change to tell you how much water you should change and if you need to adjust something. This isn't a huge thing needed (But the other stuff is) but it could save your pets life. At least get an ammonia test because Goldfish produce a lot of ammonia. I may have missed something but hopefully someone knowledgeable will fill in anything I missed. I'm a Guppy person but I do have my share of knowledge on quite a few other fish including Goldfish and I know these aren't suitable conditions for the poor thing.

Answer 2

The reason they are floating at the surface for more air has nothing to do with the cloudiness. They are suffocating. Goldfish cannot survive in bowls, they don't allow enough exchange of oxygen into the water. I would get at least a cheap 10 gallon tank asap to save their lives -- they are $9 at Walmart. Preferably I would also get a filter to ensure they can survive in the 10 gallon, but if you change the water a couple times a week they could make it for a while.

Answer 3

I have a small 10 litre aquarium with gravel and plants but no pumps or filters, i change water 2 or 1nce a week and take the fish out of the tank the last sunday of every month, put them into a bowl with THERE OWN WATER and wash the hole thing, paying special attention to the gravel as it is FILTHY after a few weeks, i use a siv for that and wash the plants then put em back,

Answer 4

Goldfish don't belong in bowls. Flowers do. Goldfish need a tank and a filter and according to what kind of goldfish, at least 30 gallons. Commons and comets are pond fish and don't belong even in tanks unless you can give it 75 gallons. If you can't afford a tank, get rid of the fish. You wouldn't buy a horse if you lived in an apartment, right?

Answer 5

In a bowl you will need to change all the water at least once an hour. Gold fish cannot live in bowls. I would take the whole get up back and get your money back. GF need 10 gallons a piece, heater, filter and airstone. You wasted your money.

Answer 6

I recommend changing the water in the bowl every second day,as the fish eat,sleep,pee(sorry) and play in the same water every day,so to stop disease and for the well being of your fish,they love fresh water.
Always have a spare bowl to transport your fish into.So you are only handling the fish once,so they don't get to up set.Meanwhile you can be cleaning the other bowl.
Oh! always put a capful of water conditioner ie."Stress coat"( to help repair damaged skin&fins&replace slime coating) every time you change the water.
Best of luck with your new pets.
"Remember treat them like you would like to be treated."

Answer 7

I think once a week is a good bet. At work we have a fish in a small bowl and that's what the girls say..change the water once a week.

Answer 8

every day, BUT you must let the water sit out over night so it will collect oxygen. you cant fill the fish bowl from the tap and put the fish right into it. i know from experience the fish will die

Answer 9

It depends how big the tank is. If it's a gallon, honey get a real tank that's why and clean the water out every week or more. Other than that, get your tank-when you get it- a filteration system. You're torturing your fish.

Answer 10

at least once a week and they make a bottle of clear water solution that doesnt cost much that you can put drops of in the water to keep it clear, you can get it at walmart