Showing posts with label bowl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bowl. Show all posts

Fish bowl aquarium - Fish tank bowl

  › › Aquarium fish bowl tank.
Fish bowl is a miniature aquarium tank. Though bowls with half gallon or lesser capacity are available, these small bowls are pretty cramped for the pet you love.
It is preferable to go in for a two gallon capacity bowl so that it is roomy for the aquarium pet. Though some fishkeepers do not aerate or filter the water in the bowl tank, an undergravel filter will help in the cycling of the container as well as keeping the water clear and aerated. In the small environment, the water quality may deteriorate easily, and one cardinal rule is not to overfeed the pets.

Similar to an aquarium tank, water temperature, pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen and ammonia must be monitored regularly. About 20% of the water may be exchanged at least two or three times in a week. The pets may contract diseases and timely identification and treatment will save the lives. Consider covering the bowl tank with a custom cover, a glass sheet having perforations or a fine mesh to stop the pet from jumping out. The suitable pet must be hardy enough to withstand stress, must tolerate temperature fluctuations and be small enough for the bowl. Betta, dwarf gourami, guppy, molly, white cloud minnow, mystery snail, ghost shrimp, platy and African dwarf frog are some of the pets that can be raised in the bowl.

For setting up fish bowl aquarium, you will require a round two gallon glass bowl tank, decorative materials and bottom stones. The bowl tank must be thoroughly cleaned with dry clean cloth to remove grease and dust. Then using hot water, the tank must be cleaned thoroughly with mild liquid soap.
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Then the bowl must be rinsed several times to remove all traces of liquid soap. Rinsing with hot water will also remove traces of oil or grease, if any. Do not use any product containing chlorine, disinfectant or any other harmful chemical as any remnant after rinsing will seriously harm the aquarium tank pet. The cleaning process is very similar to setting up an aquatic pet tank.

Ghost shrimp are ideal for keeping in bowl fish tank as they are small and grow slowly. A two gallon bowl will provide sufficient space for four or five ghost shrimp. The tank must have rockwood and live or decorative plants for the shrimp to cling on to. A layer of small stones may be spread on the bottom of the tank. The shrimp may be fed with small quantities of pellet or flake food. The female shrimp may be seen carrying pink/green eggs on the underside of the carapace. They may even hatch and release the babies(nauplii) in the tank. Rearing the babies is very difficult as they feed on rotifers and brine shrimp nauplii. The adult ghost shrimp may devour the babies.

Guppies are ideal for rearing in fish bowl aquarium. It is better to go in for fancy guppies as they are colorful with a variety of tails. In a two gallon tank two or three pairs can be accommodated. Provide plants and decorations as hiding places. Some males may be aggressive and nibble and damage the fantails of other guppies. The female guppies are dull colored with smaller tails. Normally the traders do not part with females. If you can convince and get a pair of females, you can have guppies breeding in the bowl tank. Guppies are livebearers and the babies may start accepting finely powdered feed. You have to separate the babies to another tank as the adults may devour them.

For cleaning fish bowl aquarium, you have to have a hand net for removing the aquatic pet to a container/tank. The mesh size should be such that the pet does not pass through it or get caught in it. A container will be required for holding the decorations, gravel stones and filter. The container tank for keeping the pet temporarily must be clean and have a broad mouth for scooping it out. After transferring the pet and the ornamental decorations, scrub the bowl tank for removing algal growth. You may have to scrub with a razor to remove water evaporation marks on the sides of the aquarium. Use paper towels to remove greasy marks and fingerprints.

Betta, also known as Siamese fighters, are ideal for bowl aquarium. They are very aggressive and do not tolerate the presence of other aquatic pets. Hence they cannot be kept in tanks along with other species. A two gallon bowl tank is sufficient to keep a full grown betta. As it is an air breather, aeration is not required. With very successful selective breeding a number of breeds are available for fishkeepers. It is always better to have the bowl tank covered with a mesh as betta have the tendency to jump out. Though in nature they feed on live food, in confined aquarium tanks they adapt feeding flakes and freeze dried bloodworms.

A small sized fantail can be raised in a two gallon bowl aquarium. As goldfish varieties grow big, other varieties like Bubble-eye, Celestial, Dragon-Eye,Moor, Veil-tail or Oranda are not suitable for raising in a bowl tank. The container should have small size air-driven gravel filter, as goldfish are messy and churn up the water. The gravel used should be of bigger size as the goldfish may swallow the stones. The decorations in the aquarium must be well rooted as the goldfish have the tendency to nibble and uproot everything. Goldfish have the frequent problem of bloated stomach. Feeding them with cooked pea after removing the shell will function as a laxative and decrease episodes of bloated stomach.

White cloud mountain minnow, also known as White Cloud, White Cloud Mountain fish or White Cloud minnow, are suitable for raising in a bowl aquarium. They are very hardy fish and were first discovered at White Cloud Mountain in 1930s. In 1980 they had become extinct in the native habitat. However a thriving population is found in Hainan Island. They belong to carp family. Though they are from temperate region, they can withstand temperature fluctuations. Meteor Minnow and white Golden Cloud are the two popular variants. They are shoaling fish and in a two gallon bowl tank, two to three pairs can be kept. They readily accept formulated feed and do not require heating. The bowl tank may be covered with mesh as they are known to jump out.

Mystery snails can be kept in a fish bowl aquarium. A number of species of snails are clubbed under the name of mystery snail or apple snail and sold by the aquarium trade. Some snail varieties grow big and are more suitable for a tank. The most popular true mystery snail, Pomacea bridgesii belonging to the family Ampullariidae, is native to the South American countries of Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is a hardy snail having bright brown and yellow coloration. If the container is fitted with an aerator, a pair of guppies may also be kept along. The bowl aquarium must be covered with a mesh as the snail may crawl out.

African dwarf frogs are ideal aquatic pets for keeping in a fish bowl aquarium. They are small in size and the female frogs are larger than males. A pair of dwarf frogs may be kept in a two gallon bowl tank. While buying the pet, please note that the specimen has webbing on all four feet to distinguish from African clawed frog, which has webbing only on the hind feet. As African clawed frog grows big in size, it can only be kept in a larger aquarium tank. The dwarf frogs surface to breathe atmospheric air. The bowl tank must be covered with mesh as the dwarf frogs can jump out. They can fed with pellet or flake food. They cannot survive out water for long durations.

Blue dwarf gourami is a very popular aquarium pet which can be raised in a fish bowl aquarium. It is native to South Asia. A pair a dwarf gourami can be kept in a two gallon bowl aquarium. Keep a undergravel air-lift filter to maintain the water clear. Keep some plants to provide hiding places. The fish can be fed with pellet or flake feed. Feeding them with live or freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex worms enhances the color and patterns. The mature male can be seen building bubble nest at the surface among the plants. These aquarium fish are quite hardy and thrive well in warmer climates. In colder climates heating the bowl aquarium may become necessary.

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Current topic in Ornamental Aquarium Fish: Fish bowl aquarium - Fish tank bowl
Posted by
Mahmood Syed Faheem 0 comments
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Setting up blue dwarf gourami fish bowl

Home > Air breathing fish > Blue dwarf gourami fish.
The hardy blue dwarf gourami are ideal fish for a bowl. The gourami (Colisa lalia) belong to the genus Colisa and family Osphronemidae.
Though in their native range these are abundantly available in wild, blue dwarf gourami have become very popular pets for aquarium due to their hardiness and enchanting colors and patterns.

Taxonomic position and distribution of dwarf gourami

Gourami are native of South Asia and found in wild in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In South India, the wild catches of gourami are sun dried for use as dry fish as well as for animal feeds. These blue gourami are found among the vegetation in many rivers, streams, ponds and lakes. Blue gourami grows to a length of about 1.5-3 inches.

In wild the male has diagonal alternating stripes of red (orange) and blue whereas the female are more silvery in color. By selective breeding many breed variants of blue gourami have been developed with striking colors and patterns.
colisa lalia
A male blue dwarf gourami

They have a thread-like pelvic fin which is touch sensitive. They are labyrinth fish and can breathe directly from air using their labyrinth organ functioning as lung.
dwarf gourami
Neon red dwarf gourami
Keeping blue dwarf gourami in a bowl

It will be ideal to keep a pair of them in a large bowl.
As they can breathe directly from the atmosphere aeration is not necessary.
You can keep undergravel air-lift filter to keep water clean and also to develop useful bacteria.
Keep some floating artificial plants as the male blue dwarf have the chronic habit of blowing bubble nests and hiding among the floating plants.
Dwarf gourami tolerate fairly high temperatures of 80°F (27°C).
These fish rarely get diseases. Keeping the fish properly fed and in health conditions can prevent diseases.
Higher temperatures reduce the risk of Ich disease.
Iridovirus has been found to affect these fish.
Sick dwarf gourami may stop feeding and its abdomen may get distended.
This viral disease appears to affect in warmer conditions.
Flame dwarf gourami


Feeding dwarf gourami in fish bowl

These fish are omnivores eating algal matter and small invertebrates in nature.
You can feed the pets with blood worms, flakes and pellet formula feeds. They also like live bloodworms and tubifex worms.
A varied feed of algal and animal sources can give them balanced amino acids, vitamins and minerals.
Feed the pet two times a day and the feed must be consumed in two minutes. Never over feed them.
Blue


Breeding blue dwarf gourami in fish bowl

Apart from color patterns the male has pointed dorsal fin whereas the female has rounded and curved dorsal fin.
Mature male builds bubble nest among the floating vegetation.
Peat fiber also can become a good nest-building material.
When the female is induced by the male, it releases eggs on to the bubbles and male fertilises them.
This may happen several times for about 2-3 hours and finally the male will release bubbles below the eggs to cover them completely.
The female fish must be removed after spawning as male becomes aggressive and guards the nest.
In about 12-24 hours the fry of these will hatch out and continue in the protective bubble nest.
Neon blue

In three days they will be developed sufficiently using the yolk sac and start leaving the bubble nest.
At this juncture the male of these blue dwarf gourami fish must be removed as it may start preying upon the hatchlings.
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Interesting topics in Ornamental Fish:
1. Platy giving birth.
2. Finding quality breeding platies.
3. Selective breeding of platy.
4. Platy breeding for beginners.
5. Male, female and pregnant platies.

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Blue dwarf gourami in bowl.
Posted by
Mahmood Syed Faheem
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Setting up mystery snail ornamental fish bowl

Ornamental fishes - bowl for gourami → Fish bowl for betta → Goldfish → For guppies → White cloud mountain minnow → Ghost shrimp → Ornamental fish bowl for mystery snail → Bowl for African frog

Mystery snail is an ideal candidate for ornamental fish bowl.
It is docile, hardy and easy to maintain for a beginner.
In aquarium trade a number of ornamental aquarium species are available and all are being clubbed and known as mystery snail or apple sneil. Here we will deal with the most popular, true mystery snail, Pomacea bridgesii belonging to the family Ampullariidae.
Mystery snail is native to South American countries of Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Its availability in wide range of colours and ease of care, makes it a preferred ornamental pet at homes.

Keeping mystery snail in an ornamental fish bowl

These beautiful and colourful ornamental pets can be kept in a fish bowl. Depending upon the size one or two of them can be kept.
If the container is fitted with aerator one or two small fish like guppies can be kept along with mystery snail.
The container must be covered well as it may crawl out of it.
They are active in the night when lights are off and crawl all over the container. The water must contain sufficient calcium and the pH must be above 7.
In acidic waters the shell will get eroded and the mystery snail may die.
In colder regions a heater may be kept in the container.
Normally their life expectancy is about two years and in warmer waters they are active, grow faster and have a shorter life.
They should not be kept with bigger fish as they may be pecked and teased.Pomacea Bridgessii
Pomacea Bridgessii in fish bowl

Feed of mystery snail in an ornamental fish bowl

For the formation and growth of shell it must be fed with high calcium food as well as lime must be added to the water periodically.
They also takes up the role of scavenging the container for detritus, remnants of feed and the the algal growth.
They can be fed with algal food, pellet food and boiled vegetable matter.

Breeding in mystery snail

Unlike most of the other species wherein hermaphroditic forms are common, in these ornamental Pomacea bridgesii species the sexes are separate.
They may breed in ornamental fish bowl and the female lays a cluster of eggs on the water margin. The eggs hatch out in 2-3 weaks. The babies also will feed on the detritus and grow.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem 0 comments
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Setting up African dwarf frogs fish bowl

Bowl for gourami → Fish bowl for betta → Bowl for goldfish → Fish bowl for guppies → Bowl for White cloud mountain minnow → Bowl for ghost shrimp → Fish bowl for mystery snail → Ornamental bowl for African frog
African dwarf frog is an ideal pet for keeping in ornamental fish bowl as it is miniature in size and grows up to a maximum of 2½ inches in length. Ornamental African Dwarf frogs are very much suitable for an ornamental fish bowl. They can be kept along with adult guppy fish or ghost shrimp in fish bowl. Alternatively a pair of them can be kept in a large ornamental fish container.

Taxonomic position and distribution of ornamental African dwarf frog


These ornamental African dwarf frogs (Hymenochirus boettgeri) come under the genus Hymenochirus. These are very commonly mistaken for African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis).
African clawed frogs are banned species in many States due to threat to native populations. However they can be differentiated easily by their main characteristic of front feet.
The front claws of African clawed frog have no web between the digits whereas the African dwarf frog has web between the front feet digits.
These ornamental dwarfs are tongueless and toothless and lead a complete aquatic life. However they surface to breathe and have lungs.
They live up to 10 years in ideal conditions in a fish bowl. These are native of Africa living in the tropical and subtropical areas of Congo region.
These ornamental dwarf inhabit the shallow rivers, streams and ponds. They lack true ears and use the lateral lines running down their bodies to pick up sounds and vibrations.

Keeping African dwarf frog in an ornamental fish bowl

The ornamental fish container must have secure cover as they may jump out of the water.
As they are very active and may churn up the bottom, it is preferable to keep an airlift filter.
The pH of the water may be closer to neutral.
The optimum temperature of water for these ornamental pets is between 65°F - 75°F. A hiding place may also provided for the ornamental pets as they prefer to hide while moulting in the ornamental fish container.
It is advised not to keep gravel in the ornamental fish bowl as the pet may swallow gravel and it may get stuck in the stomach.
River sand may be used as substratum.
As Chytrid Fungus, a deadly amphibian fungus, can affect the African dwarf frog at the pet shop level, it is preferable to quarantine the new frogs for least 3 months before introducing them to other aquarium pets in the ornamental fish bowl especially frogs.
african dwarf frog
African dwarf frog (enlarge)

Feeding ornamental African dwarf frog in a fish bowl

As they do not have teeth or tongue, they swallow food as whole, sometimes using their claws to tear down the feed.
Young frogs may be fed twice a day. As they grow they can be fed once daily.
The size of the feed must be small enough for swallowing.
If fish are also kept we may have to watch whether the African dwarf frog is also getting the feed in the ornamental fish bowl.
As the eyes of the African dwarf are located on far sides of the skull it has difficulty in locating food. Pellets, flakes, blood worms and frozen meat can be given.

Breeding ornamental African dwarf frog in a fish bowl

The male African dwarf is smaller than the female and when mature develops a pink or white spot behind its armpits.
Mature male ornamental African dwarf frog may start singing in the fish bowl.
The females dwarfs appear more rounded and much bigger than the males.
The mating in African dwarfs is called amplexus wherein the male holds the female around the abdomen in front of female's hind legs.
Female lays the eggs on the surface of water and as she lays eggs the male fertilizes them.
Sudden increase in water level and its warmth induces the female to produce eggs.
Proper feeding of female with protein food must be done for getting the female to maturity.
The female may release about 500-700 eggs.
The parents must be separated as they may eat the eggs as well as hatchlings.
The eggs hatch after 3-4 days depending upon the water temperature and the tadpole are to be fed with infusoria or microworms till they are big enough to eat worms and baby brine shrimp.
In about 8 weeks they will metamorphose into tiny dwarfs of about 12mm length.
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You may have to shift the young African dwarf frogs from the ornamental fish bowl to a bigger aquarium for space for their further growth.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem 0 comments
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Ornamental fish bowl for White Cloud Mountain minnow

Betta → Goldfish → Gourami → Ghost shrimp → Ornamental guppy fish → African dwarf frog → Mystery snail
Setting up of ornamental White Cloud Mountain minnow fish bowl

White Cloud Mountain minnow can be reared in ornamental fish bowls.

This ornamental fish is known in the aquarium trade in various names like White Cloud minnow, Chinese danio and White Cloud Mountain fish. These species of minnows are native to China and are first discovered in White Cloud Mountains. These mountain minnow are very hardy and tolerate fluctuations of temperature, pH and water hardness. They can stand low temperatures and usually do not require heaters.
There are two main variants of this pet namely 'meteor' and 'white cloud golden'.
Other variants like blond, pink and golden meteor have resulted due to breeding techniques.
These breed easily scattering their eggs among the plants and substrates in the ornamental bowl.
The breeders may be given worms for good results.
The eggs hatch after two days and the babies are fed with feed powder and infusoria.
The babies can be kept with the parents in fish bowl if the space permits.
However the increased demand for oxygen must be taken care of.
If the bowl is quite large up to 5 numbers can be kept in it. These are quite hardy pets.
Meteor minnow
Meteor mountain minnow

fin display
Fin display in male

These are omnivores and they can consume formulated feed like flakes and pellets.
These can be fed twice daily taking care that they are not overfed and no residual food is left behind in the ornamental bowl.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem 0 comments
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Setting up of ornamental fish bowl

The meaning of ornamental fish → The hobby of maintaining aquarium → Selection of an aquarium tank → Requirements for setting up bowl → Cleaning accessories → Setting up of ornamental fish bowl

Now is the task of setting up your bowl and releasing the ornamental fish into it.

If your water source is tap water, then collect the water in a clean container and add the water conditioner in the required quantity, mix well and allow the water to age for up to 3 days if possible. Otherwise use bottled RO(reverse osmosis) processed drinking water which is not ionized. Never use distilled water or boiled water for the fish bowl as the pets will die due to lack of dissolved oxygen. As soon as the ornamental fish has reached your home you have to acclimatize it to the new water so that there is no stress to the pet.
Acclimatization is, conditioning it to the new water at your home as well as the temperature variations.
Release the pet with the water it is in, into the plastic container slowly.
Then add the processed water to increase the volume of water in the bowl by 20%.
Wait for 15 minutes and then remove 20% of the water and again add 30% fresh processed water.
Then wait for 15 minutes and remove 30% of the water and add 40% of the processed water.
Repeat this method for 4 to 5 times with 15 minute gaps.
At the end of the treatment the ornamental fish would have got acclimatized to your water.
Now take the bowl and arrange the glass beads and gravel for up to 1' height.
Place the decorative pieces and fake plants to create a niche for the ornamental fish to hide in if it wants.
Then add the aged or processed water into the container very slowly without creating bubbles.
If air bubbles form while pouring the water they will stick to the sides of the ornamental fish bowl and give a ugly appearance.
betta
Betta for ornamental fish bowl
Fill the water only up to 80% of the height of the bowl so that water and air interface will be greater and more air can dissolve into the water.
Then take the ornamental fish gently with the help of the net and release it into its new home.
Keep the ornamental bowl in a lighted display area of the home away from heat sources.
Do not keep the ornamental fish bowl in the sun light as this may heat up the water and cause distress to the pet.
Too much of light also induces algae to grow on the sides and in some cases the water itself may turn green due to algal growth.
Use the mesh cover to cover the mouth of the bowl so that the pet does not jump out.
After 12 hours from the time of release, you can start feeding the them with formula feed.
Feed the ornamental fish with small quantities one to two times a day. They should be able to finish the feed in two minutes.
Posted by
Mahmood Syed Faheem
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Setting up of ornamental betta fish bowl

Goldfish > Gourami > Ghost shrimp > Guppies > White Cloud Mountain minnow > African dwarf frog > Mystery snail
Setting up ornamental betta fish bowl

For beginners it is very easy maintaining an ornamental betta fish bowl.

Betta or Siamese fighters originate from south east Asia.
A number of varieties have come into existence with selective breeding and are displayed in ornamental fish bowls in many homes. Males are very colourful and are the most preferred ones. As they have labyrinth organ with air breathing capability, they do not require any aeration systems and can be easily maintained.
The female betta is small in size when compared to the males and is less attractive.
The males have highly modified fins and come in different breeds in wide range of colours and shapes making the ornamental fish bowl very colorful.

As male is highly territorial and will fight(sometimes to death) with other males, it has to be kept separately. Males also has the tendency to attack other smaller varieties.
All these characteristics make male beta an ideal one for keeping in the ornamental fish bowls.
The betta in the nature lives on live food, like smaller fry, insects and their larvae and worms. 
In ornamental fish bowl they are trained to accept pellet feed and freeze dried blood worms. 
Mature male builds a floating bubble nest on the surface of the water by blowing air bubbles.
veil-tailed fighter
Veil-tailed Siamese fighter

A mature female can be introduced into the ornamental fish bowl during the breeding season, the sign of which the bubble nest.
After mating the female lays the fertilized eggs into the nest.
red dragon
Red dragon
After breeding the male beta may turn aggressive towards the female.
The female should be removed from the ornamental betta fish bowl to protect its life.
crown-tailed fighter
Crown-tailed siamese fighter
Male betta does the parental care of the eggs and the babies.
The rearing of babies is highly technical as they require small sized zoo plankton.
Sometimes they are attacked by fungal diseases. Taking care of them and periodical changing of water in the ornamental betta fish bowl will ward off diseases.
Siamese fighter
Veil-tailed betta

orange beta
An orange betta

Posted by
Mahmood Syed Faheem
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Setting up of ornamental goldfish fish bowl

Gourami > Betta > Ghost shrimp > Guppies > White Cloud Mountain minnow > African dwarf frog > Mystery snail
Setting up of ornamental goldfish fish bowl

The ornamental goldfish fish bowl has been the preferred way of display of this pet in the East Asian countries specially in China.

Ornamental fish bowl has also become very popular in the Europe and Americas in the last century. With selective breeding a real wide varieties have come into existence and are being reared throughout the world.
Select smaller sized fantail, if you want to rear goldfish in your ornamental fish bowl.
Do not go in for fancy types like Bubble-eye, Celestial, Dragon-Eye,Moor, Veil tail or Oranda for your bowl as they grow big in size and are very delicate.
It will be better if you can put in a small size air driven gravel filter as goldfish are a bit messy and will churn up the water in the fish container.
First fix the the gravel filter to the filtering bed and fix the air stone and the air tube to the filter unit.
Then cover the filter bed up to one inch thick with gravel and on top of this place a layer of bigger stones.
Go in for finer gravel and large sized stones as the goldfish may pick up stones and may get them stuck in their mouth.
Have the decorations well rooted as they have the tendency to nibble at everything and uproot it.
You can feed the ornamental goldfish with flake or pellet feed.
Occasionally you can treat them with freeze-dried bloodworms or tubifex worms.
Gel diet food also has been found to be excellent food for fantail.
As the digestive system of the fancy types is a bit distorted they get the tendency of bloated stomach and swim-bladder problems.
goldfish
Fan-tail - suitable for ornamental goldfish fish bowl
ranchu
Ranchu - unsuitable for ornamental goldfish fish bowl

black moor
Black Moor - Unsuitable for ornamental goldfish fish bowl
black ranchu
Black Ranchu - unsuitable for ornamental goldfish fish bowl
It has been found that feeding the pet regularly with well cooked pea after removing the shell gives sufficient proteins as well as functions as a laxative.
Feed the pets twice daily and the feed must be just enough to remain for two minutes.
Never over-feed the ornamental pet and one of the family member should monitor it and feed regularly.
Siphon out 20% water and add treated water twice a week.
If the water is appearing murky, change the water more frequently.
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Once in a month empty the ornamental goldfish fish bowl, clean and refill. This will be explained in future posts.
Posted by
Mahmood Syed Faheem
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How to clean fish bowl - total cleaning

Need for fish bowl cleaning > required materials > partial process > total cleaning process
As ornamental goldfish bowl is a very small fragile ecosystem, it requires periodic cleaning to protect the fish from its collapse and mortality.
Periodical and complete fish bowl cleaning is required for the health of the ornamental fish. Regular maintenance of the fish container removes stressful conditions and makes the fish active and healthy.
Total ornamental goldfish bowl maintenance
Planning ahead for coming schedule of total hygiene, get ready with treated and chlorine-free water.
Total clean up is preferred if the container is smaller and for very large container it can be done once in two weeks.
'How to clean fish bowl and where to start it from?'- is a common question. Proceed following the steps detailed below.
Use the siphon to remove 50-60% volume of water of fish bowl to a container without disturbing the fish or the water. Only siphon the clean top water. Do not stir the bottom or siphon the bottom debris.
Once 50% water is removed, stop the syphon and collect the pet with net and release it into the container holding the siphoned water.
Remove plants and decorations into another container. Remove the filter if you have kept one. Remove the gravel by emptying the bowl into a container.
Fish bowl cleaning
You can now start the process from inside. Use algae scrapers to remove attached algae and slime.
Never use detergents and soaps. Small remnants of them can harm fish.
For removing stubborn evaporation marks you can use a razor to scrape. For acrylic fishbowl use plastic blades to avoid scratches and cuts to the container.
Now wipe the outside of the container thoroughly removing the dust and other marks.
Then rinse it thoroughly in fairly warm water to remove any type of grease. Wipe it dry with cloth or paper towel. Never allow it dry with water drops on it. Dust will settle on the wet drops and will cause ugly marks on the fish bowl when dry.
Decorations, artificial plants and rocks
Use a brush to brush and clean the decorations, rocks and artificial plants. Scrub them and rinse them a number of times to get rid of the slimy growth on them. Never use detergents or soaps.
Cleaning gravel
Hold the gravel in a container and adding water stir it well with hand, rubbing the gravel one against other between the palms. Keep repeating until the rinse water appears new. Never use soaps or detergents.
Filter and air tube
Scrub the filter and air tubes thoroughly with algal scrubber and rinse well. Avoid using bleach as it may upset the useful bacterial population still clinging on to the gravel and filter materials.
Once the process is over rearrange the fish bowl as described in the post on setting up a fish bowl.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem 0 comments
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Ornamental goldfish betta fish bowl cleaning - partial cleaning

Need for fish bowl cleaning > Required materials > Partial process > Total cleaning process
Ornamental fish bowl require regular water exchange and cleaning to keep the fish healthy.
Partial ornamental fish bowl cleaning and water exchange can be done in the case of a large bowl holding large volume of water. However total cleaning and replacement of water is necessary in the next cycle.
Partial cleaning of ornamental fish bowl
  • If the ornamental Betta fish bowl is quite large partial cleaning can be done. However the next fish bowl cleaning must be total.
  • Plan ahead and keep water treated for chlorine/chloramine ready in the room. If you are going to use bottled drinking water see to it that it is not deionized, R.O.processed or distilled.
  • Keeping the water to be used for replacement in the same room as the ornamental Betta fish bowl ensures that the temperature of the this is same as that in the bowl.
  • Water is siphoned off to reduce the level to 50% of the original volume in fish bowl.
  • If you have an air filter in the ornamental Betta bowl turn it off so that bottom debris of food and fecal matter will loosen up and get siphoned easily.
  • While siphoning ensure that, the excretory waste and food debris at the bottom are also carefully siphoned off; care must be taken so as not to churn up the bottom.
  • The water must be collected into a container so that if any ornamental fish gets siphoned out by mistake does not go into the drain directly.
  • The free end of the syphon must be at the very bottom of the collection container. If any fish gets siphoned off by mistake it will not suffer a fall.
  • As the level goes down and the side gets exposed, keep cleaning the exposed area with paper towels and algae scrapper without allowing it to dry up. If the algal slime dries up it may become stubborn and stick to the side.
  • Scrap the dry evaporation marks with razor blade (plastic razor for acrylic bowl) if they are stubborn. Care must be taken not to scrub too hard as it lead to scratch marks.
  • Once the level is reduced by 50% and scrubbing is complete have the air filter going. It will to some extent keep the remnants of bottom debris stuck to the gravel.
  • Then add the treated and aged water slowly so as not to stir up the bottom. This must be done very carefully. As you fill, hold a spoon or a plate at the surface to deflect the water flow from hitting the bottom.
  • In partial Betta bowl cleaning, all the bottom waste does not get fully removed. So, while filling up the level if the bottom gets stirred up the remaining debris may sometimes float up making the water cloudy making the whole process wasteful.
  • Leave at least 20% air space at the top to have more surface area at the top. this will help more air to dissolve into the water.
  • Wipe the outside of the Betta bowl of dust and finger prints to increase its transparency.
Keep a record of your actions to keep track and to schedule your next ornamental fish bowl cleaning.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem 1 comments
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Ornamental goldfish fish bowl cleaning - Materials required

Need for fish bowl cleaning > required materials > partial process > total cleaning process
Requirements for ornamental fish bowl cleaning
A hand net for scooping fish from the bowl
Ready-made nets come in various shapes, sizes and materials. You can look for material which may not cause scale damage while handling. Select hand-net with soft and flexible material. Go for fine mesh size so that the petfish may not go through or get caught in it.
The size of the hand net must be small enough to go into the bowl.
Container to hold the gravel, ornamental plants and decorations
Have a separate clean container for putting the gravel, ornamental plants and filter. They require thorough cleaning. Do not dump them with the ornamental fish.
Container for holding the ornamental fish during cleaning
The container must be very clean with broad mouth for the net to go in for scooping back the pet.
Syphon for removing water from the ornamental bowl
Go in for a good quality syphon and the tube must be of sufficient length so that it reaches the bottom of the collecting vessel so that old water does not fall from a height. Sometimes petfish also get syphoned by mistake and a fall from a height may hurt them.
Algae scrappers for cleaning fish bowl
Algae scrappers are available in pet shops. You can select a convenient one for removing the algae from the side.
Razor (plastic razor for acrylic bowl) for fish bowl cleaning
Razor is required for removing the stubborn water marks created on the water edge.
Paper towels for cleaning
Paper towels are required for cleaning and wiping the fish bowl. They are very useful in removing the greasy slime and finger prints on the container.
Use of water treated to remove chlorine/chloramine
Most of hobbyists use tap water for the ornamental fish bowl. However this is treated with chlorine or chloramine to control and kill bacteria by the supplying facility. Both these chemicals are harmful to the ornamental pet.
Try to know what type of chemical is being used in your area. Your local aquarium dealer can help you in selecting the appropriate conditioner.
Collect required quantity (quantity required to replace completely) of clean tap water in a clean plastic container.
Add the required amount of conditioner (as mentioned on the label) to the tap water and stir well. Leave this treated water in the room for 48 hours to complete the removal of the chemicals. At the same time it will also have reached similar temperature as in the fish container.
Alternatively you can use bottled drinking water which is not de-ionized.
Embark on the process only with the above arrangements. It is always safe to keep treated water for replacement during any emergency. Regular cleaning of the fish bowl and replacement of old water will help in maintaining healthy petfish.
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Need for goldfish, betta ornamental fish bowl cleaning

Need for fish bowl cleaning → Required materials → Partial process → Total cleaning process

Regular ornamental fish bowl cleaning and water replacement is necessary to keep the ornamental fish in healthy condition.

By cleaning the bowl the excreted metabolic wastes are removed and the depleted minerals are restored.
Ornamental fish bowl cleaning, at least once in a week, is advised as the micro environment inside it is very small and gets upset very easily.
To have a healthy goldfish there must be healthy environment, right temperature, ideal food in correct doses and clean water. The pet must not be put under any form of stress.
As opportunistic pathogens are normally present in any water ecosystem, any slight stress causes the goldfish to fall sick.
Reasons for the need for periodic ornamental fish bowl cleaning
  • The water inside gets easily affected by the metabolic and excretory wastes, as the volume of it is small.
  • The metabolic wastes contain certain factors which on concentration stunt the animals, stop their growth and put them under stress.
  • The side of the ornamental fish bowl requires cleaning as it will develop slimy growth of algae over a period of time, spoiling transparency.
  • To prevent excessive and bothersome growth of algae, it is advisable to keep the fish bowl away from bright light and lighted windows.
  • The excreted wastes collecting at the bottom may sometimes get churned up by the fish movement making the water cloudy and unhealthy.
  • The excretion and the left-over food will be acted upon by bacteria continuously. Harmful ammonia may form and exceeding the tolerable levels it may harm the goldfish.
  • Increase in the levels of nitrites will follow suit and the nitrite poisoning may occur which when unchecked may kill the ornamental fish.
  • As bacteria will be growing on the waste, the oxygen demand in the container will keep growing and total depletion of oxygen and collapse of the ecosystem may occur with mass mortality of the fish.
  • Further the ornamental fish will be absorbing calcium and other minerals present in the water for its activities.
  • Unless the old water is removed and fresh one is added on to replace the depleted minerals, goldfish may become sick due to essential mineral deficiencies.
  • If air filter is being used in the system, the filter may choke due to excessive wastes and its function gets reduced; it requires to be cleaned periodically.
  • Due to evaporation of the water continuously, dried salt marks, as rings and bands, will appear on the side at the water edge. This will spoil the aesthetic appearance.
To have a healthy ornamental fish bowl system going periodic cleaning is very essential.
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Cleaning accessaries and ornamental fish bowl

The meaning of ornamental fishes → The hobby of maintaining fish aquarium → Selection of an aquarium tank → Requirements for setting up → Cleaning accessories and ornamental fish bowl → Setting up of ornamental fish bowl

First of all wipe the ornamental fish bowl with clean cotton cloth to remove dirt and grease if any.

Next the bowl, holding container, decorative materials and the bottom stones are to be washed and cleaned thoroughly.
 Special care is to be taken in washing the gravel and stones as lot of mud and dirt may be sticking on to them, giving muddy look to the water in the container.
 Use clean hot water and mild liquid soap. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of liquid soap.
Never use any product containing chlorine or disinfectant as they may turn out to be highly harmful to the pet, if any remnant sticks on.
 Use of hot water removes any type of oil that might have contaminated the gravel or the decorative pieces.
Rinse several times with clean water. Wipe and dry the ornamental fish bowl with clean cotton cloth to remove all the water drops adhering to it without allowing it to dry by itself.
Allow the gravel, stones and the decorative material to dry well in the sun light.
 Otherwise, if it is allowed dry by itself, in the meantime atmospheric dust will settle on the wet spots and when dry can give spotty appearance.
An ornamental fish bowl after setting it.
This will ensure that later on when you fill the ornamental fish bowl with water no dirt spots will be visible both inside and outside of it.
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Mahmood Syed Faheem
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Ornamental fish bowl
Freshwater ornamental aquarium fish
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