Goldfish are sold by the millions as a fish that can live in a bowl, but the fact is that these fish get very large and even a 55 gal tank can become too small.
The following is excerpts from an article
"GOLDFISH NOT BOWL FISH"
by MARK K STRANO
Three myths
The keeping of bowl fish relates to three false "facts" that many people believe to be true.
1 . Goldfish are small fish.
Since millions of goldfish are purchased at 1 or 2 inches in size and fail to grow (or even live) much longer, most people do not realize that the smallest goldfish breeds reach half a foot, most will easily reach a foot, and specimens twice that size are found.
2 . Goldfish are short-lived.
Many goldfish die soon after they are brought home, but their natural life expectancy is measured in decades. Twenty year old fish are typical, and while I'm not aware of any centenarian goldfish, their cousins the koi (cyprinus carpio) are known to pass the hundred year mark on occasion.
3. Goldfish are eminently expendable.
It is sad but true that goldfish have become the disposable pet. The flush-and-forget or flush-and-replace attitude has been an unfortunate result of keeping these majestic animals in tiny bowls. Since so many common goldfish are solid orange in color, many children are regularly fooled by their parents, who replace the belly-up fish with a new one.
|
