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6 Best Goldfish Bowls for a Long-Lived Fish – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

Sarah Psaradelis

By Sarah Psaradelis

feeding beautiful goldfish

Goldfish are popular ornamental fish that have been kept in bowls for decades. Even though keeping a goldfish in a bowl is seen as an outdated practice, there are goldfish owners who enjoy the curved glass and overall appearance of goldfish bowls.

The small size of goldfish bowls is generally off-putting to fish keepers since it does not offer much space to swim while being too small to support the goldfishes bioload. This is why choosing a goldfish bowl that is larger than the norm is a good idea. These bowls and curved aquaria can be used as a type of temporary housing for baby goldfish until you can place them into something bigger and more suitable.

So, if you are unable to purchase a standard fish tank that is large enough for goldfish yet, or you prefer the look of a goldfish bowl, we have reviewed the top goldfish bowls you should consider buying.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
BiOrb Classic LED Aquarium BiOrb Classic LED Aquarium
  • Includes necessary starting items
  • Durable
  • Offers a 360-degree view
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Tetra Connect Curved Aquarium Kit Tetra Connect Curved Aquarium Kit
  • Convenient
  • Curved glass enhances the view
  • Great starting kit
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Penn-Plax Aquasphere 360 Penn-Plax Aquasphere 360
  • Multi-colored light
  • Touch-controlled LED light
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • HG Fluval Flex 123L HG Fluval Flex 123L
  • 3-stage filtration system
  • Advanced LED lighting
  • Suitable as a long-term home for small goldfish
  • SeaClear 46-gallon Bowfront Aquarium SeaClear 46-gallon Bowfront Aquarium
  • Large size
  • Durable
  • Suitable for several fancy goldfish
  • The 6 Best Goldfish Bowls

    1. BiOrb Classic LED Aquarium – Best Overall

    biOrb CLASSIC LED Aquarium

    Check Price on Chewy
    Capacity: 16 gallons
    Material: Acrylic, plastic
    Dimensions: 22×19.75×20.5 inches

    The best overall goldfish bowl according to our research is the BiOrb classic LED aquarium. This is a round aquarium that looks more aesthetically pleasing than the average goldfish bowl. It is around 16 gallons in size, and it is inspired by the classic goldfish bowl with the addition of a silver lid and base.

    The aquarium is made of durable acrylic, and it includes a white LED light that is built into the BiOrbs lid, along with an energy-efficient pump and a filter system, filter media, and an air stone. The size can temporarily house a baby fancy goldfish, as long as there is good filtration and aeration in this enclosed bowl.

    Pros
    • Includes necessary starting items
    • Durable
    • Offers a 360-degree view
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • Too small for most goldfish

    2. Tetra Connect Curved Aquarium Kit – Best Value

    Tetra Connect Curved Aquarium Kit

    Capacity: 28 gallons
    Material: Glass
    Dimensions: 24×19×14.5 inches

    If you like the curved look of a goldfish bowl, then the Tetra Connect curved aquarium kit is a good choice with the bonus of having a larger size. This product is the best value for money because it includes a medium-sized aquarium with all the equipment you need to start.

    This is a type of smart aquarium with rounded edges to enhance the view of the goldfish inside. It is 28 gallons in size, making it suitable for one goldfish and a couple of snails. This curved aquarium includes RGB light sticks and a feeder that you can control by using Wi-Fi and the Tetra My Aquarium app on smartphones.

    This allows you to change the lighting modes from your phone while feeding your goldfish conveniently through the built-in feeder. This kit also includes a canopy and a quiet filtration system with adjustable flow. A heater, food samples, and water treatments are included too, which is all you need to start your goldfish-keeping journey.

    Pros
    • Convenient
    • Curved glass enhances the view
    • Great starting kit
    Cons
    • Pricey for the size

    3. Penn-Plax Aquasphere 360 – Premium Choice

    Penn-Plax AquaSphere 360 Large Bowl-Shaped Aquarium

    Capacity: 14 gallons
    Material: Acrylic, plastic
    Dimensions: 25×20.15×15.75 inches

    Our premium choice is the Penn-Plax Aquasphere 360 fish bowl. It is available in 10 and 14-gallon sizes, but the 14-gallon is the recommended size if you plan to keep a goldfish in here. This size would be suitable as a temporary form of housing for one fancy baby goldfish.

    Overall, this goldfish bowl is quite aesthetically pleasing, and it includes a LED light that has touch control. The lighting can change between three different colors—green, blue, and red. A surface and protein skimmer are included, although these aren’t necessary for goldfish and it is mainly for saltwater setups.

    The filter and light are built into the lid of this bowl, which conveniently attaches itself to the bowl. The rounded design offers a 360-degree view of the goldfish inside, and the polycarbonate material makes it strong and durable.

    Pros
    • Multi-colored light
    • Touch-controlled LED light
    • Aesthetically pleasing
    Cons
    • The two included skimmers are unnecessary for goldfish
    • Expensive

    4. Hagan Fluval Flex Aquarium

    HG Fluval Flex 123L

    Capacity: 5 gallons
    Material: Glass
    Dimensions: 15.75×32.28×15.35 inches

    This curved aquarium offers a rounded and enhanced view of the fish inside, and the size makes it ideal for two fancy goldfish. The Hagan Fluval Flex aquarium looks like an enlarged goldfish bowl in a much bigger size, making it suitable as a long-term home for three small goldfish. This is an aquarium kit, and the curved glass allows for an unobstructed view of the fish inside, much like a goldfish bowl does.

    The aquarium comes with a kit that is included in the price, including a sky LED lighting system, a 3-stage (chemical, biological, mechanical) filtration system attached to the back of the tank, and a high-quality canopy. The lighting system on this aquarium kit is quite spectacular and unique in comparison to other lighting systems.

    You can change the lighting to mimic different types of weather conditions such as rain, storms, the sun, and even the moon. The lighting can be set on a timer and controlled through your mobile device. This might be on the pricier end, but the quality, size, and features are worth it.

    Pros
    • 3-stage filtration system
    • Advanced LED lighting
    • Suitable as a long-term home for small goldfish
    Cons
    • Pricey

    5. SeaClear Bowfront Aquarium Combo Set

    SeaClear 46 Gallon Bowfront Tank

    Capacity: 46 gallons
    Material: Acrylic, plastic
    Dimensions: 36×16.5×20 inches

    The SeaClear bowfront aquarium is large enough to make a suitable home for a few small goldfish at 46 gallons in size, and the rounded glass in the front enhances the view of the goldfish inside. It is made from chip-resistant acrylic, making it lightweight and durable and less likely to break than glass. So, if you like the rounded look of a goldfish bowl but want to purchase something more suitable, then this is a good pick.

    This aquarium includes a hood that is slightly flimsy since it is made from plastic, so it should be handled with care to prevent it from breaking. The hood includes a light fixture, but the light itself is not included. You can fit a T8 or T12 24-inch fluorescent lighting tube into the aquarium as this is the type of light that is compatible.

    Due to the large size, you could have four baby fancy goldfish inside, or two adult fancy goldfish who will have plenty of space inside to swim and display their natural behaviors.

    Pros
    • Large size
    • Durable
    • Suitable for several fancy goldfish
    Cons
    • The hood of the aquarium is flimsy

    6. WGV Large Glass Bowl

    WGV Large Bowl Glass Vase

    Capacity: 14 gallons
    Material: Glass
    Dimensions: 19×19×16 inches

    The WGV large glass bowl is one of the largest glass bowls that are both affordable and have a plain design. It holds 14 gallons of water with a diameter of 19 inches, making it suitable as a temporary housing for one or two baby fancy goldfish. We like that it is handcrafted and made with care. The glass is clear for the most part, but since it is handmade, there might be some small air bubbles that can be visible if you look closely.

    The rounded edges of this bowl greatly enhance the view inside the aquarium, allowing you to see the goldfish and decorations better. The top opening is large enough to place a filter inside and has adequate surface agitation to aerate the water for the goldfish.

    Pros
    • Affordable
    • Simple design
    • Handmade with care
    Cons
    • May have small air bubbles in the glass

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    Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Goldfish Bowl for a Long-Lived Fish

    Can goldfish live a long and happy life in bowls?

    Goldfish bowls are usually too small for goldfish, and they rarely exceed 16 gallons in size depending on the design. As a large growing fish that requires plenty of room to swim, goldfish bowls are not suitable as a permanent home for goldfish. Goldfish can grow between 6 to 12 inches in size when cared for properly, and a large tank creates the perfect environment for them to accomplish this.

    Even though we have reviewed some of the largest goldfish bowls there are, they are still not large enough as a long-term home for goldfish, and you will need to upgrade them to an appropriate size fish tank eventually.

    The key to healthy and long-lived goldfish is to keep them in a large fish tank with a filter and feed them a healthy diet. When cared for properly, goldfish can live for more than a decade. Goldfish bowls can also encourage boredom in goldfish, prevent them from growing to their full adult size, and create an environment where all their waste is building up.

    If you do decide to purchase one of these bowls as a form of temporary housing, you will need to add a filter inside to keep the water moving and clean. If the filter does not cause enough surface agitation, you will need to add a bubbler to give your goldfish more oxygen inside.

    fish in the aquarium
    Image Credit: chaikom, Shutterstock

    What can you use to keep goldfish in if you like the look of a bowl?

    If you like the curved and round design of a goldfish bowl, then a bowfront or aquarium with curved glass is the next best thing. These types of aquariums use the same concept as a goldfish bowl, only they have a more suitable size for goldfish. The curved glass in the front enhances the view and makes the fish and decorations pop. These aquariums offer unobstructed viewing while providing the goldfish with more space if it is over 20 gallons in size.

    The larger the aquarium is, the more goldfish you can keep inside and the happier and healthier your goldfish will be.

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    Conclusion

    We have taken a look at the goldfish bowls we have reviewed in this article and chosen two as our top picks. The first top pick is the SeaClear bowfront aquarium combo set because it is large enough for several fancy goldfish and has the same function as a goldfish bowl with its rounded front design. The second top pick for a temporary goldfish bowl is the Penn-Plax aquasphere 360 bowl because it includes a lid and looks aesthetically pleasing in comparison to other goldfish bowls.

    While none of these bowls is a good long-term option for goldfish, any one of them can make a beautiful temporary housing for your fish.


    Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock

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