Molly Fish is a fish similar to the goldfish and is sold in pet stores and at carnivals. This animal does not require much space or food to live on, making them perfect for those living in apartments or with little money available. In addition, they are easy to take care of and can be an educational tool for children. However, most owners ask before buying Molly fish whether they live in a fishbowl. So, Can Molly Fish Live In A Fishbowl?
Molly Fish can not live in a fishbowl because these fish prefer company and a big space to swim around while exploring their surrounding. Yeah, their small size allows for life without too much space, but molly fish won’t make it to its entire lifespan.
A fishbowl is an unhealthy environment for your molly fish as these foodies will excrete quite more and can make fishbowl water dirtier quite sooner than you expect.
If you’re considering getting a new fish tank or adding another type of pet to your collection, this article will help you decide whether or not Molly fish can live in the fishbowl and what’s the best option for you.
Can Molly Fish Live In A Fishbowl?
Molly Fish is a beautiful fish that lives in a tank with her friends. But living in a fishbowl is a different story for them. Since Mollies are comparatively smaller than other fishes so
Molly fishes can’t survive in an aquarium because they need constant water circulating. They also require more oxygen than the tank provides them with.
So, unfortunately, if you want your pet mollies to thrive, it is not possible for them to be happy and healthy living in a fishbowl.
The best way is either setting up their tank in the house or having someone take care of them during those times when you’re away.
It might seem like less work, but trust me- the responsibility will soon start piling up as these adorable creatures grow very large and need more and more care.
Your molly fish can die quite easily when you keep them in a small confined space such as a fishbowl or even a bag. Aquarium fish will not live long in a bag or bowl as there is not enough space or proper living conditions inside such spaces.
Why Should Not You Keep Molly Fish In Fishbowl?
Fishbowls are not a good environment for Molly Fish. They typically only have enough water to cover the bottom, leading to problems like gasping for air due to lack of oxygen and having too much bacteria in their small space.
Moreover, some of the reasons why you should not keep Molly fish in the fishbowl are:
Lack Of Enough Space
Keeping a Molly Fish in a fishbowl is inappropriate because it has no room to move around. In addition, if the water level drops, then there will be nothing for them to explore or hide from other fish hiding in plants and rocks within their tank.
Molly fish is just a type of minnow that can grow about four inches in length. Therefore, they need plenty of space to swim around. A small tank or bowl might not provide enough room for the Molly Fish to live comfortably.
One of the main problems living in a small environment such as a bowl or tank is not much room to explore. In addition, most tanks have low light levels, leading to a lack of vitamin D.
The low light levels also mean that the plants and algae in the tank have less access to natural sunlight, affecting their growth rates – not good for Molly’s friends.
Lack of space also means keeping your molly alone; trust me, it is not a good idea. Your molly fish prefer to stay in a group of at least 5 other mollies.
Difficult To Manage Temperature
The most important aspect of a Molly Fish’s environment is the temperature. It would help if you kept it between 70˚F to 80˚F (21°C – 26°C).
That might sound difficult in a fishbowl, but you can achieve it by providing an aquarium heater combined with live plants or another method of constant heat (like an aerator or a small blue light bulb).
Molly fish will not do well in a bowl because it’s difficult to regulate the temperature. They need room for swimming, and they also need different water temperatures as their environment changes.
So, fish bowls provide a challenging environment for the fish. These little bodies produce about as much heat and oxygen as possible.
Thus, they must constantly refresh their water with cooler or warmer waters to keep themselves at an appropriate temperature.
The problem is that these rarely home people will have difficulty managing the temperature in their fishbowl.
Difficult To Control pH
Fishbowls are a popular pet for many households. However, they’re not the best way to keep fish because their small size and lack of filtration can make them very difficult.
One major issue with keeping Molly in a fishbowl is that it’s hard to control the pH. Molly needs a stable environment to thrive, so the water in fishbowls fluctuates too frequently and is often too acidic or alkaline for her.
Water changes are necessary to keep the water at a good pH level, i.e., between 7 and 8. Unfortunately, you need to constantly change out your tank’s water, which can be costly and time-consuming.
Regardless of the size, Molly Fish will be very sensitive to changes in pH and temperature. In addition, they have delicate skin that can easily tear or burst from pressure differences.
It’s easy for this to happen when you don’t regulate water ph or salinity levels. So if you want Molly fish to have living conditions similar to their natural environment, it’s better not to keep them in fishbowls.
Difficult To Clean
Molly fish are the easiest type of pet to take care of. One reason is that they often adjust to small spaces if you force them to live in them. But soon, these fish grow up and will have problems in a small, enclosed space such as a fishbowl.
Also, cleaning out and maintaining a regular water supply in an aquarium is challenging enough with all those nooks and crannies – imagine trying to do it every day in a bowl.
The fishbowl can be difficult to clean. The water may become murky and polluted from all the food you feed your fish, and it will also start to smell bad as bacteria build up over time.
Also, there are many places on the bottom of a tank where gunk accumulates, so tanks need more frequent cleaning than bowls do.
The water level in a bowl is much higher than the one in a tank, and it takes less time for all of it to become polluted.
This is because the bigger fish eat more and excrete more waste into the water sitting on top of the bottom without any filtration system to separate the gunk before it becomes too thick.
Fishbowl Lacks Sufficient Oxygen
Most owners use fishbowls as a freshwater (fresh) fish temporary home. But Molly Fish or Mollies may not be perfect fish for these homes. They require more oxygen than what’s available in water-filled bowls.
Molly fish live near the surface and constantly swim to get oxygen. However, you cannot replenish the oxygen tank in the fishbowl since it’s too small.
In addition, the lack of space may not provide enough room for food or other items such as decorations to keep your Mollys healthy and happy.
Fishbowls are also not safe for Molly Fish because of the risk of escape, leading to issues with predators and other dangers outside of their natural habitat.
What Type Of Environment Is Perfect For Molly Fish?
Molly fish lives in freshwater or brackish and slow-moving streams. It also needs clean water to thrive, so make sure you change the water often. The best way is to change about 50% of tank water once a week and clean the whole tank monthly.
Furthermore, the environment perfect for Molly fish are:
- Temperature: between 20 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius
- Tank size: at least 20 gallons
- Tank decoration: plants, rocks, and wood
- pH level: between 7.5 to 8.5. It can be higher than that in its native range but not lower
- Salinity: freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water
- Type of water: Can live in lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams
Can You Adjust Fishbowl According To The Need Of Molly Fish?
The fishbowl that you will buy for Molly Fish should adjust according to its need of Molly. So, first, you should know how big is your tank and then find a fishbowl that fits it best.
Here are some tips for adjusting the fishbowl according to the need of Molly fish:
- When buying the fishbowl, measure its width and height and make sure it has an opening on the top.
- Make sure that there is enough space for Molly Fish to move around and swim freely in her tank.
- Oxygenation is important, so the tank should have enough air space for Molly Fish to breathe.
- Also, make sure that the water level of your fishbowl does not exceed two-thirds of its surface and that the water you are using is clean.
- You can put sand on the bottom of the fishbowl to make it look more natural. Also, give Molly Fish plenty of space for swimming. However, sand is also objecting like rocks and gravel on the bottom of your fishbowl because it will harm Molly Fish.
- If you decide on a great filter, use a tank that has an opening at one end, such as a plastic storage bin.
- Don’t put sharp objects in your tanks, such as gravel and rocks.
- Use plants to make Molly Fish feel comfortable and create a natural environment. But make sure not to use toxic plants.
- Keep only one Molly Fish in a fishbowl and if you want to keep more, make sure that there is enough space for them.
- Remember the bigger bowl, better environment.
Is Fishbowl Good For Molly Fish?
Fishbowls are sometimes ideal for a fish tank, but they might not be that great in reality. Some people even call them cruel.
If we ignore some drawbacks of the fishbowls, they also have some advantages. And they are:
- You can take it with you wherever you want to go. You can put a plant in it. They are perfect for kids (especially if they have to take medication). You don’t need to worry about them spilling or breaking the tank, etc.
- If the fish are sick, they will not infect other fishes in bigger tanks.
- Can see your Molly Fish easily and often, which increases bonding time.
Disadvantages Of Fishbowl For Molly Fish
In general, it’s important to note that water quality deteriorates more quickly in a small tank than it does in larger tanks. There is more than one disadvantage:
- First, you can’t see your Molly Fish from the angle you want.
- Putting many decorations without risking the fish’s life isn’t easy.
- Third, they can’t have too much variety because they will not all thrive in smaller tanks.
- You can’t change the water in a fishbowl, whereas larger tanks make it easier to quickly clean the waste.
- Maintaining the water quality is more difficult.
- Thus, your Molly fish might find it difficult to live in a fishbowl.
Conclusion
In conclusion, keeping Molly in a bowl is not good because they need lots of space. Without enough room for them to swim around, it will cause the water quality to suffer. Also, confining Molly makes them angry, so you should give your pet plenty of space by giving them an aquarium with plants and other decorations.
But if you still want to keep Molly fish in a bowl, you can buy or make a large fishbowl for your pet to live in.
If this post was helpful, please share it with someone planning to keep Molly fish.
