- The Best Fish Bowl
- 1. Koller Products Panaview Globe Fish Bowl
- 2. Bedwina Plastic Ivy Fish Bowls
- 3. Amscan Container
- 4. CYS EXCEL Glass Bubble Bowl
- 5. Sweetsea Hanging Wall Mounted Fish Bowl
- 6. WGV Slant Cut Bowl Glass
- 7. Stock Plastic Fish Bowl
- 8. Koller Products Fish Bowl
- 9. Anchor Aqua Culture Glass Fish Bowl
- 10. Hosley Glass Bowl
The fish bowl certainly has an interesting history. Its humble origins supposedly go back at least 4,000 years to Chinese culture and their long experience of keeping fish as pets in their homes. Allegedly, the invention of the glass fish bowl goes back to Versailles before the outbreak of the French Revolution when the product was invented by Countess Dubarry, Mistress of King Louis XV (1710-1774). As the human race thankfully began to take animal rights seriously over time, this versatile product has evolved from a bowl in which to store small fish to holding beautiful floral arrangements, homemade cocktails, and delightful party gifts. Although their function has changed, the high demand for fish bowls certainly hasn't.
Due to their acclaimed versatility, fish bowl manufacturers have competed against each other for years to produce the most innovative designs in a bid to impress prospective customers. Yet what one is right for you? To help you arrive at a conclusion, we've assembled the products that are undoubtedly the best fish bowls out there, so you can take a peek at their unique shapes and features in order to ultimately decide which one you want to flaunt as a centerpiece in your home.
The Best Fish Bowl
1. Koller Products Panaview Globe Fish Bowl
Key Features
Made of shatterproof plastic
Decorative bowl ideal for featuring as a centerpiece
Crystal clear construction
Stylish bubble-shaped bowl recommended for housing one fish
Our favorite product of the day, Koller Products’ Global Fish Bowl, is the perfect model to feature as a centerpiece at your special event. No matter if it’s a wedding or your kid’s birthday party you require these bowls for, if any wild dancing or playing ends with your bowl falling to the floor, you’ll be grateful for the shatterproof plastic this glass fish bowl is made from. Better still, this glass bowl fish tank appears exactly like glass would due to its pristine finish and see-through construction, yet comes without the breakage risk!
2. Bedwina Plastic Ivy Fish Bowls
Key Features
Made of durable BPA-free plastic
Bulk pack of twelve clear bowls able to retain sixteen ounces of liquid each
Comes with 100% satisfaction guarantee
All crystal clear fish bowls are individually wrapped
Bedwina’s affordable twelve-pack of ivy bowls present the perfect opportunity to brighten up any space. Whether it’s candy or party favors you want to give a home, these bowls allow you to do so in such an eloquent way. Made of heavy-duty BPA-free plastic, these bowls are individually wrapped to be shipped out – that’s right, the company show through both presentation and design that they care.
3. Amscan Container
Key Features
Made of durable plastic
Well-designed bowl able to hold plenty of accessories
Comes with a high quality cover
Suitable for use at kid’s birthday parties
Amscan’s container is a beautiful size for holding sweets, arts and crafts, you name it! If bought for an event, we personally love the inclusion of a lid which will stop drunken party guests from slipping their party favors everywhere. We’ve even heard of one Mom happily using this container to store laundry pods – whatever you need this container for, Amscan will deliver.
4. CYS EXCEL Glass Bubble Bowl
Key Features
Heavy-duty product made of hand-blown crystal clear glass
Perfect to function as a centerpiece for wedding decors
Bubble glass contains opening at the top to store accessories
Able to function perfectly as a terrarium
Featuring one of our most up-market models, CYS EXCEL’s Glass bubble bowl is beautifully crafted by hand to prevent any inconsistencies. The model eloquently curves into a bubble-like sphere and also contains a precise glass opening at the top. The manufacturer primarily recommends using their bubble bowl as a terrarium for whatever low-maintenance plants you desire: whether that’s submersible freshwater plants like marimo moss balls or sturdy desert plants such as succulents. We have to admit; it’s one of our favorites!
5. Sweetsea Hanging Wall Mounted Fish Bowl
Key Features
Simple installation guaranteed by manufacturers
Small fish tank functions as a conversation piece in any office or home
Well-mounted design saves space in your home
0.5 gallon fish bowl made from high quality clear acrylic
If you have to find a temporary home for your betta when cleaning out your larger fish tank, Sweetsea’s Hanging Wall fish bowl makes for an adequate ‘staycation’ environment until it’s time to move your fish back home to their fully sized tank. Alternatively, budding horticulturalists or marine botanists believe this design is a beautiful way to store their ‘showstopper’ plants up on their wall or office. In an office environment, you’ll be even more grateful to have them as a conversation piece for whenever an unknown colleague enters the room! Installation couldn’t be simpler; yet we recommend using a couple of nails to make sure your new product is safely secured to the wall – just to be on the safe side.
6. WGV Slant Cut Bowl Glass
Key Features
Eye-catching slant bowl cut made from durable glass
Bulk discount available on request
0.2″ glass thickness keeps bowl vase sturdy
Professional packaging with packaging air bags guaranteed
WGVI’s innovative slant cut bowl vase is an eye-catching model; perfect for storing floral arrangements at weddings. The glass thickness is approximately 0.2″; this this number may slightly fluctuate on account of all bowls being handmade. WGVI steer away from trusting machines to make their vases, and instead, cut their own vases’ top rims using hand-held tools. What’s more, if you find yourself awestruck by the elegance of these bowls, the company show their dedication to the customer service side –the business function that unfortunately falls by the wayside in many companies – by offering their customers a bulk discount on large orders.
7. Stock Plastic Fish Bowl
Key Features
Leakproof set of twelve bowls able to hold up to sixteen ounces of liquid
Perfect for holding snacks at kid’s birthday parties
Made of durable plastic, yet transparency makes fish bowls appear like glass
Fish bowls are a great size, measuring four inches in height
Looking to bulk buy some stunning centerpieces for your special event? Look no further than Stock Your Home’s commendable twelve-pac of fish bowls. Whether you’re planning a dimly lit event and wish to feature LED lights in these bowls to give the room a soft glow or to use them as a cocktail storer, you’ll be delighted with this pack, selling for fantastic value. And as the fish bowls measure a considerable four inches in height with a 3.75-inch diameter and 2.5-inch wide opening, your guests won’t have to go back up to the bar to fill up their individual fishbowl anytime soon!
8. Koller Products Fish Bowl
Key Features
Leakproof assurance thanks to shatterproof plastic bowl construction
Perfect for containing led lights at parties, taking donations in, holding tropical fish, and much more!
Promises crystal clear clarity
Provides customer panoramic viewing without unseemly silicone seams tarnishing the corners
There won’t be any broken glass at your party if choosing to invest in Koller Product’s fish bowl. Boasting the ability to hold up to one gallon of water or other type of beverage, the fish bowl is made from leakproof plastic – meaning that nobody will cut themselves if an accidental party knock occurs. Koller Products is proud to provide their customer panoramic viewing without them having to pretend that they don’t notice unseemly silicone seams ruining the corners.
9. Anchor Aqua Culture Glass Fish Bowl
Key Features
Sturdy glass bowl able to hold up to two gallons of water
Flat base grants user peace of mind when storing delicate items
Made from durable, smooth glass
Being the perfect centerpiece, Anchor Hocking’s Aqua Culture fish bowl constitutes a delicate and personal design. This model’s flat base is ideal for granting users peace of mind when filling the fish bowl with water to feed flower arrangements. Plus, the two-gallon fish bowl is a great amount of water, meaning that if you’re storing flowers inside, you’ll only have to top up their food every few days.
10. Hosley Glass Bowl
Key Features
Recyclable fish bowl perfect for decorative use
The ideal bowl for craft projects
Made of durable, thick glass
Boasts a heavy base
As our last glass fish bowl in our product selection, we had to go out by exhibiting a showstopper. Hosley’s thick glass bowl is certainly that; perfect for craft projects like creating your own terrarium. Its versatile design is able to compliment a variation of different home designs – whatever theme you’ve chosen for your space, a bowl with great panache such as Hosley’s model will chic up any living area.
Best Fish Bowl Buying Guide & FAQ
Features to Consider When Buying a Fish Bowl
Does my bowl have a lid?: Bettas – the only types of fish that should ever be kept in a fish tank –must have a lid on their fish tank. Why so? Otherwise known as "Siamese Fighting Fish", betta fish are able to jump pretty high – around two to three inches out of the water, to be exact.
How many gallons of water can my fishbowl hold?: For bettas, a round fish tank able to hold at least 2.5 gallons is the bare minimum. You could not consider keeping your fish, even temporarily, in a fish bowl smaller.
How to Set Up an Aquarium Bowl
We absolutely adore planted aquarium bowls. These adorable little gardens – containing no fish for obvious ethical reasons – is a great way to entertain your inner gardener, especially if you live in a small flat with no outdoor space to experiment in. We're no experts in this field, so we've taken the advice of Mari over at Aquariadise as well as commenting on a few of our favorite aquarium plants to include below.
To start, you'll need to gather a few essentials:
- A fish bowl (for obvious reasons)
- Substrate - A solid layer of potting soil with a compact layer of pool layer or play sand should do the trick.
- Lighting - As aquarists tend to opt for low-maintenance plants in their plant bowls, lighting isn't too important. Rather than save up for top-of-the-range aquarium lights, simply rummage about for an old desk lamp.
- Low-maintenance plants - When it comes to aquarium bowls, the easier the better. In particular, we're just obsessed with Java Moss. This plant is certainly a crowd pleaser as a result of its speedy growth and ability to grow along driftwood, rocks, and other hard surfaces. Likewise, the intriguingly named Dwarf Baby Tears plant amazes buyers due to the intricate small bubbles that form on their leaves whenever they happen to be producing oxygen.
Plus, there is always the option to add a few invertebrates to your tank. Both nerite snails or dwarf shrimps would be delighted to call your nifty homemade aquarium their new home!
Now that you've gathered the required goods, it's time to take on the challenge of setting up your plant bowl. After adding your substrate to the bowl, plant your plants before adding your water. Now all you've got to do is plonk your brand new bowl near a power socket, turn on the light, and leave the contents of your bowl to blossom. Be patient and wait a couple of weeks until your plants have grown before adding any aquatic shrimps and snails to their new dig.
Related Post: Automatic Fish Feeders
Our Top Pick
Out of all the stylish and innovative fish bowl designs exhibited in this buying guide, what brand and shape would we select to accentuate the decor within our own home? We believe Koller Products' Panaview 1-Gallon Globe Fish Bowl would function as a focal point in any living space. Its panaview design is surprisingly made from shatterproof plastic rather than the glass it appears to be. Yet in households containing boisterous pets and children who appear to enjoy nothing more than knocking over your ornaments, this bowl's durable construction will prevent any accidents from occurring. All in all, it's the perfect addition to any family living space.
Related Post: Aquarium Heaters
FAQ
Q: What fish can survive in a bowl?
Picture a bubble fish bowl in your mind. We guarantee that fish you were imagining was a goldfish, right? In fact, goldfish should never be kept in fish bowls. These large, messy pond fish should be kept in an environment with optimal filtration, unlike small fish bowls who don't even contain enough space for a goldfish, never mind a protein skimmer to filter their waste!
Bettas (Betta splendens) are the only type of fish that you should even consider keeping in a fish bowl – if this arrangement is temporary, that is. This is due to bettas' preference for living in freshwater as well as their territorial nature towards other betta fish. Yet the atrocious treatment of betta fish poses by fish shops and owners alike poses several problems. Firstly, one common misconception is their ability to survive in "complete ecosystems" that only contain one solitary plant for them to feed off of. This is not a suitable environment for any fish to survive in! Especially for bettas; if a plant is placed at the top of a fish bowl, it may restrict a betta's ability to obtain oxygen, as this breed obtain their oxygen from the water's surface.
Secondly, as betta fish are native to Asia and commonly reside in slow-moving streams or ponds, they thrive when their water temperature is heated between 76-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Likewise, these steams and ponds contain an abundance of real ecosystems to explore which a tiny fish bowl is unable to offer.
Finally, as betta males become incredibly territorial when placed in a fish tank with another of their kind, another common fallacy is that they should be kept alone. Accordingly, many owners isolate them away from any other species of fish for the rest of their days. This is actually a misconception – bettas enjoy the company of other species like snails to keep them entertained. Yet fish bowls aren't large enough nor possess the correct conditions for other species to keep betta fish company. This leads to the a betta being sentenced to what PETA accurately depict as "a dull, lonely, and slow death from starvation".
Q: Can fish live without a filter?
Yes; fish that live in ponds such as algae eaters and kois can survive without a filter, whereas fish who commonly reside in streams and rivers in the wild cannot. However, there is a substantial difference between fish surviving and fish thriving. Regarding fish bowls, their minuscule size means it's even more essential that a good water filter is in place, as the small amount of water means the water becomes dirty on account of bioload faster.
Q: How do I increase oxygen in a fish bowl?
There exists several ways to manually increase the amount of oxygen entering a fish bowl. Our favorite oxygenation method, largely on account of its simplicity, requires only a clean cup, some water, and your fish bowl.
Taking a reasonably large cup or container, scoop water out from your fish bowl.
Holding the cup containing the aquarium water a fair distance above the tank, simply pour it back in – anything that moves the surface water increases oxygenation!
Scoop, aim, and repeat several times.
Q: How many fish can be kept in a glass fish bowl?
Honestly, you shouldn't keep any number of fish in a small glass fish bowl indefinitely . If you've ever witnessed a fish held captive in a small bowl 'glass surfing' – that is, when they swim over and over again up and down the glass of the tank – this is because they're bored out of their minds due to a complete lack of stimulation. Worse still, if a fish often partakes in "glass surfing", this may mean that they're stressed out – especially if their fish bowl is overcrowded.