Looking for low maintenance fish?

Any fish requires a proper tank, with a filter, and a heater if they're tropical. You cannot simply dump a fish into a bowl and expect it to live with "low maintenance". All fish need their tank to be cleaned weekly. They must be fed everyday, for the most part. You'll need to dig into your wallet to get enough money for the tank, filter, heater (if necessary), substrate, decor, an aquarium siphon, the proper chemicals for the water, etc.

I'd recommend a betta for beginners. Betta's require 5g tanks, at the bare minimum, with a filter and a heater. Other low maintenance fish include white cloud minnows, guppies, platies, swordtails, corydora/otocinclus catfish, etc. However, all of these fish except for the minnows require a heater, otherwise they will be cold, and that will lead to sickness.

Bowls are deathtraps for fish. This is a very big and common mistake that beginner fish keepers make. Bowls may be overused and commercialized, but they’re definitely not suitable homes for any kinds of fish!

Bowls cut off oxygen circulation in the water; they’re also unfiltered and unheated. All fish must be kept in fully filtered environments and tropical fish require heaters to keep warm. All aquariums need to be cycled prior to adding any livestock, which ensures that a good growth of beneficial bacteria is maintained. Ammonia and nitrite (which comes from fish waste, rotting food, dying plants, etc.) is introduced into the water, whenever a fish is introduced into an aquarium; both are very toxic to fish! Bowls are also breeding grounds for all kinds of parasites and bacteria because of the cold, stagnant water. Most fish that are forced to live in bowls or unfiltered containers die after a few days, weeks or months. None get the chance to live out their whole life, which is very unfortunate. Please do your research before purchasing any living creature, so that you’re absolutely sure you know how to care for it.

Low Maintenance Tropical Fish

Betta is the best choice, just one, but still a bowl is not ideal for a betta.

I warn you, this is not proper care, but the best way to care for a betta in a bowl. if it dies, it is not surprising.

Get a bowl, larger the better, and a betta. Use spring water from the market (drinking water) and have one on hand. Let it get to room temp prior to doing a water change. When doing a water change, take the fish out into a cup with the same water, then dump bowl water out, wash and rinse any substrate, then fill with new water and put the fish back in. This should be done every 3-4-5 days depending on bowl size. If the water gets cloudy or dirty, you are not doing it enough. If it smells, not enough changes.

The ideal betta set up is a 5 gal, some sand on the bottom, a small filter (cheap whisper 10-20 is fine) and a heater to keep temp at 82 degrees F. Do 20% water change every 2 weeks. Keep filter running slowly, clean and change pad as necessary. Stir up sand when doing a water change.

I feed mine Hikari betta pellets as 90% of bettas like them, and I feed 2-3 every day skipping a day here and there.

All other fish should be in a proper set up aquarium with filter, heater, lights and whatever else is needed. Bettas should too, but people keep them in bowls because they breath air, not needing oxygen form the water. But they still should have a heater, filter, and properly sized aquarium (5g) to disperse the fish waste.

Sorry, there aren't any fish that can live in bowls. If you want lowish maintenance, it's best to buy a large tank for less fish. Maybe a 20 gallon for one betta. It seems like a lot, but it will be a bit less maintenance. I'd still recommend weekly water changes. Be sure to start out right. It'll save a lot of grief, money and time in the future. Don't skimp on supplies. Buy a good glass tank, heater, filter, and light if you wish to have plants. Make sure to cycle your tank first. (google 'nitrogen cycle') cycling the tank before adding fish is crucial, and it could make a life or death difference. Like I said before, if you want lower maintenance, a larger tank with less fish is the way to go.

no, not goldfish they require 30+ gallons and double filteration...... no fish can be kept in a fish bowl, bowls are for soup not living animals. but if you were really desperate....... get a betta, and make sure the bowl is somewhat large and that is has some places to hide in, and is at least a gallon

No fish is low maintenance. If you don't have time to properly maintain your fish, do not get one. and DO NOT put a fish in a bowl, bowls are for soup not fish. The bowl will only kill the fish.

goldfish