Do you think a real goldfish in a bag is funny for a white elephant game?

No!! don't!

Seriously nothing is funny about tormenting a live animal and that is what you would be doing .

Goldfish don't live in Bowls they live in a 75 gallon tank if a common goldfish and a 20-30 gallon tank if they are a fancy goldfish they also need a filter with double filtration .

Fish deserve to be treated humanely the same as any other animal.

No, I don't think it would be funny at all.

I thnk that would be a real "white elephant," in the original sense, in that it would be an animal that would be expensive and costly to house and care for, so it's a dubious honor to be given one:

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/410050.html

A goldfish can't live for long in a bowl. Goldfish grow to be a foot long or more, and need large tanks with good filtration. Even if you supply all that (at a cost of well over $100), you still have no way of knowing the recipient wants to take on the responsibility of caring for an animal (if goldfish are well cared for, they can live for over 20 years).

If you think killing animals is funny. I'm sure whoever ends up taking it home (if it's even alive by that time) will end up killing it anyway thinking it will look nice in a vase or something. Don't use live animals for jokes.

Also - goldfish cant live in bowls. They grow over a foot long and need a 75 gallOn tank with double filtration. It's like you are doing everything in your power to ruin this fishs future

That would be a funny white elephant gift for someone who doesn't know about what goldfish actually need to live a normal, happy life. It may require more wrapping paper (and a little more money) but go with at least a 60 gallon tank, a filter rated for at least 120 gallons, and whatever other fun toys you want to occupy his space and that would be a bomb gift!

As far as a gag, no. A fish needs care and the person getting the fish may not be willing to provide that care. Get something else please that the receiver can forget about, unless you are willing to take the fish back and care for it should the receiver decide they don't want it.

No thats cruel! Don't do it!