What you need
Little goldfish bowls
Nice marbles.
Goldfish and water
Instructions
It is essential to consider the well-being of living creatures when incorporating live centerpieces, such as fish, into event decor. In the past, there was limited awareness about the welfare of the animals involved, leading to the use of live fish in centerpieces without proper consideration for their long-term care. However, as our understanding and responsibility towards animal welfare has evolved, it is now widely recognized that using live animals as temporary decor is not an ethical or sustainable practice.
Live centerpieces, particularly those involving fish, should only be considered if there is a safe and suitable home for the animals after the event. Fish require proper tank setups, appropriate filtration systems, and regular maintenance to ensure their health and well-being. It is crucial to provide an environment that meets their specific needs and allows them to thrive.
It’s worth noting that this article was written in 2002, and our understanding of ethical animal treatment has significantly progressed since then. We now recognize that using live animals as temporary decorations is not in line with responsible pet ownership or sustainable practices.
However, it’s still possible to achieve a visually stunning centerpiece that captures the essence of a goldfish bowl in a more pet-friendly and sustainable manner. Consider using non-living elements such as artificial plants, decorative glass orbs, or other creative alternatives to mimic the aesthetic appeal of a goldfish bowl without compromising animal welfare.
By embracing sustainable and pet-friendly practices, we can create beautiful centerpieces that evoke the same charm and visual impact while ensuring the safety and well-being of animals. Let’s move forward with a greater understanding and compassion towards all living beings involved in our event planning and decor choices.
This living centerpiece is perfect for beach theme parties.
Fill the goldfish bowl bottom with marbles. Add the goldfish and water.
You can get as fancy as you want with adding a ring of flowers or greenery at the base or keep them plain and simple.
Try adding colored rocks to suit your party color scheme.
When adding flowers to a goldfish bowl tank, it’s crucial to consider the safety of the fish and the water quality. While live aquatic plants are generally the best choice for fish tanks, if you’re looking to add additional flowers for a temporary decorative touch, it’s important to select non-toxic varieties. Here are a few flower options that are generally considered safe to add to a goldfish bowl tank:
- Marimo Moss Balls: Although not technically a flower, Marimo moss balls are popular additions to fish tanks. These green, spherical algae formations are low-maintenance, help regulate water conditions, and provide a natural aesthetic.
- Anubias: Anubias is a popular aquatic plant that can add a lush green appearance to your goldfish bowl. They have thick, sturdy leaves that goldfish are less likely to damage.
- Java Fern: Java Fern is another hardy aquatic plant that can thrive in goldfish tanks. It has delicate, feathery leaves that provide an attractive touch while offering hiding spots for the fish.
- Amazon Sword: The Amazon Sword plant is known for its broad leaves, which can create a visually appealing backdrop in the goldfish bowl. It’s important to choose a smaller variety suitable for the tank size.
Remember to properly research each plant’s specific care requirements and ensure that it is compatible with the water conditions in your goldfish bowl. It’s also essential to regularly monitor the water quality and ensure that the flowers or plants do not adversely affect the well-being of the goldfish.
sounds good..but has to be well planned…if lit up awesome, going back to pet store or garden pond great idea….goldfish do not do well in bowls..I bought 29cent ones for pond they grew huge and beautiful …unfortunately a crane was lunching on them….pond has not been re-fished …I have netting ordered so birds wont eat my fish….they were just so lovely…
May I say to person who said it was cruel to keep cats inside? I have one we found abandoned she wont go out, 2 others inside too, why ?because my lovely tame, neutered boy cats disappeared from front of house! they always came when called…I will keep my furbabies close..I still miss my boys!!
Goldfish will grow to the size of their containers. The bigger the bowl, the bigger the goldfish. Cheers!
I wouldn’t FILL the bowl with marbles as there is nowhere for your fish to swim!
i’m really sorry but this is just not ok. would be gorgeous if you had the ability to carve goldfish out of carrots, (or like someone said they would make them out of beads–nice.) but hey…if no one takes them home (and let’s face it–how can you verify the sobriety or level of responsibility of anyone who leaves a party?) what do you do? flush them down the toilet?
and to the person who mentioned that bridesmaids and groomsmen are living ornaments….well, sweetheart, at least they have some say in what happens to them after the party’s over. get a clue.
only one star because that’s the lowest rating option there is.
GOLDFISH ARE LIVING CREATURES NOT CENTREPEICES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As someone who works in a pet store….I always ask several questions about the environment the fish is going into…and as soon as I hear the word “centerpiece”…game over. I won’t let a living creature go through all that stress just so someone can have a decoration. Real bad idea! 🙁
I think this is an interesting idea(:
Oh and FYI those of you who keep saying it is cruel to keep them in an unfiltered bowl I have two goldfish who live comfortably in a regular goldfish bowl and some treated tap water.
I clean their tank once a week and they get feed twice a day they have no problems and seem to be perfectly content.
Also we’ve had plenty of goldfish before who lived in bowls and they all lived very long life spans (6+ years)
so hush about this cruelty crap
I think this is an awesome idea, i think ima end up doing this for my baby shower.. My little cousin is wanting a fish so i can just give her the fish after the party is done, even though i have a 10 gallon fish tank with tropical fish.
Goldfish don’t belong in bowls. They need a proper tank with good filtration. Bettas would be much better for this project, as long as the bowl was about a gallon.
Great idea, i know i’ll be using this. and FYI people…its a GOLD FISH FFS now get your leather shoes off the coffee table whilst you eat your steak/pork/chicken. 🙂
Some people have a place for those fish and take them gladly so please think before you post empty headed drivel.
My best friend had betta fish in bowls as her centerpieces in her wedding and they were a HUGE hit. People were fighting over them! They had colorful stone in the bottom and also a tiny light that flashed different colors. They were beautiful. I even designed the DJ and bartender’s tip jars with painted stained glass betta designs. She is a big fish enthusiast so she made sure they had the proper water and food, etc. As a matter of fact, the whole wedding was televised on the Style Network show “Who’s Wedding is it Anyway?”
really people? “goldfish are living things, not party decorations”..well flowers are living things as well but you don’t hear people saying how we rip them out of their homes…and i mean literally…so how about this,keep the whole “bowls are a cruel way to house goldfish” comments to your self because really,it’s not like if they’re saying to eat the damn thing or torture it…it’s an inexpensive beautiful and creative way on a center piece and all of you people saying it’s wrong blew this all out of proportion….how about you go and preach about “animal cruelty” to people who actually do it.
I agree- don’t be so harsh people! We did this at our wedding 4 years ago, only we used Beta fish. We put the fish on every other table- and we had plenty of people asking to take them home. People tell me all the time how cool it was, and lots of the fish are still alive today. Also- you can get pretty bowls (as temporary housing- as in- just one day) at the dollar tree- they’re on the candle isle. Be sure to clean and rinse them well- you don’t want to make you fish sick.
you guys shouldn’t say such bad things about this!!!The people at the wedding won’t force the people to take them home. besides, all the people who dok this are probably expecting a lot of returns. And it’s not like the fish are going to stay there for they’re whole lives! and if you don’t like these ideas then just don’t popst comments.
JEEZE!!!
Very interresting idea but i think beta fish are better they are more colorfull and only need to be feed twice a day, so assign a responsible person to do the feeding bc i know for fact the bride wnt do it…lol …&& gold fish are harder to maintain
Great idea.
Its about as cruel as keeping a pet cat indoors. Where would you keep a goldfish if not in its tank? A sewer? I always considered bridesmaids and groomsmen just decorations during the ceremony because they offer nothing to it. Should we do away with those as well because they are living? Along with all the plants that died to make the day possible?
I wouldn’t consider this idea cruel by far unless you don’t attempt to learn how to take care of the pet. I don’t know what world these brainwashed dopes come from, probably peta, but this is a great way to incorporate water into the party and keep people interested in their table. If i have my wedding indoors i will do it as we are having a half pirate themed wedding. Adding little pirate ships and treasure chests inside would be awesome. I’ve been trying to figure how i wanted to add rubber duckies to the party and this helped.
Animals as a party decoration? I hope you’re kidding me.
This gets a 0*, not the one 1* I had no choice but to give.
I think this idea is excellent for those who have good knowlegde and experience on how to keep fish. As a massive animal lover myself (and years of keeping cold water fish), I may do this for my wedding. The only way people would frown upon it is the fish were clear;y suffering or they were thrown down the toilet at the end of they day. I am planning on getting a really nice, big fish tank to put the fish into our marrital home. This will be a lasting memory of our special day and a sentiment to how well treated they had been on the day. IT’S ONLY CRUE IF IT’S A WHIM, A LOT OF PREPARATION AND CARE NEEDS TO GO INTO KEEPING THE FISH WELL ON THE DAY AND AFTERWARDS.
pretty horrible project- goldfish are living things, not party decorations
“Goldfish” bowls are a cruel way to house goldfish, maybe, but bowls can be suitable for bettas, white cloud minnows, paradise fish and dwarf gouramis.
You know to all that are mentioning poor fish. The bowls are temporary homes. As to water, I would assume that the person doing this for a party would have purchased the fish ahead of time. Use the water that the fish is already home to.
very creative an inexpensive, instead of fish bowels try an interestingly shaped vase or a diffrent type of fish just make sure you treat the water great give away at the end of the reception
i’m sure that there will be plenty of family members who would love 3 take them home & feel like they have a piece of ur wedding w/them 4ever. or the children will convince there parents haha
I like it I love fishes!! but since it is a craft I wouldnt mind making my own fishes with pretty beads!
and the water condition isnt even a problem just get a beta they can live it cold water my friend has one that lives in water that isnt heated at all
Cruel to fish
get fake fish instead….this article doens’t even mention water conditioning….this is animal abuse
who says the fish is going to die? why poor fish, we are giving them a home.
poor fish, lets not be selfish, they diserve to live comfortable just as we do. Very cruel
Have seen this at weddings, a nice touch….just don’t do what my friend did and put them in untreated tap water….You have to treat it! 10 minutes before the wedding the fish started dying…
Does anyone know the correct term for the metallic very fine ribbon / packing which is sometimes used to fill up the space in the water, when flowers are displayed as centre piece?
How about trying just the glass beads at the bottom of the bowl and some greenery or flowers instead of the poor fish?
I thought of this idea 9 yrs. ago for my oldest daughter’s wedding.
I think it would have been beautiful, but we were worried about the sun hitting on the glass bowls since her wedding was outdoors.
Can we stop discussing the care of the fish. It doesn’t say anything about people being forced to take the fish home. And I am sure the person wanting gold fish at their wedding won’t mind having fish at home. Comments on this subject will be removed.
What happens if your guests don’t want the fish? And you don’t either? Poor fish. This is cruel
loved it!!!tell guests to take the goldfish HOME AFTER THE WEDDING!!!ding dong!!
I used this idea at my wedding….i had 3 goldfish in the bowl clear marbles and glow sticks weighed down that where the our color scheme … everyone loved them and took them home!
Goldfish aren’t a centerpiece they fish. Boo this person. Booobooooo
excellent, just found this site it is exactly what i was going to use already
goldfish bowls are a cruel way to house a fish. do some research