The use of goldfish bowls of insufficient size and without filtration system can cause distress, suffering and death due to lack of oxygen transfer to the water, the lack of filtration causing toxic levels of ammonia to build up, and their inadequate size for fish.
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The use of such bowls can break four of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare: that an appropriate environment should be provided, that animals are kept free from pain and disease, that animals should have sufficient space to express normal behaviour and that conditions should avoid mental suffering.
While the debate about fish feeling pain continues, the UK should maintain its strong animal welfare laws by stopping fish suffering with toxic poisoning and suffocation by banning goldfish bowls that do not have adequate filtration or meet certain capacity requirements.