How would I go about making such a petition?

Not sure but I sure would sign up for that. Maybe you could make copies of it and put it in every fish store if they allow it. You could make a web sight on it and the reasons why goldfish cannot be kept it bowls. If you do decide to do a web sight I will help you out. We could do it together.

Im not sure but I would Sign it

If you do make a petition, I'd love to sign it. I've had people ask me before why I didn't put my gf in a bowl and get some "real" fish for my tank. Duh, what do they think my goldies are???

Even my husband makes comments now and then about how you can keep goldies in a bowl. Then again, maybe he just does that cause he gets a kick out of seeing my get really mad.

I was gonna make one too, there is sites where u can make them

Here ya go this is the sight

http://www.gopetition.com/howtostartapetition.php

I'll sign!!!

Thanks for the ideas.

On a different forum, they said I should start with my local government.

Chicklette, I would love a website! But Im not very good at making those. I could make a list of reasons why goldfish bowls arent good for goldfish and you could do the technical stuff.

An online petition I dont think would do very good, since people under the age of 18, false names, Internet Nicknames, and double-signatures could be put on, and I don't think those would count. Perhaps we could all start our own city-wide local petition, and then send them all to my house, but I worry about online predators, lol.

Here is a poster I made:

In the UK there already is a petition to sign to ban the goldfish bowl Also one UK pet store chain has banned goldfish bowls and has a goldfish bowl amnesty going on where these bowls will be destroyed. I posted a thread about it in goldfish discussion. Also another member posted a link to the UK petition

I know . Its only natural for the US to folow the bandwagon.

Here is a list of reasons Ive compliled so far:



-Not enough space
-Ammonia/Nitrites will build up fast
-No place to put a filter
-No place to put a heater
-No place to put a plant
-Lack of surface area
-Stunted growth
-More frequent water changes
-C02?
-Goldfish can get up to a foot long
-A 2-Gallon goldfish Bowl is about the same price as an 18-Gallon Rubbermaid (~$4)

Ironically, It's (Slightly) better to keep small tropical fish in goldfish bowls.

10 reasons why not to keep goldfish in goldfish bowls.

1) There isn't enough space for the fish. Goldfish need space since they can grow very big and can release toxic chemicals fairly quickly in large amounts.

2) There isn't enough room for a good-enough filter. Without a filter, ammonia and other toxins can build up. Ammonia (NH3) is a fairly deadly toxin released in fish urine, aged fish excrements, and rotting fish food. If in large amounts, it can kill goldfish. Nitrite is an equally toxic chemical that comes from ammonia that has been converted from a set of beneficial bacteria. Nitrate is a less harmful chemical that is from nitrites that were converted by a second set of beneficial bacteria. Without a filter, the beneficial bacteria won't come.

3) There is no space to place a heater. Goldfish, despite being cold-water fish, need some heat. Preferably between 64 – 80 degrees.

4) There is no (Or very little) place to put a plant. Plants help get rid of Ammonia and Nitrites by consuming them. Also, Goldfish can consume the plant if you ever become negligent and forget to feed your fish.

5) There is not much surface area. Goldfish need surface area so that oxygen can diffuse/dissolve into the water so the fish can breathe.

6) Goldfish release a growth-inhibiting hormone into the water. It isn't good since it reduces the goldfish's immune system
.
7) You would have to change the water more frequently in order to ensure your goldfish's health. Water changes can be difficult. With a bowl, your hand may not fit into the bowl, or the wrist articulation might be limited. Also, they would have to be more frequent (2-3 times per week isn't very convenient in certain schedules). It is also difficult to tell how much you are actually changing.

8) CO2 Can build up. CO2 is the product of respiration, the sister function of photosynthesis. In respiration, some sugar and oxygen is converted into water and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide isn't breathable.

9) Goldfish can grow up to a foot long. If for some reason, the fish doesn't release the hormone (See #6) and grows up to be a foot long in a 6' diameter fish bowl, it wont look pretty.

10) A 2 gallon bowl (9$+) costs MORE than an 18 gallon rubbermaid(<$4 normally). Rubbermaids are MUCH better habitats for goldfishes.

I have said this before...................................."It's the manufacturer's fault to lable a ten gallon tank a goldfish tank and show 5 Goldfish in it, or call a bowl a Goldfish Bowl."

You got to hate misleading advertising.

Sure, I will do the web sight and you could do some of the writing. I will do the technical stuff. My email address is peeps@cybersync.com

Cool. Can you also make a MySpace page?

Yes, I can make a my space page. I’m not familiar with it though. But just send me an email and we can work on it. It will take a while though. If you want just send me an email. peeps@cybersync.com But it would be good to get the info out there that goldfish should not be in a bowl.

We also need to think of a name for the web page. I’ve only made a couple web pages but we will get it done. It just will take a bit of time.

I would be happy to sign. While shopping at my local pet store I have talked at least 10 people and kids from putting goldfish in bowls.

thats a nice poster! I'll go ahead and make the online petition then, its better than nothing! And in school we're learning about politics and our teacher is encouriging us to write to a government representative about something if we feel that something should b changed and I was going to do that too once I get a petition started. We egt bonus marks if we write a letter lol

Cool!