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How do I safely move my goldfish from a bowl to a larger tank?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Fish | Gold Fish | Female

Will my goldfish die in shock if I change it to a new cage (because she is in a bowl and I’m gonna put her in a ten gal tank )

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on November 7th, 2018

As log as she is acclimated to the water temperature, she should be fine. Place her in a bag of water and then float the bag in the tank for 20-30 minutes. You can then scoop her out with a net and place her in the new tank. Confirm proper chemistry of the new tank using a home test kit or by submitting a water sample for testing. The local Petco may do this for free or for a small fee. Aim for 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with nitrates at 20 ppm or less. pH should be around 7 and water temp should range between 65 F and 72 F since goldfish are cold water fish.

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    Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 9th, 2019

    Goldfish and Koi are generally considered to be docile fish. I would not expect Porkchop to have any issues moving into his new pond. Make sure to transfer him when the weather is warmer and make sure that his bag used for the transfer sits in the pond for at least 30 minutes to allow him to acclimate to the temperature. Make sure there’s enough air in the bag as well to keep it floating. Lastly, when your room is hot make sure to check the thermometer on his fish tank frequently. Goldfish are considered cold water fish but will live in most temperatures. With a 5 gallon tank, I do not anticipate his water will be very affected by the ambient temperature. If you do happen to notice this, put some dechlorinator in his water and a couple ice cubes but I suspect this will not be necessary. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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Goldfish and Koi are generally considered to be docile fish. I would not expect Porkchop to have any issues moving into his new pond. Make sure to transfer him when the weather is warmer and make sure that his bag used for the transfer sits in the pond for at least 30 minutes to allow him to acclimate to the temperature. Make sure there’s enough air in the bag as well to keep it floating. Lastly, when your room is hot make sure to check the thermometer on his fish tank frequently. Goldfish are considered cold water fish but will live in most temperatures. With a 5 gallon tank, I do not anticipate his water will be very affected by the ambient temperature. If you do happen to notice this, put some dechlorinator in his water and a couple ice cubes but I suspect this will not be necessary. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
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