Company Stops Selling Fishbowls, Says They Drive Fish 'Crazy' And 'Kill Them Quickly'

A leading pet care company in France has announced that it no longer sells fishbowls because they drive the fish "crazy and kill them quickly."

AgroBiothers Laboratoire, a well-known aquarium vendor, said it has stopped selling fishbowls or any aquarium that has a capacity of fewer than 3.9 gallons. The company has also decided to sell only rectangular aquariums as it believes putting fish in small round bowls without filtration and oxygenation is a form of animal abuse, New York Post reported.

"People buy a goldfish for their kids on impulse, but if they knew what torture it is, they would not do it. Turning round and round in a small bowl drives fish crazy and kills them quickly," AgroBiothers Laboratoire CEO Matthieu Lambeaux told Reuters.

Lambeaux added that typically, goldfish can live up to 30 years and grow to about 25 centimeters when placed in big aquariums or outdoor ponds. However, they only last weeks or months when kept in small fishbowls.

The executive also emphasized that goldfish are social animals that need the company of other fish on top of clean water and ample space. Moreover, he said one needs to have a minimum of equipment and expertise before getting an aquarium.

The company has a French market share of about 27%. In the previous years, it sold around 50,000 fishbowls — priced at 20 euros ($22.63) each — per year.

"There is demand for fish bowls, but the reality is that what we offer children is the possibility to see goldfish die slowly," Lambeaux added.

Many European countries, including Germany, have stopped the sale of fishbowls, but France does not have any legislation banning its trade.

"It is a French anachronism, that is why we decided to move. We cannot educate all our customers to explain that keeping fish in a bowl is cruel. We consider that it is our responsibility to no longer give consumers that choice," Lambeaux said, explaining the company's policy.

Though lack of filtration is the primary issue with fishbowls, studies have shown that even those that are equipped with filtration systems remain unsuitable as they do not provide a healthy environment to the fish, therefore causing them stress.