Lovin #1. Must.have. Is the fishie's name Jonah? =]

Not to be a Debbie-Downer, but with the exception of the biOrb, most of those aquariums are like keeping your dog or cat in a air sealed pet carrier all day. Aquariums of at minimum of 5 gallons are best for most people, but a 10 gallon aquarium is even better for filtration, gas exchange, and movement for the fish.
Also, goldfish are messy and can get as big as 18 inches, and will outgrow their bowls in no time. The white cloud mountain minnows (featured in the biOrb photo) would be much more suitable for a smaller aquarium.

Some of my favorite aquarium inspirations:
Aquarium Design Group (http://aquariumdesigngroup.com/#) - check out their galleries, their freshwater hardscapes especially are modern and clean looking.
Takashi Amano is somewhat a celebrity in the planted aquarium community. His "aquascapes" incorporate live plants and show off the very modern rimless tanks (without the black plastic frames you see on most aquariums). You can see photos of his headquarters in Niigata, Japan here: (http://www.pbase.com/plantella/nature_aquarium_gallery_2005)
Oliver Knott also has a lot of great tanks, and even has a few that some in the aquarium community might think of as "kitschy", but still are effectively designed (the World Cup one is still my favorite). http://www.pbase.com/plantella/swc2006
Also, googling "nano tanks" and "planted tanks" will uncover a literal treasure trove of beautiful tanks that aren't necessarily all that expensive or require too much attention to maintain.
I'd highly recommend adding some kinds of plants to your aquariums for both the benefit of you and the fish. I also find that my form of aquatic gardening is a great outlet for me when I can't grow plants outside during the winter.

dancedancek is on the mark with her comments. Also, an unfiltered small tank with golds will require cleaning at least weekly, more if multiple fish.

I second dancedancekj and Anet500's comments, fish especially goldfsh cannot be kept comfortably in any of these except the last one.

dancedancekj is on the mark with one notable exception....goldfish do not outgrow their envirornments.

My [three] goldfish enjoy the luxiury and freedon of a 250 gallon pond. Doesn't stop me from loving the 'look' of #1 tho.

just sayin

Beautiful bowls! Wouldn't suit a goldfish though. They don't live long without aeration and filtration.

A betta would fare much better. They need daily feeding, and water changes about every week (depending on the container size), but they can breathe air from the water's surface and don't need a filter to aerate the water. They also tolerate temperature variations better than goldfish. Plus, much prettier colour variety!

*excuse me - can't seem to get my fingers on the right keys this evening*

Beautiful bowls! Wouldn't suit a goldfish though. They don't live long without aeration and filtration.

A betta would fare much better. They need daily feeding, and water changes about every week (depending on the container size), but they can breathe air from the water's surface and don't need a filter to aerate the water. They also tolerate temperature variations better than goldfish. Plus, much prettier colour variety!

I don't want to go all 'PETA' on you, but fish are living beings, not decorations. If you want a pretty tank that looks good in your home, thats fine, BUT your first concern should be what will be living in the tank, not how it will look in your living room.

Seriously, worst post ever... I hate fish, partially because I've had fish that I purchased because I bought into the low-maintenance myth. Goldfish are filthy and need filtration. Bettas need filtration just like other fish; the fact that people keep them in vases just means that they get very sick and live in pain.

I had a gold fish for years in a small filterless tank that I changed about once a week. Beaker, that was his name, was pretty happy, or at least he went on living without much issue.

It wasn't really that big of a deal. Once a week, I would scoop him out along with some of water from his tank. clean out the tank, and filled it back up. I would put the glass I scopped him into, in the aquarium to let the temperature match, so he wouldn't get shocked by the temp difference if any, and then he was good for a week.

I've been thinking about getting a new gold fish, and I would do it the exact same way.

@Ivlichelle agreed. Plus, I'm gonna go extra PETA and say little fish bowls are just cruel. (Finding Nemo, anyone?) It's like solitary confinement with no privileges.

If #1 were inexpensive I'd buy it and put a photo of a fish in it, lol. It's just so gosh darn cute.

I've had countless fish, housed in many ways - from a huge tank filled with lots of fish when I was a kid, to betas in bowls. I've learned that they're not very resilient, and are really dirty, and have killed them all off in some way or another, most of which are unknown to me.

The latest fish (beta) died when I cleaned his bowl out one time. He freaked out when I tried to scoop him out and I think I damaged his fin a little. He swam sideways for a few days and finally kicked the bucket. Not worth the effort if you ask me, although it does break my heart every time I go into a pet store and see all the betas in those tiny, tiny plastic containers. So sad and makes me want to rescue them all :(

My thoughts on fish as pets - DON'T! Thinking that they are easy maintenance is far from true! I'm not sure about regular fish bowls, but those filtered tanks are horrible! They get disgusting fast and are more trouble than they're worth. I'll never have fish again after my experience with them (except for dinner maybe, but that's another subject altogether). If you're looking for easy maintenance, get a pet rock.

fish are animals, not decor. Most people will not clean it out enough if even at all. How are you going to keep a tropical fish well and alive if you're not keeping your home at a tropical temperature? Ammonia burn? Are you ready to spend a lot of money on medicine or are you just a flush and replace person? Do you also store your kids in the closet and only bring them out for show and tell?

People who don't research properly before getting fish don't deserve to be in control of an animal's life.
Fish really aren't low maintenance, unless you are an awful selfish person who would like to watch something suffer and die.

I have a betta fish at the office. He's pretty easy to take care of in his filtered tank. I change his filter once a month, and do a 20% to 50% water change weekly or so. I also test the ammonia levels. I love having him in my cubicle.

"They’re low maintenance, pretty to look at (so many colors!), and with a mod fish bowl, they actually enhance your home—that’s my idea of the perfect pet!"

This reminds me of the South Park episode where Tinkerbelle commits sucide rather than be Paris Hilton's pet.

Get a pet rock instead. That will fulfill your decor requirements without causing needless suffering.

Thank you dancedancekj for your great sources! I was aware of the work of Takashi Amano (posted on AT before), but not the others.

I have to agree with all the other commentators about these bowls being totally inadequate to keep fish. In fact, the city of Rome has outlawed them in the interests of animal welfare.

If you want to keep fish in pretty bowls such as this for decorative purposes, why not get some floating glass fish? They come with a glass float, require next to no care, and are very pretty.

http://www.gelstuff.com/art-glass-fish.html

Don't be fooled into thinking fish are low maintenance. We have a fancy goldfish and a cat and we've ended up spending way more money and time taking care of the little fish - it's crazy how much effort it takes!

you should remove this post. stop encouraging the brainless people who care more about the glass prision than the animal inside of it. ridiculous if you think any of those tanks are even slightly 'mod'.

I think that this post was designed to raise a ruckus.

You can find a similar fishbowl to #1 at Pier One for $35 - not a whale, but pretty cute!

http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/HomeAccentsD%C3%A9cor/tabid/508/List/0/CategoryID/135/level/a/ProductID/8060/ProductName/Decorative-Glass-Fish-Bowluu/Default.aspx

Wow, such a lot of anger over fish bowls! I've had everything from a large salt water tank (THERE is you maintenance), to a small 1 gallon tank for Bruno the beta at present.

Like his predecessor, he seems pretty happy. My last beta lived for about four years, which is awesome for a fish. Does enjoying my fishy friend make me a bad person?

Calm down, people. Nothing in the original post implies that the author intended to torture any helpless fishies.

I agree with nikils.

And while these comments may have validity, I don't think that Finding Nemo should be taken as gospel truth when it comes to animal welfare. Although I sure wish my pets spoke English with an Australian accent...

Terrible. These animals are not low-maintenance. They did not evolve to live in vases. The pet stores outright lie to people about how to care for them. Betta fish especially are promoted to not need much oxygen, but in fact they do need dissolved oxygen. Bettas are the most abused pet store animals on the planet right now. (oh, and they can live up to 7 years, so try not to brag when they croak after a whopping 4 or 5 years).

Do people know how these fish keep their pretty colors? They are bred with wild fish which are illegally caught and bred by a pet store supplier. The poachers use something called cyanide fishing where they flush the fish out from coral reefs by spraying them with poison.

Not happy to see this on AP.

These are SO inappropriate for any kind of living thing...except for a plant.

The fish fish-bowl would look great as a terrarium

I love the wall hanging bowl...it's really awesome and super inexpensive for around $30 at any Petco or local pet store for the most part.

@Emmi: Every information source on Betta fish I've ever found says their maximum lifespan is around 5 years, average is 3. Where did you get 7? I've done lots of research on them and I've never heard someone say 7 years.

Betta fish do have it rough. Their shipment methods are appalling- not to mention the stupid little cups! Just because they can live in small amounts of water doesn't mean they should. I've had a few Bettas over the years. I do keep them in a larger size vase/fish bowl sort of thing. They've all lived 4 or 5 years (minus the one who had an unfortunate incident with my roommate's cat- so sad). Overall, they seem to be happy little fish. They are so much more than decoration though. They are a living thing- treat them with the respect they deserve.

I love my cat, Miracle and Bear, and my dog, Oliver. We found all of them outside, unwanted, and unloved. They aren't my pets, they are my pals that live with my boyfriend and I. And, they aren't really caged up..they are in a loving house, protected from the world. A fish, on the other hand, is taken from his habitat and put in a tiny bowl - that seems quite inhumane. The bowls would be fun to hold goldfish crackers in, though.

Funny how no one seems to be worried about keeping a cat or dog in an apartment when they are this concerned with fish bowls.

That said no it's not cruel to keep animals in smaller spaces like a gold fish in a fish bowl. Animals need a lot of space in the wild to be able to find enough food but in captivity this is provided for them and so the are just fine in a bowl or apartment. As long as you make sure they have what they need - like filtration, something to activate them and the right kind of food.

I live in a 500 sq ft apartment and I really wanted a dog but I personally don't think I have enough space so I did some research and now I have 2 pet rats. The are just as smart as a dog and my rats are trained to know their names so they come when I call them. They love to have their bellies rubbed and they are fun to look at when they build and play. I've had both guinea pigs and hamsters but if you are thinking about getting a rodant this is the most fun in my experience - if you can get over the ick of living with a rat (I know many people confuse pet or fancy rats with wild rats but they are two different kind of breeds like a dog and a wolf)

I definitely agree, the thing is, many people get fish thinking they're easy to look after - they're not. Fish need space and air to breathe and clean water. A fish in a bowl that isn't properly maintained will die quickly. Likewise, with all fish you need a filter to makesure the tank stays clean. If you didn't have a filter or an air pump and you wonder why a) your fish have passed away and b) the tank gets really dirty then you're not looking after your tank properly!

Having said that, all these tanks are beautiful. However, you shouldn't just get one, put a fish in there and think it'll be fine. It's not good. Sadly, most fish tanks need some 'ugly' equipment in them to make sure your pet is healthy.

@acsmith - here is a decent link, although as a veterinary nurse I learned from much better sources such as veterinarians who were qualified to treat exotic pets.

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Freshwater-Aquarium-3216/tetras-3.htm

@ploefff I understand what you're saying, however your rats probably have more room to exercise than the fish.

Betta fish are native to Cambodia and Thailand and their natural swimming habitat range is acres and acres long. The various species have not evolved long enough in captivity to suddenly be fine with life in a tank the size of a computer.

I had a beta in a large vase for 5 years. He was fine. I fed him and changed his water periodically and he was healthy and active. You people are seriously freaking out over nothing.

I think it is far less cruel to have a fish in a large tank in open view of a large space where he is fed and catered to on a regular basis than to have it sit in a teeny tiny little plastic cup and get ignored, live in filth and die young.

PETA kids, you can't save all the betas. Buy them a nice big place to swim and feed/clean them regularly. They'll be fine.

It really does seem to be nearly unanimous that fish ought not be kept in these, however cool they are. Plastic ones maybe?

I remember as a kid a lot more people seemed to keeps birds in cages & avairies, and now it is rare. Perhaps keeping fish in unsuitable containers will fade, too.

How about giving your fish a retro room with a lava lamp? Or a retro townhouse with an inglenook?
http://store.cinnabaronline.com/retro-room.html
http://store.cinnabaronline.com/toinre.html

spaceystacey, those are hideous, and as the comments on here will tell you, most people are aware of how cruel they are, too.

My cats contribute to my decor -- just ask them!

I had a beta fish in a 10 gallon tank and it just sat in a corner.

@Sherry, my dog contributes to my decor too, he really adds that black and white dog hair look ;)

Oh, thistly, you are ever so right. I just posted the links for grins. You'll be happy to know I don't have a beta or a goldfish, and the couple of itty bitty skeeter fish the hubby and kids brought home from a puddle down in the arroyo here in southern AZ are in a humongous tank. But you've inspired me to release them back to the wild. Well, not to the arroyo; it's all dried up, so maybe to the duck pond at the park. Also, I sure hope the kids never want a pet frog.

@spacystacey, you're right to be leery of pet frogs. I had toads and a bullfrog, at different times, when I was a kid. Keeping them clean, well-fed, comfortable, and healthy was more complicated and time-consuming than expected. More recently, my husband kept poison dart frogs in a big garden terrarium, which was all of the above, plus surprisingly expensive.

I had a Betta Fish when i was 7-ish and his name was rainbow :) Anyways if i would have had the option for those tanks i would've got one, and seeing them now make me want to have a fish again.