I will be the first person to admit that one of my favorite parts of the fair is the game where you throw often dented ping pong balls into little glass goldfish bowls in hopes of getting a certain number in to get a prize.

That prize that they usually have for that certain game is of course goldfish.

I would look forward to seeing how many I could win and I carried my winnings out with pride through the fair gates.

Of course though it is no secret that these fair fish usually die not too long after.

There are the few that tough out the first couple weeks and do end up living a long happy life, but that is not the case for the vast majority of them.

Some literally die within hours of being in their new 'home'.

As much as I love getting to win those golden little guys, I realized that while the idea is cute, the reality is not.

The reality is that most people believe that goldfish don't need a filter.

They 100% do need one.

Goldfish in particular produce a lot of waste, which a filter is needed to help to keep the water clean and breathable for them.

They are not like Betta fish no matter what your parents told you.

They need a filter to live. I would link a source for you to further reading on this if you don't believe me but there are just simply too many. Just Google if goldfish need a filter to live.

So for all the people that get those tiny little boxes that they call aquariums from the stand, not only are those not equipped with a filter, they also are way too small to keep them in.

Most of the goldfish are over an inch and the shubunkins are well over 2 in. That means they need at the very least a 5 gallon tank for one goldfish.

Not to mention how many diseases those fish have since they are constantly around other dead fish since they are kept in inhuman conditions. If you introduced a fair goldfish into your already established tank at home, there is a great chance they could have a disease and spread it to your already healthy fish.

However, if you still want to get a goldfish then you need to at least set a tank up 2 weeks before to ensure that it cycles and pertains healthy bacteria. So if you know you plan on winning one, then plan ahead for this.

Don't just keep the fish in a bowl until you get a tank, try and plan ahead to ensure they have a good chance at survival.

Long story short, fair goldfish are living beings and deserve to be treated how you would treat your dog or cat. So if you do get one just make sure you have a large enough tank and that you know what you are getting in to!