Round fish bowls have a smaller water surface area, which affects the amount of oxygen in the water.
Belgium plans to ban round goldfish Wire, Citing Belgian government officials, the report said that traditional bowls “cause stress on the fish and should be banned on grounds of animal welfare”.
The report, which is behind a paywall, further said it is part of changes to the country’s animal laws.
belgium daily la capital Animal Welfare Minister Bernard Clarefeet is quoted as saying: “We know that round jars have an effect on fish stress.”
According to Belgian government documents, round tanks often have a smaller water surface area than square or rectangular ones, which affects the amount of oxygen absorbed into the water, la capital Said in his report.
The news report further states that a small surface area puts the “health and welfare of the fish” at risk.
The newspaper quoted the minister as saying that the proposed ban would only apply to the Brussels-Capital region. He said that the government would ban the sale of round bowls but not their use.
“We are not going to start controlling the size of the aquarium in each household. Prohibiting the sale of bowls would be more effective,” the minister said.
Talking about changes to the animal welfare law, Mr. Clarefeet said that fireworks and electric dog collars will also be added to the list of items harmful to pets.
Belgium already has some strict laws against animal cruelty. The worst such cases carry a prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of 10 million euros.
In January, news agency Reuters made a report Saying that a major French aquarium vendor has stopped selling round fish bowls because they “drive the fish crazy and kill them quickly”.