Fishbowl cleaning method and apparatus

Abstract

A pitcher is provided as a preferred form of apparatus for use in a fishbowl cleaning procedure. The pitcher has a side wall extending from a floor to a rim. Holes are formed in the side wall spaced above a floor and below the rim. Water and fish can be poured from a fishbowl into the pitcher. The fish and residual water remain within the pitcher below lowermost holes in the side wall. Excess water drains through the holes in the side wall. The fishbowl can then be cleaned or otherwise reconfigured. Finally, the pitcher can be tilted to pour the residual water and the fish from the pitcher back into the fishbowl.

1 . An apparatus for cleaning a fishbowl, the apparatus comprising in combination:
 an enclosure;   said enclosure adapted to contain water;   said enclosure having an open upper end and a closed lower end;   said enclosure having a side wall extending from said upper end to said lower end;   a plurality of holes in said side wall, each of said holes spaced above said lower end and below said upper end;   said plurality of holes including at least one lowermost hole, said lowermost hole located closer to said lower end than to said upper end; and   said lowermost hole unobstructed laterally on an exterior side of said side wall to allow water to flow through said lowermost hole laterally and then down away from said enclosure.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure includes a handle coupled thereto, said handle adapted to be gripped by a hand of a user for maneuvering of said enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure includes a spout on said upper end. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said enclosure includes a floor adjacent said lower end, said floor being substantially flat, said floor adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal surface supporting portions of said enclosure above said floor upon the substantially horizontal surface. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said holes in said side wall are spaced from each other horizontally to form a substantially horizontal line parallel with said floor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said holes are spaced from said floor at least two inches. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said holes are at least as small as a quarter of an inch in width. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said closed lower end has a smaller diameter than said open upper end, sufficient to facilitate nesting of like enclosures at least partially inside one another. 
     
     
         9 . A pitcher for temporary storage of fish, the pitcher comprising in combination:
 an enclosure;   said enclosure adapted to contain water;   said enclosure having an open rim defining an upper end of said enclosure;   said enclosure having a floor defining a lower end of said enclosure;   said enclosure having a side wall extending from said floor to said rim;   a plurality of holes in said side wall, each of said holes spaced above said floor and below said rim;   wherein said side wall is substantially cylindrical in form with said floor being substantially circular and said rim being substantially circular; and   wherein said floor has a smaller diameter than said rim, sufficient to facilitate nesting of like pitchers at least partially inside one another.   
     
     
         10 . The pitcher of  claim 9  wherein a handle extends from said side wall, said handle adapted to be gripped by a hand of a user; and
 wherein said pitcher includes a spout on a side of said rim opposite said handle. 
 
     
     
         11 . The pitcher of  claim 10  wherein said holes are closer to said handle than to said spout. 
     
     
         12 . The pitcher of  claim 9  wherein said holes are provided in a three by five array, five holes wide and three holes high, with each of the three rows of holes extending substantially horizontally and parallel with said floor. 
     
     
         13 . The pitcher of  claim 9  wherein said holes are at least as small as a quarter of an inch in width. 
     
     
         14 . A pitcher for temporary storage of fish, the pitcher comprising in combination:
 a water containing enclosure;   said enclosure having an open rim defining an upper end of said enclosure;   said enclosure having a floor defining a lower end of said enclosure;   said enclosure having a side wall extending from said floor to said rim;   a plurality of holes in said side wall, each of said holes spaced above said floor and below said rim; and   wherein said floor has a size smaller than said rim, sufficient to facilitate nesting of like pitchers at least partially inside one another.   
     
     
         15 . A method for safely removing a fish from an aquarium, such as for cleaning the aquarium, the method including the steps of:
 selecting an apparatus including an enclosure; the enclosure having an open upper end and a closed lower end; the enclosure having a side wall extending from the upper end to the lower end; and a plurality of holes in the side wall, each of the holes spaced above the lower end and below the upper end;   pouring the water and fish from the aquarium into the upper end of the apparatus; and   allowing water to drain out of the apparatus through the holes with water and the fish remaining below the holes and above the lower end of the enclosure.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said pouring step is preceded by the step of placing the apparatus in a water collection basin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  including the further step of tilting the apparatus to further pour water through the holes and reduce water remaining within the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  including the further step of pouring remaining water and the fish from the apparatus back into the aquarium. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  including the further step of configuring the apparatus of said providing step to include the closed lower end having a smaller size than the open upper end, sufficient to facilitate nesting of like apparatuses at least partially inside one another with the closed lower end fitting within the open upper end. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said allowing step includes the step of keeping the apparatus upright with the open upper end above the closed lower end, and with water draining out of the apparatus through the holes in the side wall. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said providing step includes providing the plurality of holes with at least one lowermost hole, the lowermost hole located closer to the lower end than to the upper end, the lowermost hole unobstructed laterally on an exterior side of the side wall to allow water to flow through the lowermost hole laterally and then down away from the enclosure.