How to Make Fishbowl Slime

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 22, 2021 Tested

Fishbowl slime, or crunchy slime, is slime with clear plastic fishbowl beads that give it a delightfully crunchy and gravelly texture. Whether you’re a slime enthusiast looking for another type to add to your collection or you’re making slime for the first time, fishbowl slime is a great way to go. By customizing the base to your own design and adding a slime activator, you can make beautiful fishbowl slime in just a few minutes.

Ingredients

8 fluid ounces (240 ml) clear glue
8 fluid ounces (240 ml) warm water
Plastic vase filler or beads
Food coloring (optional)
Glitter (optional)
2 fluid ounces (59 ml) of liquid starch or 1 tablespoon (15 g) of borax powder

Makes approximately 32 fluid ounces (950 ml) of fishbowl slime

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Making the Base

1
Combine 8 fl oz (240 ml) each of glue and warm water in a mixing bowl. Use a measuring jug to measure out equal quantities of PVA-based glue and warm water. Pour both into a large mixing bowl and stir together to combine thoroughly.^{[1]
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- As this is one of the few exact quantities needed to make slime, you can multiply, divide, or halve this as you want to change the amount of slime you’ll make. Make sure you always use equal quantities of glue and water.
- Make sure the glue you use specifies that it is PVA or polyvinyl acetate somewhere on the container. Other glues may not work with your slime activator, which will prevent the slime from forming. PVA glue should be available online or at your local craft store.
2
Fill the bowl halfway with plastic beads. Fishbowl beads or plastic vase filler are the crunchy beads that make your slime fishbowl slime. Slowly pour some of your beads or vase filler into the bowl with the glue and water, stopping when half of the glue mixture is mixed with beads.
- Fishbowl beads should be available online and from your local craft or pet store. Plastic vase filler should be available in similar places. Both will come as packages of small, clear, plastic beads.
- The bowl should be roughly half full of plastic beads and half full of the glue and water mixture.
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3
Use food coloring to add some color to your slime. If you want to change the color of your slime, add a few drops of food coloring and stir the glue mixture to incorporate the color. Add 3 to 4 drops of food coloring and stir, repeating until you have a color that you want.
- For something a little more unique, try separating your glue mixture into 2 different bowls and coloring them differently. Once you activate the slime, you can knead your 2 colors together to make some rainbow fishbowl slime.
- Use blue food coloring to make fishbowl slime that looks like the water in a fishbowl!
- Opt for some red or gold food coloring to make something a little more vibrant!
4
Add glitter to make your slime sparkle. If you want your fishbowl slime to glimmer or shimmer, add some colorful glitter to your glue mixture. Pour some glitter into the glue mixture and stir it slightly to distribute it. Continue adding glitter until your slime base is as shiny as you want!^{[2]
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- You could also use glitter glue, rather than white PVA glue, to give your slime some sparkle.
- Try adding some blue, silver, and green glitter to make your slime look like water in a fishbowl!
- Use red and gold glitter to give your slime a fiery look.
- Opt for some holographic glitter or glitter in interesting shapes to make your slime even more unique!

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Activating Your Slime

1
Pour your liquid starch or borax powder into a measuring jug. Pouring your activator into the slime from a measuring jug with a pouring spout will give you more control over how much you add. Pour around 4 fluid ounces (120 ml) of liquid starch into a measuring jug, or dissolve 1/4 teaspoon (4g) of borax powder in a jug with 8 fluid ounces (240 ml) of warm water.^{[3]
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- Both liquid starch and borax powder should be available online or in the laundry or cleaning aisle of your local supermarket.
- If you use borax powder dissolved in water as your slime activator, you can make crystal clear slime. Leave out any food coloring or glitter to make fishbowl slime that is see-through.^{[4]
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2
Add around half of the activator into your slime base and stir it in. Hold the measuring jug with your slime activator in one hand and a wooden spoon or rubber spatula in the other. Carefully pour around half of your activator into the slime base and begin stirring it into the glue mixture until it begins to coagulate.^{[5]
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- It’s better to add too little activator at first than it is to add too much. You can always add more activator, but adding too much will result in very tough and hard slime.
3
Mix in a little more activator to thicken the slime further. The more slime activator you add, the thicker your slime will be. Adding only a little at a time, pour more activator into the slime and stir it in until the slime forms a single lump and easily pulls away from the sides of your bowl.^{[6]
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- Once your slime coagulates and comes together, it’s up to you how thick you want it to be. Some people may like a thin slime that’s a little wetter, where others might prefer a slime that’s thicker and putty-like. Add enough activator to make your slime the thickness you want it!
4
Knead in more fishbowl beads or plastic vase filler for an extra crunch. While the fishbowl beads or vase filler in the slime should give it a nice crunch, there should still be plenty of room for more beads! With the slime still in the mixing bowl, pour in some more fishbowl beads or vase filler and knead them into the slime to make it extra crunchy and bubbly.
- Adding the fishbowl beads in 2 stages gives you more control over how crunchy your slime is. You could also add them in a single bunch, either to the glue mixture or by kneading all of them into the finished slime.
- The amount of crunch you add to your slime is entirely up to you! Keep the number of fishbowl beads lower for a smoother slime, or make it more bead than slime for something extra crunchy.

Community Q&A

Question

If I don't have liquid starch, can I use contact solution for the activator?

Emma Grace Hanley

Community Answer

Yes. You can also use a mixture of borax and water.
Question

How much slime will this recipe make?

Community Answer

This recipe will make approximately 220g of slime, which is almost one quarter of a liter.
Question

Do l use foam or plastic beads?

AlexusR

Community Answer

Plastic beads would work best. Just make sure they aren't too big, otherwise they will overpower the slime and it won't be a good fishbowl slime.

Warnings

The vase filler or beads can potentially be choking hazards for young children; make sure to clean them up after you're done.

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If you have sensitive hands, the vase filler or beads can be painful on the hands.

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Be warned that both borax and liquid starch are toxic if consumed! These slimes should not be eaten, and you should always wash your hands after playing with slime.

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Never leave the slime to sit on porous surfaces, such as drapes, carpet, or clothing. The slime will stain and will be very difficult to get rid of.

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