Mini Jello Fish Bowls - Mighty Mrs | Super Easy Recipes (2024)

Last Updated: by Angela G.

Jello fish bowls! A super fun edible craft idea that isn’t too difficult to pull off with the right materials. Kids will love to help make and of course,eatthese!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn a commission.

Jump down to Recipe

Jello fish bowls! A super fun edible craft idea that isn't too difficult to pull off with the right materials. Kids will love to help make and of course, eat these!

*Please note, these are a little tricky to pull off. Check out my Tips for Success section and watch the how-to video below to be sure you nail this on the first try!*

A fun way to celebrate lots of different occasions!

These Jello fish bowls are a super fun edible craft or party treat! All you need is Nerds, Jello and colorful Swedish fish or any type of aquatic gummy creature. 🙂 You can make these to celebrate Dr. Seuss week to go with the book "One Fish, Two Fish."

You could also makes little edible aquariums for shark week (use gummy sharks)! These would be perfect for an under-the-sea themed birthday party or a summer pool party.

Heck, you can make them just because they're so cute and yummy too!

Or to save for a rainy day...

We made these as something to do on a rainy day. My kiddos (7 & 9) were old enough to pull off crafting these fish bowl themselves, with just a little guidance.

I helped them assemble the materials, went over the instructions and made sure they had a way to heat up the water without touching a hot surface. I had them use our glass measuring cup with a handle so they could easily measure and heat all in one. Then they used a oven mitt to lift and carefully pour. If you have young kids, maybe you'd want to do this part. I'll leave that up to you. 😉

Where to find “fishbowls”

Rather than go out and buy an actual mini fish bowl for this project, see if you can find something you already have that's glass. We had some short juice glasses that worked just fine.

If all you have is a tall glass, then you can go for a "deep sea" look. Get creative! I'm just not big on crafts that require you to go out and buy a bunch of one-time-use materials. So, see if you can use what you got and make it work.

Now, if you're making these for a kid's shark-themed birthday party or a baby shower, then maybe you'd splurge and get mini fish bowls. In that case these could serve as a decoration as well as dessert so it might be worth the expense.

You can find little fish bowls pretty cheap on Amazon. (Shop mini fish bowls here). You could also use stemless wine glasses or clear plastic cups.

Adjust the recipe as needed to fit your bowls

Keep in mind you may need to use a larger amount of blue Jello and Nerds depending on the size container you use. The recipe below makes each serving about 5oz.

Here’s what else you'll need.

There are a few special ingredients you'll need to make these Jello fish bowls:

Tips for Success - PLEASE READ for best result!

  • Cooling down the Jello mix will help prevent Nerds from bleeding color but you still may experience the color of the Nerds bleeding into the Jello some.
  • If some of your Nerds float to the top, gently push them down until they sink or if they are being stubborn, just scoop them out.
  • If you are after a picture perfect end result, you can add the Nerds in at the end. So leave the Nerds out, fill your glass fish bowls ¾ full with just the Jello mixture and let the Jello set. Then, using a knife or small spatula, loosen the Jello from the edges and pop the Jello out. Add Nerds to the bottom of the glass bowl and replace the molded Jello on top of the layer of Nerds. Using a glass that is wider at the top than the bottom is key to this though so a traditional fish shaped bowl doesn't work well for this method.
  • Berry blue Jello is dark blue in color. If you want a lighter, more transparent blue color, then I recommend using yellow lemon Jello and adding a very small drop of blue food coloring to the mix. This will give you Caribbean blue colored "water."
  • Make these immediately before serving. Unfortunately these are NOT a make-ahead treat. The longer these sit, the more the Nerds will bleed and the gummy fish will become soggy.
  • If serving for a party, I would suggest timing this so that the Jello sets right before you're ready to eat them and then add the fish right before you serve them. If serving at a kids birthday party, you could even have the kids add their own fish to the top.

Watch how to make this recipe, step by step:

Want more edible ideas?

If you like these jello fish bowls, then I think you'll also like my Oreo Dirt Dessert recipe!

Be sure to also check out all my kid-friendly recipes! As well as my most popular recipes:

These jello fish bowls were featured on Wow Me Wednesday and !

Mini Jello Fish Bowls - Mighty Mrs | Super Easy Recipes (1)

Recipe

Mini Jello Fish Bowls - Mighty Mrs | Super Easy Recipes (2)

Mini Jello Fish Bowls

Author: Angela G.

Jello fish bowls! A super fun edible craft idea that isn’t too difficult to pull off with the right materials. Kids will love to help make and of course,eatthese!

4.3 from 4 reviews

Read Comments

Course: Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine: American

Skill Level: Easy

Recipe Type: Jello, Kid-Friendly, Party, Summer

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Yield: 4 mini fish bowls

Ingredients

  • 3 oz blue jello See notes in post above to achieve lighter blue color
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup Nerds
  • 8 gummy fish
  • 4 small drinking glasses

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Mighty Mrs. is a fan and an affiliate of Walmart.

Instructions

  • Add gelatin powder to a pitcher.

  • Heat 1 cup of water in the microwave just until it comes to a boil (about 2 minutes).

  • Carefully add hot water to gelatin mix and stir until dissolved. Then stir in 1 cup of very cold water. Put pitcher in fridge to cool down for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the glass bowls. (Don't skip the step of cooling down the Jello mixture as using hot or even warm mixture can melt the Nerds).

  • Scoop ¼ cup of Nerds into each glass.

  • Next, gently pour the cooled gelatin mixture into each glass.

  • Move glasses to the fridge (loosely cover if you want) and refrigerate for 90 minutes or until gelatin has set.

  • Using a butter knife, cut two slits in the top of the gelatin, each near the edge on opposite sides of the glass. This is where you'll add your fish. Make each slit just long enough for one fish. Add a fish to each and press down as far as you want it to go below the surface or you can set the fish right on top so they're more visible. If you mess up the top, don't worry! No ocean has a perfectly smooth surface.

  • Serve immediately for best results.

Video

Notes

Make sure you wait for the Jello to cool before you pour it over the nerds or the Nerds will lose color and can melt.

Recommended equipment listed may contain affiliate links.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 3g | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 64g | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    I made these today for my grandsons birthday party... the first try was very gross...the nerds coloring fades to a pale pastel, nearly white... leaving the blue jello looking like a cloudy dark avocado green sludge. So dark you cant see the nerds. I didnt continue and tossed it all away and regrouped.

    SO MY SUGGESTION IS... AND IT WORKED PERFECTLY FOR ME!... IS...

    ~Make the blue jello ahead of time in a large bowl or dish... once it is cold and set start creating your cups or fish bowls. I started by ...

    ~Placing the nerds in the bottom of the cup.

    ~Then I stirred the cold set jello and spooned some on top of the nerds until each cup or fish bowl was about 1/3 full.

    ~Then I placed my fish where I wanted them and covered with more stirred jello.

    ~When ready to serve, I placed a dollop of cool whip topping on top and sprinkled with blue sugar crystal sprinkles.

    They turned out really cute and the kids all loved them...

    Reply

  2. Kayla groves says

    Question, I absolutely love this idea, and I’m wondering if the nerds dissolve fast? So I’m trying to have everything done and ready for my sons first birthday (baby shark!) Saturday but I’m afraid if I make them at night that they will be dissolved by his party time on Sunday

    Reply

    • Angela G. says

      They are definitely better freshly made. The don't dissolve necessarily but the color starts to bleed after awhile and they don't look as good or taste as good. I'm sure you have a lot on your plate, but it might be worth doing everything else you can the night before and then starting these early in the morning of the party. Give them several hours to set and then you can serve them right away for the best result. Hope you have an awesome shark themed party! Share a picture if you remember!! I'd love to see how they came out and see your decorations too! 🙂

      Reply

  3. horwatwifey says

    These are ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE! There have been a lot of fishbowl type things out there but this is by far the cutest and best one I've seen!

    Reply

    • Angela G. says

      Thank you so much! All things mini are just cuter too, right? lol!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Mini Jello Fish Bowls - Mighty Mrs | Super Easy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you add nerds to jello? ›

If desired sprinkle with Nerds candies (note that in these the Nerds melted quite a bit before the gelatin solidified). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm. Just before serving, decorate with various candies and sprinkles.

How to put candy in jello? ›

When Jell-O™ is almost set, use a sharp knife to cut slits into top of Jell-O™. Use an uncooked spaghetti noodle or wooden skewer to slide gummy fish and other candies into position in the gelatin. Return bowl to fridge to set completely before serving.

What to chill jello in? ›

To hasten chilling, chill the mold a few minutes in a pan of ice and water before placing in refrigerator. For storage overnight or longer, it's wise to cover the gelatin to prevent evaporation and drying. To make one serving, dissolve 1 3/4 tablespoons Jell-O Gelatin in 1/2 cup boiling water. Chill until firm.

What do you put in a small fish bowl? ›

Some Good Choices for Your Bowl
  1. Paradise Fish.
  2. Guppies.
  3. Endler's Livebearers.
  4. Zebra Danios.
  5. White Cloud Minnows.
  6. Other Good Choices.
Apr 2, 2023

What fish thrive in a fish bowl? ›

Most don't hold more than a gallon of water and are too small for a filter. Therefore only a fish that can also breathe air can possibly survive a fishbowl. That would be one betta or one small goldfish. Of course, don't expect the fish to live more than a few weeks, even if you do a water change every 3 days.

What not to put in jello? ›

Fruits That Ruin Jell-O
  1. pineapple - bromelain.
  2. kiwi - actinidin.
  3. figs - ficain.
  4. papaya - papain.
  5. pawpaw - papain.
  6. mango.
  7. guava.
  8. ginger root.
May 8, 2019

What happens if you add too much gelatin to jello? ›

Getting the gelatin-to-liquid ratio right is crucial for a successful gelatin dessert. Too much gelatin can result in a rubbery texture, while too little gelatin can lead to a dessert that won't hold its shape. It's important to follow the specified measurements in the recipe and avoid any guesswork.

What is the best bowl to make jello in? ›

Prefer making the jello in a black plastic bowl, as black is the color that catches heat and will keep the jello firmly warm.

Can you put Skittles in jello? ›

First, measure out 1/2 cup of Skittles of one color. You could use all the colors together, but that would turn your gelatin kind of an ugly color. I went with red and pink for this recipe, since I chose cherry flavored gelatin.

How to get candy to float in jello? ›

First, mix the jello according to the directions on the packaging. Wash off the item you want to place in the jello if you plan to eat it. Then place it on top of the jello. Make another batch of jello and pour that on top, let it set in the refrigerator, and you're done!

Is there black jello? ›

JELLO Color Chart for Mixing (need black? Mix two purples and a green!) Jello, Jello jigglers, Jello recipes.

What happens if you put Jello in the freezer instead of fridge? ›

When Jell-O freezes, the tiny pockets of liquid trapped inside harden and expand, but the gelatin itself stays flexible and pliable. What you end up with is a blend of hard and soft textures in a cool, chewy treat. Shockingly, you can eat it straight out of the freezer before it thaws without hurting your teeth.

Is it OK to keep fish in a small bowl? ›

A small fish bowl cannot hold enough oxygen to sustain fish, which can lead to health problems and even death. In conclusion, keeping fish in a fish bowl is not a good idea. It is important to provide your fish with the right environment to thrive in.

What is the easiest fish to keep alive in a small tank? ›

What is the most low maintenance fish? Great pets for beginners that can be relatively low maintenance include some Tetras, Rasboras, Danios, White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Swordtails, Plaites, Mollies, Cory Catfish and Betta Fish.

What are the best low maintenance fish? ›

Some great choices include guppies, platies, and bettas for freshwater setups, or damselfish and clownfish for saltwater environments. These species can handle variations in water parameters and don't require extensive care.

How many fish should be in a fish bowl? ›

As a general rule, you should not keep more than two (2) inches of fish per gallon of water. For example, a 2-gallon fish bowl should not house more than two, 2-inch long goldfish. It is very important to understand that goldfish do not tolerate tropical fish food well. Goldfish do not have a stomach.

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