Now we take a look at the “Electronic Goldfish in a Bowl” item from Thinkgeek (above left), which much like the electronic firefly in a jar, features a fake fish tethered to the lid of a goldfish bowl. The fish swims around in the water repetitively, mimicking the movements of an actual goldfish. With this product you never have to worry about the goldfish keeling-over and being transferred to the toilet bowl.

Thinkgeek carries a ton of Star Trek items, so it would seem natural that they convert this item into a wall-mounted aquarium, much like the one seen in Jean Luc Picard’s office in Star Trek: TNG.

There are already a few Picard-like fish tanks available on the market. One goes for over $1,000, and the other for about $40. They both do the job, but require actual living fish.

However I prefer the $40 model (above middle), because it can be hung on the wall, and features an interchangeable background image. In combination with Thinkgeek’s electronic fish (which features LED lighting), you’d have the perfect decoration for any geek’s office or study.

If I were to design one, it would be about the size of clock (10-12″ in diameter), and would have the shape of a contact lens as it doesn’t need all that much depth. The background images would have a “fish eye” effect applied to them, making the bowl seem much deeper. I’d also make this as light as possible, requiring only a small cavity for water. A few LED lights and it’s done. I suppose you could do a fancy stand like the $1,000 model, but I prefer the simplicity of a wall ornament. This would also need to be easy to turn on and off, so a push-button mechanic like one of these lights should do the trick.

The best part is Thinkgeek (or the manufacturers of the electronic goldfish) don’t need a license from Paramount to produce this item. However with Thinkgeek being Trek licensees they may have to ask “Hey bro is it cool if we like, make this?”