My friends daughter got all the stuff for a goldfish off her aunt for Xmas. Tank, plastic plants and a gift voucher to get some fish.

She's got about 2 places she could put the 14L fish tank, the best place is in the kitchen, on top of the wooden worksurface above the washing machine. Is this okay, the noise and the vibration from the washing machine won't send the fish mad or kill it or something.

She's not very good at pets that need proper looking after, she can barely keep a houseplant alive, goodness knows how she manages to bring up children.

when you say "proper looking after" what exactly do you mean?

as fish need "proper looking after" too you know

water conditioner, weekly/fortnightly water changes, filters cleaning correctly, proper cycling, glass cleaning, proper nutrition, lighting, company of their own kind, heating in some cases.

basically, the 5 freedoms.
freedom form hunger and thirst (proper nutrition)
freedom from discomfort (adequate living space and conditions)
freedom from pain, injury or disease (to be kept in a safe, clean environment away from harm and receive vet care/treatments when required)
freedom to express most natural behaviour (this includes social correct social groupings such as being housed with company of it's own species, or separately dependant on needs)
freedom from fear and distress (no brainer - not cause mental suffering from factors in the environment or treatment of the animal) -this one, rules out being over a clunking vibrating washing machine.

they're not as simple a pet as many people seem to think they are.

as for the tank, it's not really big enough for a goldfish anyway, let alone a pair.

I used to have a tradescantia sitting on top one of my speakers. The shoots used to curl towards the speaker so I figured they enjoyed a bit of Floyd. Try asking on DTV. That's a very helpful forum for stuff like this.

She'd be better using the tank as a little greenhouse.

14 L is woefully inadequate for goldfish - it needs to be at least 10 times the size with a full on filtration system.

If she adds a heater and filter it might do for Betta but even then, I wouldn't recommend it. 14L is a too small even for White Cloud Mountain Minnows as they like to live in schoals.

I think its great that you are asking before getting the fish I just hope your friend's daughter can be steared away from goldfish.

great advice. the tank is in no way big enough to house a single goldfish (let alone a pair, they are social and shouldnt be housed singularly), actually, i would even re-consider housing a betta in there but it could be do-able. i have a 14l which i housed three 1cm long goldfish fry and i was changing out 100% water daily, and i have since put them into a 60l instead as they looked so sad in the tiny tank.

she needs to research aquarium cycling, ammonia-nitrite-nitrate, she will need to do at least once a week possibly more water changes as that tank is a tiny amount of water, and thats after shes cycled, while shes cycling if she has any live critters in there it will need to be possibly a twice daily water change until the nitrates take over.

maybe she could keep an apple snail in there instead, she would still need to do the maintainence but put a slice of cucumber in there every other day and it would be fine.

try to encourage her to use some live plants in it aswell, they are cheap, just get some pond weed or something, and it will help keep the water quality up, although it will probably make very little difference in a small tank like this.

fingers crossed she doesnt opt for goldies, they take a lot of care, and need tons of room and a lot of maintainence compared to some of the smaller tropical species.