[misterking]

I think the above comments pretty much have it covered, but I do urge you to read up on the proper care of goldfish in aquariums. The problem with goldfish is they're large (potentially 1ft when fully grown), stocky fish that eat a lot and therefore pump a lot of waste into the water. Have a look about on ebay, craigslist etc for the cheapest deals but for your 3 fish I'd say a 55g would be adequate (almost minimal). I would never suggest putting a goldfish in anything less than a 30 gallon. They are, afterall, a species of carp.

As a matter of fact, our local annual fair came around today, and after a couple of years of not giving goldfish as prizes, they made a comeback, and one went to my friend. I actually dispaired whilst listening to her talk on the phone, about how she had a goldfish bowl at home she was going to put it in. I could have gone on for hours about the need to properly cycle the tank and how goldfish grow huge and that bowls aren't at all suitable, but it's almost not worth it. It's a sad fact that probably 90% of goldfish won at fairs will die in the first months due to inproper care and housing, and with a heavy heart I had to leave the conversation with "if it looks unhappy, I'll put it in my pond".