Are you an aquarium hobbyist? Are you planning to pet some vibrant fishes? Well, keeping, observing, and rearing fishes can be a great stress buster for you. There is nothing compared to watching these lively creatures move inside the glass box while you take a back seat after completing a hectic day. So here is a list of best 5 gallon fish tank!
When it comes to choosing fish tanks, 5-gallon fish tanks are the most popular and widely used fish tank by aquarium hobbyists. Watching these LED-lit aquariums with your favorite fishes will give you a great amount of satisfaction and also relax your mind. You will love owning these 5-gallon fish tanks to keep your loved aquatic friends, especially feeding them and ensuring their wellbeing.
So if you’re thinking of bringing home a 5-gallon fish tank for your fishes but confused about the one you should buy, then think no more. In this article, we have thoroughly reviewed 15-gallon fish tanks available in the market so that you get to choose the best as per your requirement.
11 Best 5 gallon Fish Tank Reviews
1. Marineland ML90609 Portrait Aquarium Kit
This 5-gallon fish tank comes with a kit that includes Marineland’s 3-stage hidden filtration along with a Rite size c cartridge. Included with this is a base with a unique glass canopy sliding down the back of the aquarium.
The kit is easy to assemble, beautifully designed, and also easy to maintain. There are various advantages to this product, which makes it a popular one.
Pros:
- Because of the contoured glass corner and solid glass cover, they look nice. The tank is an easy-to-clean structure.
- It has a sturdy plastic base, which does not attach to the aquarium. The weight of the full aquarium indicates it is immovable.
- The filter motor is a virtually silent one. The cartridges are easy to find at any pet store. The motor has four suction cups with stable feet.
- The light construction is easy for tank access. The switch plug is a secured one without falling forward.
Cons:
- There is a separate area at the rear of the narrow filter. Also, very much difficulty is observed while cleaning the narrow edge by hand.
- The LED lights are quite bright but can be modified a bit in taking the light intensity down. The light construction is plastic all over.
- The filter doesn’t work well.
- The filter motor is turned down and used as the fan-shaped baffle.
- The filter creates a strong current.
- The glass cover leaves a tiny gap in the front corners and across the length of the back wall.
User Experience
Using the tank has been a good experience for the users and is recommended for anybody looking for a simple yet classy tank. The users generally love the functioning of the tank and have recommended it to others. It’s easy to clean and maintain, perhaps a point that gives you a great score and provocation to buy the product. Only a few cases found where the users spoke negatively, but that was mainly due to faulty delivery rather than a quality deficit of the product.
2. Koller Products Panaview 5 gallon Aquarium Kit
- The fish tank sports energy-efficient lighting that brightly illuminates your fishes and comes with an internal power filter keeping the aquarium water optimum and the fishes quite healthy.
- The aquarium is trendy and designed for easy setup and efficient maintenance. You might imagine beautiful tropical fishes swimming back and forth with gravel décor.
- Dimensions are 14.2 inches by 10 inches by 11.5 inches. Kindly go through the multiple advantages and disadvantages while you have decided to make a purchase.
Pros:
- Keeping this fish tank helps in getting relief from stress and also has therapeutic benefits.
- There’s energy-efficient LED lighting with dazzling effects. It’s available in various colors like blue, green, purple, daylight white, and red.
- Since you have a unique hood that can be lifted upwards, the moisture can drift back to the aquarium.
- The break-resistant plastic tanks can prevent any possible leaks. Thus the aquarium provides leak-proof security.
Cons:
- The plastic happened to be flimsy and doesn’t stay on its own, thereby causing inconvenience for some aquarium lovers.
- The hood is fragile in some cases, and customers have complained about it.
- The shape of the aquarium is so placed like the hood cannot be changed.
- Sometimes the filter unit is found to make strange noises.
User Experience
Users who have purchased the fish tank have to say that it’s a nice setup for a good price. The pump happens to be quiet, and the LED lights are very effective and dazzling. There’s also plenty of room for adding or changing colored lights like purple, yellow, and jade. One of the users added gravel and snail, and the result was superb.
3. Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit
SPEC Series Aquariums: The newly redesigned SPEC series now features an impressive high output 7000K LED, which generates 20% brighter lighting performance for noticeably bolder fish colors and plant growth.
Tank Construction: SPEC adds style and design to your aquarium set. Constructed with etched glass with high-quality aluminum trim.
Filtration Capability: SPEC boasts a powerful 3-stage system with oversized mechanical, chemical and biological media for unparalleled water clarity. Includes foam block, activated carbon, and BioMax bio rings.
Lighting System: The powerful LED lighting system has 37 LED bulbs with a total output of 821 lumens and 7000K color temperature.
Capacity: 5-gallon tank capacity with a water pump output of 55-80 US Gal/h (210-300 L/h).
Pros:
- The glass aquarium comes with a cover.
- The aquarium comes with an LED lighting system.
- It’s a safe, low voltage transformer.
- The circulation pump comes with an output nozzle.
- The Fluval comes with a foam filter block and a handle.
- Fluval has activated carbon as well as a biomatrix insert.
Cons:
- The filter inlet used can even suck the fishes.
- This is not ideal for small fishes like bettas.
- The water current of the tank can cause the fish to miss the food.
- The tank is a bit high for plant decorations. Might be hammocks can be better used for decorations.
User Experience
The users have to say that it’s a great tank for bettas, nerite snail, and ghost shrimp. The setup is super easy and quite liked by the users. Everything is placed inside the side compartment. The users purchased some plain black aquarium film from Petco and taped it onto the outside of the tank. They think that the tank looks beautiful with the lights on. You may get a bunch of algae with spider-like web, all over the wood.
A user recommends using a siphon or gravel vacuum for getting rid of the tank debris. The inside of the tank can be cleaned with a cloth.
4. Marina LED Aquarium Kit
This is ideal for beginners, and the kit comes with everything that’s required to make the novice fish hobbyist’s first venture successful.
The product features a long-lasting, natural daylight effect that incorporates the LED lighting into the aquarium canopy.
The kit even includes food for fish. Apply aqua plus water conditioner for making the tap water safe for fish.
Pros:
- The Marina LED comes with a clip-on filter and quick-change filter cartridges.
- The long-lasting and natural effect LED module is inbuilt in the aquarium kit.
- Fluval max fish food helps in keeping your fishes fit and healthy.
- The Fluval aqua plus conditioner makes the fish tank healthy for fishes.
- The Fluval cycle biological supplement is created naturally.
- You’ll get an aquarium fish guide manual advising you to set up and maintain the aquarium.
Cons:
- For some customers, the tank started leaking for no reason.
- The filter cartridge replacement is expensive.
- The LED light is not enough for the plants to live.
- If the filter cartridge crosses 1 year, it will cost you three times the kit itself.
- Although the tank is good, the hood and filter are not that great.
User Experience
The users say that the tank is just fantastic. There was not so much light initially, but after importing light, the tank looked great. When users added base gravel, they found their fishes do quite well. Also, if one adds an airstrip with the air pump, then the product does fantastically well. You should add a heater as most of the aquariums require that. The tank might get cloudy after a few days, but then again, it will end up in a crystal clear tank. A tank size like this is good for 4-5 fishes.
5. Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarium Kit
Tetra is the name that adds ease and beauty to the home of fish aquarists. Tetra has a large variety of quality fish and innovative equipment to test kits as well as décor.
The tetra crescent 5 is just a perfect name for kitchen, bedroom, living room, and dorm rooms. The kit includes a seamless, back cover, and curved front aquarium. The tetra internal filter has a medium bio bag.
You need to add just water, décor, and fish.
The mechanical filter generally pulls in water from the aquarium and then pushes it through the filter cartridge having dense dual-sided mesh and catches debris, waste. All you need to do is replace 25% water on a weekly basis with the Aqueon Mini Siphon Vacuum.
This will work wonders as a betta tank as long as the filter is switched off.
Pros:
- The shape and size are an advantage for customers.
- The light is strong but only for low light requiring plants.
Cons:
- The lid doesn’t fit well.
- The extra-large feeding hole has to be fitted with a wire mesh so that the betta inside doesn’t jump out.
- There’s an uncovered oval area, which might cause harm to your betta fish.
- The inside gets scratched easily since it’s made of acrylic instead of glass.
User Experience
The user says that the filter might be a bit bulky, but it’s nice and quiet. The water is crystal clear. The user recommends a small heater and thermometer for the tank. Some users find that the supplied filter had no biocapacity; that’s why it was replaced with tetra whisper inside the tank filter along with a bio scrubber. The visibility of the tank is nice with the curved sides. In case of a heavy fish load, you will have to change the water every week. Users suggest changing at least 50% water every week when using a filter.
6. Glofish Aquarium Tank Kit
With the Glofish Aquarium Kit, it creates a lighting and underwater fluorescent Waterland that’s appealing to all ages and levels of expertise. You may transform any aquarium into a Glofish environment just by the click of the switch.
The kit includes an LED hood, tetra mini UL heater, LED stick, and many more interesting features that aquarists look for.
You will watch your aquarium transform into a wonderland with pops of brilliant color. Give your fish a great space to swim with the Glofish Aquarium fish Tank Kit.
Pros:
- The kit includes all essentials for success.
- Blue LED lighting transforms the aquarium.
- You may complete the look with colorful additions by choosing plants of various sizes and colors.
Cons:
- The filter is quite strong, and the battery can even kill fishes.
- The water to be maintained at 72 to 80 degrees, so using a water heater becomes a must.
User Experience
According to users, setting this aquarium is the easiest of all. Although it looked like a complicated deal, they were happy with the purchase. Getting the pump/filtration system to work is the most difficult, but they did not face much of a problem. The setup was so convenient that even a kid of 2 and 8 can do it. The aquarium serves the purpose of serving the perfect night lamp. The little aquarium can be appreciated over all ages.
7. Fluval 10528A1 Evo V Marine Aquarium Kit
The kit is all about going big but the small way. The Evo saltwater pack has the same features similar to the marine reef tank. It has a high output of 11000 LED waterproof casing.
Features include a convenient touch start with day and night illumination. It has a powerful 3-stage filtration for superior quality. The product comes with oversized mechanical, biological, and chemical media.
The stylish honeycomb wrap conceals the rear filtration compartment as well as the waterline. The things included in the pack are – glass aquarium with cover, LED lighting system, safe and low voltage transformer, circulation pump with output nozzle, Fluval foam filter, Fluval activated carbon insert, and Fluval bio max insert.
Have a detailed view of the positive and negative points below before you decided to go for a purchase.
Pros:
- The pump produces a decent flow of water.
- Easy and convenient setup.
Cons:
- The filtration sponge is not the one that deserves appreciation.
- Some leftover aquarium silicon is there from plugging the two holes.
- This aquarium is ideal for low daylight plants;
- The intensity of the light is quite low.
- Since it has so many parts, setting up might be a big issue for some users.
- The cover of the aquarium comes stored under the tank, so there are chances of being broken within.
- If a small crack appears on the pump side, the fishes will be sucked in halfway.
User Experience
The users are absolutely in love with the tank. The aquarium has a long narrow profile, and the fish can zip all around happily. More space is there to spread the rocks and create a cool scape. They found the stock pump to be of high quality. The plastic parts might be expensive, a bit. Users think that the included light is not a very right fit for the coral. High-quality lights have to be included sometimes.
8. Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit – Durable
This product comes with an internal cascade filter, LED light, and style hinge plastic lid for making setup easy and convenient. Glass tank features a unique bent design with frameless construction made with the highest clarity glass.
The aquarium is set to utilize a three-piece construction with rounded seamless corners. Also, the high-quality internal cascade set to enclose an aquarium kit will keep your tank clean and healthy. It will facilitate biological, chemical, and mechanical filtration.
The LED light could be positioned at the back of the fish aquarium that offers a crisp light, thereby illuminating your tank.
The aquarium is available with dimensions that are 12 ½ inches by 11 ¾ inch by 173/4 inch. They are suitable for a wide variety of fish along with aquarium décor and fishes.
Study the following points favoring your buy, and know about the negative points.
Pros:
- The glass is of good quality and thicker.
- The clarity is good and seems are nicer, the top edges being smooth and cleaner.
- It comes with a closed-cell and foam mat.
- The plastic serves the intended purpose.
- The hinges are nice and mounted securely.
- The filter is of an economic type but works well. It’s a tiny pump with the sponge attached over the intake.
Cons:
- The armature is flimsy and not very bright, so only okay for betta fish.
- The tank is larger than the price of the kit.
- The little filter is a way bit noisier than it seems to be.
User Experience
Users find the aquarium design to be immaculate good looking. Most of the users are very satisfied with the product. The bottom, which is also glass, actually looks thicker. The specific tank will be liked by many, especially if you like the form factor. Users think that the filter is small but quite effective. Some users suggest using carbon as part of filtration.
9. Fluval Edge 6 Gallon Fish Tank – Powerful And Easy To Use
The Fluval Edge is defined as edgy. It’s cool, trendy, breathtaking, and stylish. The striking 3D cube design is refreshing and rejuvenating. The edge has a clear glass top, allowing a clear and unobstructed view. Models are ideal for countertops, desks, and tabletops.
The 6-gallon model includes 21 LEDs – which comprises 18 whites and 13 blue bulbs. The power filter keeps the aquarium water clean.
The tank has two available sizes, allows you a 360-degree viewing, a compact design, has a high-quality hidden filtration, complements your lifestyle, and above all, has easy maintenance. Go through the pros and cons of the product and then decide.
Pros:
- Maintenance is easy. Have to change at least 25% of the water every week.
- The lights have low to medium intensity and quite ideal for plant growth.
Cons:
- Cleaning is a difficult task. The tank, if affected by algae, gives a difficult challenge in cleaning.
- The frame is built from cheap plastic, and the pieces don’t fit rightly.
- The internal mechanics are not well thought of, thereby giving it an inferior engineering edge.
- If you feed the bottom feeder pellets, they create a lot of waste, making the tank dirty. You need to push yourself to clean the tank.
User Experience
Users are happy with this water tank. It’s beautiful and has an easy setup. The fishes have to be fed 3 times a day and cleaned once a week for at least 10 minutes. The tank has to be kept heated. The tank should be furnished with an air bubble and also love plants for good oxygenation. Some users suggested filling the tank with gravels and aquarium woods.
Users found that cleaning and refilling can be a great task, but you should accomplish it perfectly so as to get the best results. Users also recommended this product to others, especially first-time hobbyists, and gave full details of how they maintain it.
10. Aqueon LED Mini Bow Aquarium Kit
This is a great aquarium for both beginners as well as experienced aquarists. The aquarium is furnished with built-in power filtration, LED lighting, and of course, a contemporary style.
It includes food, a small cartridge, and water samples. The small size of the aquarium makes it ideal for a compact space. The aquarium is characterized by:
- Compact fish tank with contemporary design
- Simple to set up and maintain. It just looks great in any room.
- It is sleek and has a low profile LED, having an energy-efficient light hood and a small feeding hole.
- It includes the Aqueon quiet flow filtration, which cares for food and water samples.
- If you have decided to make a purchase, kindly go through the following parameters, which will enlighten you.
Pros:
- LED lights are bright, giving the tank a very crisp look.
- The filter sits comfortably inside the fish tank.
- Great tank along with a start-up kit for an aquarium to couple with your loved fishes.
Cons:
- A completely open filter with no sponge is like asking for fishes to be dead.
- The plastic enclosure is said to be of substandard quality.
- The tank offers a lot of distortion in visual sight.
User Experience
The users are very happy with the product. It’s affordable and ideal for betta fish. The filter is very quiet and accommodates a heater, but still, it is stylish. The LED lighting is good for the fishes as well as the ferns inside the aquarium. The water pump is medium and ideal for fishes like betta. Users think that this fish tank is considered the best suited to the price you incur.
Some users found that the addition of lights gives the fish tank an extra edge. The filter fits comfortably, and the filter makes a humming sound but can be heard only when you listen to it carefully.
11. Lifegard Aquatics R800206 Full-View 5 Gallon Aquarium with Built-in Back Filter
The low voltage thermostat of this product usually maintains the water at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You must purchase the correct heater else buying one with a bit smaller size might cause underheating. The flow of the pump is too much for the planted tank.
We have researched the positive and negative points for you to make an informed decision.
Pros:
- The tank is sturdy strong and has clean glass.
- The decorations, including the plant and the fish, will have a crystal clear look.
- The brand Lifegard speaks it all.
- The filtration is great compared to all other tanks available in the market.
- The built-in back filter is a great advantage for the users.
- The light setup of the tank is amazing.
- The tank has a flap so that fishes don’t jump out.
Cons:
- The glass of the tank has to be handled efficiently else, it might become broken.
- Some customers complained that the light can come out separately.
- One has to adjust the flow rate of the tanks.
User Experience
The user is happy with the tank, which is great as the price is concerned. The user bought the kit with a built-in filter, which included pump bio balls, tank lid, ceramic media, and a couple of strong filters. They found the built-in back filter effective in pumping and cleaning the water. Users think the view of the tank is amazing, be it standing or any other position.
The first-time buyers have a wonderful experience with the fish tank, especially those who are first-time hobbyists. Although there are negative remarks regarding the quality of tank purchased, yet the overall rating of the product is good with very minute complaints relating to mishandling by the transporter.
What can you add to a 5-gallon fish tank?
i) A 5-gallon fish tank is ideal for storing some fishes which we will discuss below. Now you need to recycle the tank at least once a week.
ii) You may keep a small-sized betta fish but make use of every inch of the fish tank. The various species that you can consider for your fish tank are -betta smaragdina, betta mahachaiensis, betta siamorientalis, which should not be kept in pairs except for breeding.
iii) 2 least killifishes you may keep. They can be kept for breeding.
iv)10 cherry fishes, at least you can keep. They are sensitive to changes in water.
v) 2 dwarf crayfish are ideal to stock, as they have plenty of personalities.
vi) 5 Thai micro crab as they get along easily with the shrimp and snails.
vii) 5 nerite or assassin snails, as they can easily hunt other snails.
Many of these species can be combined as their bioload is relatively small. You can maintain your little space in the aquarium but make sure that the natural habitat has plenty of hiding space in it.
A well-maintained tank might brighten up your room. The list of plants that can make the tank suitable is- anubias nana varieties, cryptocoryne parva, water cabbage, dwarf hairgrass, hydrocotyle verticillata, and staurogyne repens.
While setting a nano aquascape, it might be a bit challenging so as to find some plants that will not outgrow a 5-gallon tank. Look for plants that don’t grow vertically, but yes, spread horizontally.
You may choose from a set of cold water aquarium plants like – marimo balls, java moss, cabomba, water cabbage, Brazilian pennywort, java fern, and many more.
While you maintain your 5-gallon fish tank, be sure that you should avoid the following fishes – fancy goldfish, common goldfish, white cloud mountain minnow, dwarf pufferfish, neon tetra, black neon tetra, and cardinal neon tetra.
What types of equipment and processes do you need to maintain 5-gallon fish tanks?
A lot many gazettes are available at the pet store for aquarium. Some are essential, while others are for specialized applications.
- Heaters: In case you are keeping tropical fishes, heaters are a must. Heaters ensure that the temperature doesn’t drop beyond a certain level. Actually, 78 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
- Thermometers: Thermometers should be implanted to make sure that the tanks stay at a perfect temperature. There are two types of models available. One, the traditional bulb thermometer, and the other is the flat model sticking outside the glass.
- Filters: All tanks must have three types of filtration that include mechanical, chemical, and biological processes. Well, the size of filtration doesn’t have any magic formula.
- Gravel: By placing gravel, it serves three purposes – substrate, decoration, and filter media. Make sure that the gravels are inert.
- Lights & hoods: Hood, you should inset so that the fishes cannot jump back. The light ensures you see the colors of the fishes and their activities.
- Powerheads: Powerhead is generally attached to water submerged. This helps in pulling out the water through the tubes.
- Air Pumps: The air pumps are generally attached to the tanks to ensure that there are bubbles surrounding the water, and the air pump is used to force water through the tube.
- Stands: You need a stand so as to support your tank.
- Plants: Two types of plants can be inducted into the tank, plastic, and natural. For the plastic ones, it’s only used for decoration, and for the real ones, it ensures that there is enough oxygenation.
- Miscellaneous Cleaning Tools: You require various types of miscellaneous cleaning tools like a siphon, vacuum, water-changing hose, magnet cleaner, and toothbrush.
- Bucket for Water Change: Keep a sizeable bucket for changing the water of the aquarium.
- Nets: You will require one or two nets, for changing fishes and for adding new ones.
- Test Kits: You will require test kits for measuring ammonia concentrations.
Some equipment can be purchased from outside, while others can be combined with the kit you buy. Check the kit you receive, and be sure of only those things you have to buy as a must.
Keeping fishes has a lot of advantages. You can de-stress yourself by seeing those moving creatures. But you need to know which variety of fish you must keep and which you should not. In fact, the aquarium you want to buy should have a lot of strength and durability and probably made form the best quality glass, which will be an easy task to clean and maintain. The aquarium must also suit your budget and requirements as well as be an overall smart choice.