A Complete Guide to 5 Gallon Fish Tanks and What You Should Know Before Buying One

A Complete Guide to 5 Gallon Fish Tanks and What You Should Know Before Buying One

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5 Gallon Fish Tanks Guides

Fish keeping is a hobby that is gaining ground in popularity as more people learn about the benefits of aquatic pets. For those who love fish but dislike the idea of living with a sea of green water, a 5-gallon fish tank is a perfect compromise. If you are a beginner, choosing the best 5-gallon fish tank can be overwhelming considering the vast number of products out there.

If this has proven to be a challenge, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about choosing the best 5-gallon fish tank and provide you with the best 5-gallon tanks in the market today. So, let’s get started!

Best 5 gallon fish tanks

1. Aqueon LED MiniBow 5-Gallon Small Aquarium Fish Tank

Aqueon LED MiniBow 5-Gallon

The Aqueon fish tank is developed by experienced aquatic hobbyists. This brand offers a broad array of tank solutions to keep healthy, life-sustaining aquatic environments. The Aqueon LED MiniBow kit comes with SmartClean Technology which is great for both beginners and experienced hobbyists. Each kit features a low-profile LED hood, a clear acrylic vessel, a filter cartridge, as well as a set-up guide to get you started.

This aquarium also includes a perfectly designed power filter while the SmartClean Technology ensures water changes quickly, in less than 2 minutes. This aquarium kit is a great deal for betta and small tropical fish.

Additionally, the filter uses Aqueon small cartridges that are replaceable. For optimal performance, the cartridge should be replaced after 4 weeks. This desktop tank can be kept in your home office, bedroom, living rooms, and more. The tank has dimensions of 15 x 10.67 x 15.44 inches and weighs 5.25 pounds.

2. Betta Fish Tank Glass 5-Gallons

Betta Fish Tank Glass 5-Gallons

The Betta 5-gallon fish tank is one of a kind. The self-cleaning tank has a 3-in-1 filter forming a complete filtration system. This reduces the number of water changes if you are the lazy kind. The fish tank is designed with hot bending glass material. The material is not acrylic.

This fish tank is a perfect choice to decorate your office, or room and add color and elegance to your living and working environment. This 5-Gallon aquarium features 7-colors adjustable light and a 3-in-1 fish tank filter. This filter works quietly with sounds of less than 35DB and thus will not disrupt your sleep. The tank has dimensions of 15.25 x 14.25 x 10.75 inches and weighs 11.95 pounds.

3. Marineland Portrait Aquarium 5-gallon Fish Tank

Marineland Portrait Aquarium

The Marineland fish tank boasts a sleek design. It comes with a clear glass canopy enabling you to view your fish pets from multiple angles. The Marineland 5-gallon fish tank has rounded corners. With the hidden filtration and the LED lighting system, the aquarium comes to life in moonlight and daylight settings. 


If you are a beginner, choosing the best 5-gallon fish tank can be overwhelming considering the vast number of products out there.


The bright white LED creates a glowing light in the water mimicking the underwater effect of sunlight while the blue LEDs mimic a moonlight glow. This easy-to-assemble kit is stylish, beautifully made, and easy to maintain. The unique canopy slides to the back of the aquarium enabling easy feeding as well as water care dosing. The tank has dimensions of 9.5 x 9.5 x 14 inches and weighs 12 pounds.

4. GloFish Aquarium Kit, 5-gallon Tank

GloFish Aquarium Kit, 5-gallon Tank

This 5-gallon fish tank features a curved corner, a GloFish Cycle Light that has four modes, and tetra hidden filtration that comes with an adjustable flow filter pump. This tank is perfect for any room. The four lighting modes include midnight mode, sunlight mode, twilight mode, and moonlight mode. This stunning tank comes with natural-looking plants and well-detailed ornaments that add an eye-popping splash to the already well-designed tank. The tank has dimensions of 19.29 x 14.17 x 13.39 inches and weighs 16.31 pounds.

5. Fluval SPEC Aquarium Kit

Fluval SPEC Aquarium Kit

The Fluval SPEC 5-gallon aquarium is designed with aluminum trim. It is a contemporary-looking tank made for small areas such as countertops and desktops. Although the tank is small in size, it ranks high when it comes to its features. It boasts a lighting system that features 37 powerful LED lamps that provide bright illumination for the decor and the plants

The tank also has a powerful pump with an adjustable output nozzle and a 3-stage filtration system that offers more than enough filtration guaranteeing ultra clean and clear water. The aquarium also comes with the ideal filter media for effective and thorough chemical, mechanical and biological filtration. If changing water frequently is not your thing, this is the perfect tank to go for.

Tips for choosing your 5-gallon aquarium

There are several things to consider before deciding on the best 5-gallon fish tank for you and your pets. Some of them include:

1. Size of the tank and compatibility with other tanks

As with any aquarium, keeping a healthy pet requires enough space where their water can flow freely. The tank should be large enough to allow more water circulation thus providing clean and clear water. Likewise, placing multiple tanks together in a single setup might also create problems that can put your whole tank in danger.

2. Size and type of fish

The fish type and their size are key to your aquarium setup. Small fish such as bettas require smaller aquariums than larger pets. To keep the water healthy and active, a decent amount of water circulation should be able to happen.

3. Water capacity of the aquarium

 As the tank becomes smaller, there is a bigger possibility for it to develop problems. One of such problems is from lack of water. The bigger your aquarium is, the more water you can add to it.

4. Material

 You have your choice of glass, acrylic, or anything else. With all these choices, you still have your internal material to choose from as well. The materials used in making the tank are important to consider as they will determine how easy it is to clean and maintain. Typically the best material for fish tanks is glass and acrylic.

5. Type of filtration system

 The type of filtration you choose for your tank will determine the consistency of the water quality and how much chemical, biological and mechanical filtration it can handle.

Conclusion

All fish need constant care and attention. They do not live as easily as some other animals, but they can be very rewarding and fulfilling to own. Think of it as you are taking care of a baby. Just like babies, they need as much attention and love. With a proper fish tank, it becomes easier to ensure your pet’s health is okay. If you are new at keeping fish, then go for a smaller tank that is easy to maintain and clean ups.

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