Best Fish Tank & Aquarium Setup for Beta Fishes
Knowing what is the best tank for betta fish can be tricky given the amount of misinformation that is out there. In order to separate the myths from the facts we have taken it upon ourselves to take a look into the world of fish tanks and aquariums for betta fish. In doing this we have conducted hours of research and spoke with leading experts within this industry so that we are able to provide you with information that is factually correct and to the benefit of your betta fish.
There are different ideas as to which types and sizes are best fish tank for betta fish. From our comprehensive research we have been able to compile a list of some of those that are best suited to bets fish; these are called Our Top Picks. For each of these we will look at the betta fish tank in detail and mention any particular pros or cons that it may have. In the end we will attribute a star rating (out of 5) to each one. From there we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions relating to betta fish and fish tanks, before finally making a recommendation as to which fish tank we think is the best betta fish tank setup.
The Best Fish Tank & Aquarium Setup for Beta Fishes: Our Top Picks
tetra crescent acrylic aquarium
Rated by: Amber
marineland glass aquarium
Rated by: Amber
aqueon led minibow aquarium
Rated by: Amber
1. MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit with Rail Light
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
The curved glass, sleek design, and hidden filter system provides you with a totally unrestricted view of your aquarium from three sides. With a compact profile and a contemporary foundation, the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarum Kit with Rail Light will look good on any surface within your office or home. It boasts a built in LED rail light with two different color settings – white or blue – so that your aquarium can look good, both night and day. The LEDs are covered by glass to protect them from the water but this does not hinder the brightness of the light. In addition, the light fixture is highly energy efficient.
To gain access to your betta fish for feeding or cleaning, the cover quickly and easily slides back and out of the way. This is also handy when setting up the aquarium in the first place or for when you need to perform any maintenance on the fish tank.
Additionally, it stops your betta fish from jumping out of the fish tank. The unsightly filter system of the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarum Kit with Rail Light is hidden behind the fish tank itself. The main filter pump is strong yet calm and works to keep the water within the aquarium in constant circulation.
To ensure that the water inside of the aquarium is clean and healthy for your betta fish to swim in, the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarum Kit with Rail Light a channel cartridge that utilizes actuated carbon is used, along with bio foam, to filter the tank water through the various stages. Available in two different sizes – 3 gal and 5 gal – the fish tank is big enough to house plants and ornaments to keep you betta fish entertained. The kit includes pretty much everything that you need to look after betta fish, other than a small heater, and comes in a really good price point.
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2. Fluval Spec III Aquarium Kit
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
This straight forward and simple tank has a modern design and is small enough that it can sit comfortably on a desk or countertop. Thanks to the aluminium frame of the Fluval Spec III Aquarium Kit, which comes in either black or white, it is pretty light and weighs approximately 10 lbs. The rectangle shaped tank is capable of holding up to 2.6 gal of water. However, because of its relatively small size, it is likely to be too small for some larger betta fish. Built in is an overhead light fixture that is made of up 31 individual LED lighting bulbs. This works to provide your betta fish with all of the light that they need, as well as making their bright colors stand out more.
However, the light produced us rather weak and some of the bulbs are prone to becoming faulty and not working. The Fluval Spec III Aquarium Kit also includes a strong pump for circulating the tank water, which includes a nozzle allowing for the output to be adjusted.
A strong multi stage biological, chemical, and mechanical filter system is used in this tank but is concealed in order to not ruin the aesthetics of the stylish aquarium. As a result, the aquarium is kept super clean and free from fish waste and other dirt.
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3. Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarium Kit
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
This 5 gal tank has a simple yet modern design. Sections of the aquarium lid have been cut out so that you are able to easily put in and set up accessories such as heaters. Because it does not have system cycle that naturally works to clean the aquarium, it needs a filter and pump to do this instead. Included in the Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarium Kit is a mechanical water filter that works by sucking water out of the tank and pushing it into a filter cartridge.
This filter is made up of a double sided mesh that catches waste and other debris that has come from the tank. Because of this, you will not have to manually clean the aquarium as often. However, the filtration system used in the Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarum Kit is not of the best quality and has been known to break and require fixing after only a short amount of time. The curved glass front of the tank ensures that your view of your betta fish is not restricted in anyway at all.
Built into the lid is a bright LED light that is energy efficient to provide your betta fish with the light that they need. To ensure that the tank water is not discolored and remains free from odour, so that your betta fish remain happy and healthy, the Tetra Crescent Acrylic Aquarium Kit uses carbon that has been ultra activated. Although it sounds technical, setting this up is actually really straight forward and simple. Should you need any help though, an instruction manual is included.
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4. Tetra 1.8 Gallon Waterfall Globe Aquarium Kit
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
Unlike most other aquariums out there, the tank on the Tetra 1.8 Gallon Waterfall Globe Aquarium Kit is spherical. Its small size makes it ideal for display in your home or office but means that is has a limited water capacity of just 1.8 gal. The kit includes a filtration system that is cartridge based, built in lighting, and a power filter that is pump driven. The finest bit about this is because the filtration system is built and wired directly into the tank, it does not require any setting up. Additionally, the filter is quiet enough not to bother you like some do.
However, because the filtration system is built into the tank, this becomes troublesome when any issues arise with it. This is not helped by the fact that the aquarium is so small and so makes finding replacement parts, or a completely new filtration system, that much harder.
Although a pump is not included in the Tetra 1.8 Gallon Waterfall Globe Aquarium Kit, one is not necessary given the size of the tank. However, to make up for the lack of a pump, a built in waterfall water feature is included.
This helps to cycle the water around the aquarium, as well as create the necessary amount of oxygen and movement for your betta fish. The built in LED light fixture has its own on / off button for greater flexibility. Because of the small size of the tank, the Tetra 1.8 Gallon Waterfall Globe Aquarium Kit is no good if you are wanting to keep other species of fish along with your betta fish.
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5. Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
The modern and simplistic design of this small fish tank means that it will look good sat on any desk or table top. Using aluminum trim around the edges of the fish tank helps to bring the overall weight of the Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit down to approximately 10 lbs. The small water capacity of 2.6 gals means that it is probably too small for any fish other than betta fish. Built onto the top of the fish tank is a light fixture that is made up of 31 separate LED lighting bulbs. However, this is not the finest quality and is likely to last no longer than six months.
This works to provide enough light for your betta fish, as well as to show off the beautiful surrounds of the aquarium.
Included in the Fluval Spec V Aquarium Kit a full filtration system and a pump for circulating the water, which feature a spout output that is completely customizable. These both work to keep the water inside of the fish tank being super clean and free from fish waster and other dirt. Given what is included with this aquarium, it is very reasonably priced.
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6. Aqueon LED MiniBow Aquarium Starter Kit
Quick Summary
Rated by: Amber
This 2.5 gal capacity fish tank is big enough to accommodate various aquarium decorations to go along with the betta fish that you keep in there. The modern design of the Aqueon LED Lights MiniBow Aquarium Starter Kit incorporate a raised base, which although does not move or turn, does look good and adds an extra element of style. On top of this, the black coloring that has been used on the betta fish tanks means that it goes with pretty much any décor.
On top of the Aqueon LED Lights MiniBow Aquarium Starter Kit is a feeding hole that is large enough for you hand to go through and drop the fish food into the water. Built into the underside of the aquarium lid is an LED light fixture, which can be switched off in the evening as not to disturb your betta fish when they are sleeping. Because the filtration system uses Aqueon’s Quiet Flow technology it means that it produced very little sound when in action.
However, as it used replaceable cartridges, these will require changing every so often.
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FAQs – A Buyer’s Guide
As you can see from the review of Our Top Picks, there are lots of different type of betta fish tanks and aquariums that are suitable for betta fish to live in. Although you may now have a better understanding as to what fish tank to put your bet fish in, you may still have some questions relating to the specifics. This is where we hope to help. From our extensive research, we have been able to provide in depth and detailed answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about betta fish and their tanks.
What is the best size tank for a betta fish?
Despite the myths that surround bettas, something small such as a fish bowl is not a good environment for them to live in. In order to thrive, they need to be in a fish tank that is at least 2.5 gals in size. For the finest results, a 5 gal fish tank is recommended. This water flow will not only provide them with sufficient space to swim around in but also makes cleaning the tank and keeping it free from toxins and ammonia that much easier.
This is because small betta fish tanks provide you with less margin for error, with toxins being able to build up really fast – faster than in bigger tanks. Also, because betta fish like to swim around, then the larger their fish tank is, the better. However, one that is too deep will be problematic given the fact that betta fish need to be able to swim to the surface in order to be able to breathe. The only other requirement for a larger tank is that it contains lots of live plants for the betta fish to enjoy swimming through and resting under.
What do betta fish like in their tanks?
In order to be happy and healthy, betta fish need a filter in their tank, despite the fact that in nature, they live in waters that are still. This water flow will help to keep the aquarium a safe environment for them as it will not only keep the water in their tanks clean, but also free from bacteria that could ne harmful. In addition they also require a heater in the tank too as they come from the warm waters of the tropical Thailand. Ideally, the temperature needs to bet set to anywhere ranging from 78 degree and 80 degree Fahrenheit.
Because betta fish like to swim along the bottom of their tank, then any gravel that is sitting there needs to be either really smooth or really small, as not to cause them harm. Originating from rice paddies in Thailand, which provide lots of places to hide in the shade, a tank that contains plants and caves to swim through and hide in will be enjoyed by betta fish. If you do not want to put living plants into their tank, then always go for silk one rather than plastic ones. It is also important to make sure that any ornaments that you put into a fish tank with betta fish do not have any sharp edges that damage their highly delicate fins.
Can a tank be too big for a betta?
Providing it is not too deep that they are unable to swim to the top of it, then no tank is too big for betta fish. This is because bettas have an organ called a labyrinth, which requires them to swim to the top of the tank water in order to breathe. Although the chance of any bettas dying as a result of this are pretty slim, it will likely stress them out and make them unhappy.
Because bettas love to swim around and explore their environment, as long as there are plenty of ornaments (e.g. driftwood or rocks) and plants for them to hide under and in, then something as large as a 10 gallon tank is not too big for beta fish. If they are in a large tank and do not have ornaments or plants in there with them, then they are likely to become stressed out and become aggressive as a result.
Do betta fish prefer small tanks?
Although a common misconception about bettas, they do not thrive in small tanks, such as those with a 2.5 gal capacity. In fact the very opposite is true and it is likely that they will be extremely unhappy living in such a small tank. It is actually recommended that bettas are kept in, at least, a 5 gallon tank and can, in fact, happily survive in tanks that are much larger than that. Although it may seem a contradiction, but bigger tanks are actually much better than smaller ones and take less maintenance.
When kept in a larger tank, there is less chance that bettas are going to act aggressively to any other fish that may be in the tank along side of them. This is because they will have some space that they are able to mark as their own territory.
The Best Fish Tank & Aquarium Setup for Beta Fishes Of All
What hopefully has become evident throughout this article is that beta fish require vey specific conditions to thrive in. Put them in the right fish tank, with the right plants and ornaments and they should live a long and happy life. So with this in mind we have been able to come to a final decision as to which of the fish tanks and aquariums from the list of Our Top Picks is the best betta fish tank of all. Before we do that though, what we should say is that many in this list were up for serious consideration, so if you do not agree with our decision, then any other fish tank or aquarium from the list of Our Top Picks should be more than adequate.
Because of the completely unrestricted view that it provides you with, thanks to the curved glass; the fact that the filtration system is hidden from sight as not to ruin the aesthetic of the aquarium; and the fact that compared to other fish tanks and aquariums it is relatively inexpensive, the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit with Rail Light is our pick for the best betta aquarium setup for beta fish of all. Unlike most other aquarium kits, it does not include a heater, so one needs to be purchased additionally, but this is not a massive negative point.