The Best Betta Fish Tanks + New 5 Gallon Winner

Choosing the best betta tank is just as important as choosing your fish.

The tank your bettas live in will serve as the foundation of your little aquatic ecosystem. If it’s not ideal, then you’re going to have trouble ensuring that they live happy and healthy lives.

But where do you begin?

There are so many betta fish tanks out there that are advertised as being “the perfect home” for your fish. Some of them even have great reviews online.

This makes it very hard to figure out which tanks are the best, and which aren’t.

That’s where we come in.

In this updated buyer guide, we’ve put together a complete list of the best betta fish tanks so you can make your purchase with confidence that it will be right for your fish.

Let’s get started.

How we came up with our list of the best betta tanks

We take the research phase very seriously for all of the buyer guides we put together. However, this one felt even more important.

Because they’re such a popular fish for aquarists of all ages and experience levels, we knew this guide was going to get a ton of eyeballs on it. This meant our list of the best betta fish tanks had to be perfect. 

We spent a lot of time thinking about the different ways we could attack this to make sure we got it right. Our solution was to double the amount of time we spent sourcing feedback from owners of various betta tanks.

This additional feedback was added to our usual process of spec and reliability research (and some hands-on testing) which helps us narrow down the pool of candidates. It’s an effective three-step process that has worked very well for us in the past.

The extra feedback ended up being a bit overkill but at the end of the day, it helped us feel super confident about the tanks on our list. 

We’re sure that you’ll find something on there that’s right for you! 

1. Edge Aquarium with LED Light By Fluval

We really like this betta tank that Fluval put together for a number of reasons.

First, it comes in two different size options that are both very convenient. The smaller model is a 6 gallon tank, and the large tank is 12 gallons.

This gives you some options when it comes to the number of betta fish you want to keep, the room you have available to you, and simply how much tank you want to deal with (and clean). All of this is accomplished just by giving buyers two sensible sizes that cover both ends of the spectrum.

The design of this tank is fantastic too. It looks clean and professionally made without distracting you from watching your bettas. The 360-degree design means you’ll be able to observe your tank from any angle as well.

The column behind the tank glass can house any of the LED lighting systems you use, which keeps the tank looking great and clutter-free. This column in the back is also where you would tuck away wiring and filtration.

It comes with a decently powerful blue LED light that can be set to a number of different positions quite easily. It’s a breeze to use.

The power filter that comes with the Fluval Edge is one of the big selling points for this betta tank. It’s common for kits to have great tanks, but subpar supporting equipment. That’s not the case here.

The biggest downside to this tank is the fact that it’s a little on the pricey side of things. If you’re someone who is looking for a budget buy, this isn’t the betta tank for you.

However, if you want a high-quality tank that looks amazing, this is a great option for you.

Pros:

• Incredible design and viewing experience
• Column on the back makes it easy to keep things clutter-free
• Included filter is very effective
• Compact build makes it easy to move and find a place to set it up

Cons:

• Not a budget buy
• You’ll probably want to upgrade your lights if you need some real power

2. Contour Glass Aquarium Kit By MarineLand

This is another great-looking 5 gallon tank that’s perfect for betta fish. The big feature with this kit is the powerful LED light rail that’s included on the top. This is a very high-quality kit light that gives you day and night options.

This means during the day you’ll use the blue LEDs and the white LEDs at the same time. This brings out the colors in the tank exceptionally well and does a good job illuminating the fish in your tank.

Using the night setting only the blue lights will turn on. This creates a more moonlit effect.

The 3-step filtration system that you get with this betta tank is very respectable as well. It’s housed in a hidden panel on the back that keeps the tank design looking clean. It’s also very easy to access if you need to go in to make a change or repair anything later on down the line.

Note: Do not put any heating systems in the back panel area where the filtration system is. There is room in there, but it’s made of plastic. We’ve seen some reviews and feedback from people saying they’ve either done this or are considering it. Do not listen to those reviews!

The curved glass is beautiful and very well-made. Sometimes curved glass tank kits suffer when they’re manufactured by less-reputable companies, but MarineLand has been in this game for a while.

Simply put, this is one of the best 5 gallon betta fish tanks you can find on the market today.

Pros:

• Curved glass is well-made and looks great
• Great value for the money
• The LED light is high-quality
• Comes with filtration
• Easy access top

Cons:

• You’ll need to adjust the flow rate to be suitable for betta fish
• No size options larger than 5 gallons

3. 10 Gal LED Aquarium Kit By Aqueon

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This is one of the best betta fish tanks (especially for beginners) you can get because it simply does a solid job all around.

It doesn’t knock your socks off with its design, or have one particular feature that makes you say “wow.”

However, it has everything you need at an affordable price with a good track record of reliability. In fact, it’s one of the most recommended betta starter kits out there.

The Aqueon comes with pretty much everything you need to get started. A 10 gallon tank, filter, heater, LED light, fish food, thermometer, filter cartridges, and even a net are all included when you pick this up.

If you want to get more of a customized water temperature then you’ll need to get another heater, but this is enough to get you started on day 1.

It’s important to remember that as you get more involved/advanced with your fishkeeping hobby, you’ll naturally upgrade your gear over time. That’s why we don’t like to grade kit gear on the same scale as premium or more advanced gear. As long as they do the job and don’t fall apart then they’re doing their job.

This entire kit setup is super straightforward to install and assemble. A beginner can have everything up and running in very little time.

Overall if you’re looking for a 10 gallon betta tank kit that removes any headaches and lets you enjoy your fish quickly, this is a great choice.

Pros:

• Very affordable
• The kit includes all the essential equipment you need to get started

Cons:

• You’ll probably end up getting a new heater with more flexibility
• The tank isn’t as clear and pretty as the other options on our list

4. LED Cube Shaped 3 Gallon Aquarium By Tetra

This is one of the best-selling betta tank kits out there and is a perfect option for anyone looking to get started (or looking for a hassle-free setup).

This is a 3 gallon tank that makes the most of its footprint by being very space-efficient. The light doesn’t stick out too much and the base of the tank is very thin. You’ll have no trouble finding room for this tank no matter where you decide to put it.

Here are some size specs to help paint the picture. The dimensions of this tank are 10.5 x 10 x 10 inches, which makes it very compact. The weight comes in at just under four and a half pounds.

This kit comes with a filter and LED light that are both decent especially when you consider the price you’re paying for the kit. You’ll likely want to upgrade your filter to something a little more robust once you get things up and running though.

The assembly process is very easy and pretty much everyone we spoke to about this betta tank agreed. You can have everything unboxed and up and running in less than half an hour if you read the instructions and have the water and fish ready to go.

Another thing that’s worth noting is this doesn’t include a heater like the Aqueon kit on this list. This isn’t a deal-breaker by any means, you’ll just need to pick up an aquarium heater to complete the setup.

Pros:

• Extremely affordable kit
• Small and compact footprint
• Comes with filter and light

Cons:

• Filter quality could be better
• Viewing experience and clarity is average due to the plastic tank

5. Vertex Desktop Betta Kit By Penn Plax

This 2.7 gallon tank kit from Penn Plax is one of the best betta tanks for a number of reasons. It offers most of the essential gear you need (tank, filter, thermometer, and net) in an affordable package.

But what really stood out to us was the clean frameless design that makes for a fantastic viewing experience. While a lot of the affordable kits offer a “good enough” tank design, the Penn Plax competes with them in price while surpassing them in tank quality (at least aesthetically).

Unlike some of the other best tanks on our list, this doesn’t have any sneaky panels to hide your equipment. It’s basically just a beautiful rimless aquarium tank that you build around.

We like this very minimal and clean feel. There are a lot of great designs out there that feature neat panels and accents, but sometimes it’s nice to stick with the tank only.

If you have a betta fish then you’ll need to be sure that you pick up a heater and lamp, since those don’t come with this kit. We don’t think that should be something that turns you away from this kit though. You’re still getting a heck of a value for the price!

Pros:

• Comes with a complete kit
• Beautiful tank

Cons:

• No heater and lamp
• Some might not like the minimal design

6. Spec V Aquarium Kit By Fluval

Another one of the best 5 gallon betta fish tanks is the Fluval Spec V aquarium kit. It’s one of Fluvals best selling kits and has a wide range of features included that can make your job easy.

This is a glass tank that has an interesting aluminum trim/border design to it. It’s not for everyone, so if you’re someone who is really interested in maximum visibility and aesthetic appeal you might want to consider that before purchasing this.

It has a nice LED light that runs above the top of the tank lengthwise in a way that doesn’t distract from the fish in your tank. Some lights stick up and draw attention to themselves, but this is a pretty low profile option. The light has some serious output too especially for kit gear.

You also get a solid 3-stage filtration system that is housed in the back area to keep everything looking nice and clean. It’s relatively quiet which can be a major benefit for anyone looking to avoid loud filters.

You can run various sizes of heaters with this tank due to the efficient design. It might be a 5 gallon fish tank but when you look at it from a distance it feels much larger!

The clarity of the glass is another draw of the Spec V. It’s extremely high quality and makes it incredibly easy to see everything that’s going on in your tank. The clarity and detail rank right up there with a lot of higher-priced tanks.

Pros:

• The clarity of the glass is stunning
• Fair price for what you get in the kit
• Easy setup and installation process

Cons:

• Quality of the included light is mediocre
• You’ll need to adjust the water flow for bettas

7. The 1.8 Gallon Waterfall Globe Aquarium Kit By Tetra

This is one of our favorite betta fish tanks on the list purely for the unique and fun “fish bowl” design.

The Waterfall Globe Kit from Tetra is a nifty and compact little tank that can fit on the top of your desk or on a side table in your room without any issues. The overall footprint of this kit is 12 x 10.8 x 13.5 inches and it weighs a touch over three pounds.

A lot of the time when you want to do a unique aquarium setup you have to put in a lot of effort or hand over a large chunk of change. This kit solves both of those problems.

The waterfall design that feeds into the globe tank from the top is a really cool idea, and we give Tetra credit for implementing it so well. It’s also rather calming when you listen to it and mesmerizing to watch. This is a great feature for a home office where you can quickly destress with a quick glance.

It comes with a built-in cartridge-based filtration system and a low volt light. Everyone we spoke to about this said it was super easy to set up as well.

The biggest downside is it’s a very small tank, so you’ll need to be extra careful to ensure all water levels and fish waste are being taken care of.

Pros:

• Very unique and fun design
• Compact footprint

Cons:

• Need to install plate properly to make sure water flow is under control
• Not much room for your fish to swim

8. Water Garden By Back to the Roots

The Back to the Roots Water Garden is another fun and unique tank for your bettas. It has a solid reliability and satisfaction track record that really jumped off the page at us.

The goal of this design is for the tank to be self-cleaning via aquaponics. The live plants above the water are supposed to filter the water in the tank, and the waste in the tank serves to feed/fertilize the plants on top.

If you’re looking for something different that is still relatively simple to get started with, then the Water Garden is definitely something to consider.

It’s a 3 gallon betta tank kit that comes with seeds for your plants, water pump, gravel, growstones, and coupons for fish food. If you’re used to other more traditional tanks this might take a second to familiarize yourself with due to the aquaponic design, but once you poke around you’ll see that the setup is pretty straightforward.

One of the things you’ll want to keep an eye on is how your plants are doing. If you view them as more of a decoration than a crucial component of your tank, your betta fish will suffer.

If the plants and roots develop mold or fail to thrive, they won’t be able to clean the water efficiently. In other words, the whole system falls apart. If you’re someone who is looking at this list of the best betta tanks to find the most headache-free option, you might want to pass on this tank.

Pros:

• Fun and unique design
• Comes with the basics to get you started

Cons:

• Finding space for the heater is a big issue
• If the plants fail to thrive, your fish will too

Our favorites

Our list of the best betta fish tanks is full of great options for you. Depending on what you’re looking for, we think that there’s something on here for everyone.

However, since these are all so similar in terms of their size and functionality we think it makes sense to declare our favorites. So here we go.

The best overall

If you’re fine spending a little more to get the cream of the crop, we think you can’t go wrong with the Fluval Edge. It’s stunning to look at, comes in two great sizing options, and the quality of the included equipment is very solid. It’s always in stock on Amazon too!

The best value

In our opinion, the best value buy is the Contour Glass Aquarium Kit By MarineLand. If you don’t feel like springing for the Edge and want something that still provides a high-end experience, this is your best bet.

You get an impressive level of build quality, great aesthetics, a crystal clear tank, and more. All for a very reasonable and approachable price.

What to look for in a betta tank

If you’ve never shopped for a betta fish tank before, you might have a few questions. The most common concern that a lot of new buyers have is they’re not sure what sort of features to look for in a tank.

When you don’t know what’s good and what’s bad, everything starts to look the same.

That’s why we’re writing this section. When you’re finished, you’ll be comfortable identifying the features that make the most sense for what you need.

This will help you feel great about the betta tank you decide to go with.

Tank size

One of the most important features to look at when choosing your tank is the size. As you’ll notice above, our two favorite betta tanks are 5 gallons or more.

There’s a reason for this.

While we did include a couple of smaller unique tanks on the list that can definitely work if you take care of everything, the more size the better. When fish don’t have much space to explore, it can impact them in a number of ways.

There are a couple of reasons why the 5 gallon rule is around for betta fish:

• More room to swim. This is an obvious one but it’s important enough that it’s worth covering the details. Betta fish like to swim and explore. While you can pull off keeping them in a smaller tank, they will always be happier with more space. This will impact their health, lifespan, and ability to thrive.
• Safety. Smaller tanks are more prone to issues such as ammonia spikes. This is because water levels and conditions can change quicker than in larger tanks.

Heater

You’ll notice that a lot of the best betta tanks don’t come with a heater. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s because your fish don’t need them.

Betta fish are tropical fish that are used to warm water and if you want to ensure their health and safety you’ll need to get a heater for their tank. A water temp under 76°F-77°F is too cold. You should probably shoot for a range of 78°F-81°F if you want them to be safe and comfortable.

This means you should always be mindful of heating options when you pick out your betta tank. If you don’t think there’s a way you can heat the water properly you should probably pass. You won’t be able to drop your fish in a cold tank straight from the pet store and expect them to thrive.

Filter

The last thing that you’ll want to look into is the quality of the filter. A lot of tank kits come with a filter for your convenience, so you can get up and running on day one.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s good enough to give you the clean water you need.

In our list of the best betta fish tanks, we make sure to highlight when filters are included, and if you’ll want to upgrade from the kit tank right away.

The reason why the filter matters so much is it directly impacts the water quality. Dirty water is a fast way to negatively impact the health of your bettas.

Even though they are labyrinth fish (which means they get their air from the surface) it doesn’t mean they can handle a tank with poor water quality.

A good filter is the first line of defense when it comes to ensuring the water in your betta tank is clean and healthy. It also will impact the amount of oxygen that can be found in the tank, which is essential for your fish. Combining with this a sufficient amount of water changes will make your betta very happy.

Lastly, be sure that your filter flow isn’t too strong. Betta fish can’t handle a heavy flow of water and this can cause them harm if left unchecked. A quick way to bring down the intensity is by adding a flow filter.

How to set up and install your betta tank

A lot of first-time owners get concerned about the installation and set up process.

And we totally understand.

Your first tank can be a scary process, and you want to make sure that you do it right for the sake of your fish. But don’t worry, as long as you follow the instructions you’ll be fine!

All of the best betta fish tanks come with thorough instructions to help you install your tank and get everything set up properly. If we had to give you one piece of advice on this topic, it would be to follow the instructions.

If you do this you’ll be totally fine, and have your tank up and running in no time. You’ll likely start by putting together the foundation of the tank itself before hooking up any included lighting, filters, and your additional heater last.

Don’t forget water conditioner too! That will come in a lot of kits and is an important part of the process if you want your fish to be healthy and low maintenance.

Conclusion 

Picking the best betta tank can seem daunting at first. You want to make sure that your fish are happy and healthy, and you don’t want a tank that ends up being a disappointment.

Fortunately, if you pick from our list you’re going to be just fine. We’ve done the hard work researching, so you don’t have to.

We hope you enjoyed this buyer guide and found a tank that’s perfect for you. As always, if you have any questions or feedback you can always get in touch with us!