Best 5 Gallon Tank for Betta

Overview

As a new aquarist or hobbyist, starting out is no walk in the park. But then, you have to kick off that journey by choosing a tank you can easily maintain, a tank that allows your betta to move around, and a tank that can accommodate other things. More often than not, many newbies settle for a 5 gallon tank – I think it makes perfect sense!

Think of it this way: a 5 gallon tank is small enough for a desktop or tabletop and large enough to provide adequate swimming room for bettas. Don’t forget that betta fish measures about 1 – 2 inches in length. What’s more, when your betta has enough room for swimming, you can be sure it is healthy and happy. 

Besides, anything less than a 5 gallon tank easily gets dirty; you will always clean it up. Believe me when I say you don’t need that. Now, you see why you need a 5 gallon betta tank. As an experienced aquarist, I have done extensive research and developed this list of the five best 5 gallon tank for betta fish.

Please note that my criteria for selecting these tanks hover around tank layout, filtration, lighting, and price. In this article, you will also learn things you can use to spice up your 5 gallon betta tank. So, continue reading to find out what tank made your list. 

5 Best 5 gallon Tank for Betta Fish 

Based on experience and extensive research, I compiled this list of the 5 best tanks for you. 

1. Fluval SPEC Aquarium Kit

Indeed, this is one of the top betta tanks I think you should buy because it has everything you can expect in your ideal tank and more. Yes, it is a 5 gallon tank with unique features like an LED lighting system consisting of 37 powerful LED lamps.

These LED lamps provide brilliant illumination for plants and add to your décor. Its LED also has a sleek, aluminum waterproof casing. Plus, it has an adjustable output nozzle and a 3-stage filtration system that ensures your water is clean all the time.

If you opt for this tank, I advise you to change 20% of its water every week. Ensure you replace it with water with the same parameters and temperature as the polluted water. It has a lid that doesn’t give room for your betta to escape the aquarium. 

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Pros 

• No room for keeping large amounts of waste 
• It is durable and budget-friendly 
• Easy-to-maintain pump and filtration system 
• 7000 LEDs make your betta a delight to watch at night 
• Has a dedicated compartment for hiding the heater and filter  

Cons

• The filter is too powerful for some bettas
• You will often change its water 
• Light may be too bright for fish 
• May need pre filter to reduce flow rate for Betta

2. Fluval Chi II Aquarium Set

 If you are on a low budget, you should go for this 5 gallon tank because it is affordable. Lest I forget, it is a glass tank with an elegant design. The tank is also portable with a beautiful, top-mounted fountain LED. Its 17 powerful LED lights create a 7600K color temperature that mimics natural sunlight, allowing you to easily view in-tank activities. It has a removable cover that prevents your bettas and other aquatic life from jumping out of your aquarium. When it comes to a healthy filtration system, you can always count on this product. Still, this tank has a reflective wall that engages bettas when they see their reflection on the wall. I also like that it has a sturdy base and a glass lid that easily slides back, allowing you to feed your bettas without hassles.  

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Pros 

• Comes with a beautifully designed indoor fountain 
• Enough open water surface for breathing 
• Easy to use and maintain 
• Has a cover that doesn’t allow aquatic creatures to escape
• It is very affordable 

Cons 

• Uneasy to maintain its filter fountain feature 
• Excessive evaporation that makes the room humid 
• Noticeable calcium deposit gathers around the filters  
• I have had some friends complain about reflections for Bettas

3. Fluval Sea Evo V Saltwater Fish Tank Aquarium Kit

Do you need a beautiful 5 gallon glass tank to enhance your home’s internal décor? If so, go for this tank. First and foremost, it has powerful LED lighting designed to bring out strong coral growth and fish colors. It boasts a 3-stage filtration process – mechanical, chemical, and biological. All these stages help to keep your water healthy. The tank is portable and easy to maintain. It features an 11000K LED with an aluminum waterproof casing that neither allows liquid to drip into the lights nor cause the casing to corrode. It ships with several accessories, including a low-voltage transformer, aquarium lid, etc.

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Pros 

• The aluminum waterproof casing doesn’t corrode 
• Its lid ensures your aquatic creatures don’t escape
• Easy to use and maintain 
• Comes with an easy-to-use feeding hole 
• Has plenty of room for small fish to move around

Cons 

• It is relatively pricey 
• The feeding hole has no lid 
• Can get crowded quickly, manage fish, snails and any other tank items

4. Lifegard Aquatics Full-View Aquarium with Built-in Black Filter

Here’s another beautiful 5 gallon glass tank I think you should consider starting with because it has breathtaking features. Sure, it has a low voltage thermostat that maintains water at 78^oF; you don’t have to adjust it to attain that temperature.

Remember, that’s the perfect temperature for your betta (75 – 80^oF). Caution: if you buy a heater too small for it, it can cause under-heating. It features a glass lid that ensures your aggressive aquatic creatures don’t jump out of the tank or escape. I like that it has a rectangular shape that gives enough room for your betta to move around and explore the aquarium.

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Pros 

• Engineered with a unique view  
• It is relatively affordable 
• Has an optional Co₂ injection fitting  
• Easy to use and maintain
• Glass lid prevents aquatic creatures from escaping 

Cons

• The lid has no hole for feeding bettas
• The lights don’t last 
• Need to add tank components to establish full service aquarium.

5. PENN-PLAX Water-World Radius Desktop Nano Aquarium Kit

If you haven’t fallen in love yet with the products I have reviewed thus far, this tank will certainly sweep you off your feet. Here comes a squared 5 gallon tank specially built for your betta.

Truly, this frameless tank is made of glass 1/8-inch thick and has two curved corners that enable hobbyists and aquarists to have a broader view of its content. Guess what, it has a fully submersible internal filter. Its filter cycles water at 70 gallons per hour. During the filtration process, the system removes harmful chemicals, floating particulate matter, toxins, etc. Other cool features include silver LED light, mat, glass lid, clear mountain clips, etc. 

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Pros 

• Simple and easy to use 
• Glass lid that ensures your aquatic life doesn’t escape 
• Has a biological filtration system 
• It is affordable 
• Comes with a lot of accessories, so you don’t have to buy them 

Cons 

• Has a noisy filter 
• Its LED light has no switch  

What Else Should be in your 5 gallon Betta Tank? 

Do you want to make your fish happy? If so, endeavor to add one or more of these to the aquarium:

1. Toys and decorations:  Add some tank ornaments and interesting caves that allow your betta to swim and dive around them. More importantly, ensure the decorations have no sharp or jagged edges and that the holes are big enough for them to fit in without getting hurt or stuck. 
2. Betta fish exercise mirror: Over the years, I discovered that when bettas see their reflections, they flare their gills and stretch out their fins. Sure, this is a form of exercise. Nevertheless, you should remove the mirror after a while. 
3. Live fish food: You see, betta fish is a hunter and can ambush predators. Therefore, you can add insect larvae, small crustaceans, and other tiny animals to your aquarium. Once you have added them, you can now watch your fish spend time hunting them. The task of hunting those creatures makes your aquarium more fascinating to watch. 
4. Live plants: Furthermore, you would agree with me that this list wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention live plants. That’s because the plants mimic your betta’s habitat. For instance, betta splendens dwell in shallow waters with tons of dense vegetation. When you have it in the tank, you make your betta feel at home. Other plants that work well with Bettas include java fern, anubias genus, marimo moss ball, cryptocoryne plants, water sprite, etc.  
5. Other tank mates: Have you considered getting your betta some tank mates? If not, you can get your buddy some playmates like snails to make the aquarium more active, colorful, and engaging. However, given the size of the tank, you shouldn’t exceed one mollusk. Feel free to go for gastropods like Mystery, Ramshorn, Japanese Trapdoor, Nerite snails, etc. 

Final Thoughts 

Wrapping up, I have reviewed the five best 5 gallon tanks for your betta fish, features that make them a must-have, and their shortcomings. Plus, I showed you some things you should have in your aquarium to get the most from it. For other fish species, you should have about 2 – 5 of them in your 5-gallon tank.

However, I strongly advise you not to combine betta fish with other species because they are aggressive. In fact, another name for betta fish is Siamese fighting fish. Therefore, a betta is enough for a tank of that capacity. Similarly, never combine two male betta fish; you call for “bloody war” when you do that. Lastly, stick to the tidbits I have shared here and set up your beautiful aquarium to make your home more welcoming and attractive. Do it now!!