When watching a movie, you see lovely goldfish in a small fishbowl, so you want to raise them in a little thing at home as well, right? A little bowl looks cute on the screen, but it is not an ideal place for your goldfish's growth. This type of fish likes to swim in a broad space, requiring a place more significant than a bowl. Below are my top recommendations about the best goldfish tank:
Here are the best goldfish tanks you can buy in 2024:
- Most Leak-Proof (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): YCTECH Aquarium Starter Kits
- Most Energy-Efficient (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): Koller Products AquaView Aquarium
- Best For Small Goldfish (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): Penn-Plax Aquaponic Betta
- Most Durable (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium
- Easiest To Set Up (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit
- Best For Bedroom (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Marina LED Aquarium Kit
| 6 Best Goldfish Tanks | ||
|---|---|---|
Most Leak-Proof | YCTECH Aquarium Starter Kits
| |
Most Energy-Efficient | Koller Products AquaView Aquarium
| |
Best For Small Goldfish | Penn-Plax Aquaponic Betta
| |
Most Durable | Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium
| |
Easiest To Set Up | Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit
| |
Best For Bedroom | Marina LED Aquarium Kit
| |
Small Plastic Goldfish Tank
Though I strongly recommend buying a large goldfish tank for better growth, you can still use the high-quality small plastic goldfish tanks below. They work well for people with a tight budget and living in a limited space.
Most Leak-Proof (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): YCTECH Aquarium Starter Kits
- The strong and adjustable suction power is great for filtering and circulating the water.
- Nice style
- Not works well for more than one fish.
When looking at the product picture, most of you might think that this goldfish tank is made from glass. In fact, its material is impact-resistant plastic, which is impact, corrosion, and chemical resistant. So, it's not easy to be leaked when someone hits it accidentally.
In spite of the plastic, it comes with the outstanding feature of glass material that is crystal-clear clarity. You can observe each small movement of your little pets as well as what happens inside.
| YCTECH Aquarium Starter Kits Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 1.89 Pounds |
Size | 7.8 x 5.5 x 8.2 inches |
Shape | Semi-Circular |
Highlight Features | impact-resistant plastic, crystal-clear clarity, One-piece construction |
YCTECH aquarium starter kits goldfish tank is made from the leak-proof plastic material.
Most Energy-Efficient (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): Koller Products AquaView Aquarium
- Provides 360-degree beauty
- Powerful filter
- Easy to assemble and clean
- Cool looking
- Small opening for feeding
Goldfish don’t need much light. However, if you plan to grow plants inside the tank, the Koller Products AquaView Aquarium's energy-efficient LED lighting system can bring many benefits for their growth.
Its 7 dazzling color options provide your tank with a fantastic light effect, but it won't consume much energy. Specifically, this type of light uses about 75% less energy and lasts 25% times longer.
| Koller Products AquaView Aquarium Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 5 Pounds |
Size | 11 x 11 x 19.75 inches |
Shape | Round |
Highlight Features | Energy-efficient LED lighting, Powerful internal power filter, Crystal-clear clarity, impact-resistant plastic |
Koller Products AquaView Aquarium comes with an energy-efficient LED lighting system.
Best For Small Goldfish (Small Plastic Goldfish Tank): Penn-Plax Aquaponic Betta
- Easy to move from place to place
- Stays clean and clear with less maintenance
- You can't grow plants from seeds in the holder.
With the size of 3 x 3 x 8.6 inches, this tank is not an ideal solution for having many big fishes inside, but this product brings several advantages for owning a small goldfish. When looking at the picture, you can recognize the difference between it and other products on this list immediately, right?
You can enjoy your fish breeding and gardening hobby in only one model. You grow your favorite plant in a plastic holder with ceramic substrate planting material in the top part. The bottom part is a fish tank that allows you to raise your goldfish.
Planting like this can create a healthy environment for your small fish, thanks to replicating nature's cycle. When your fish makes its waste, your plant above functions as a filter that will purify water and absorb its waste as nourishment.
Because of its small size, it's effortless to remove for cleaning.
| Penn-Plax Aquaponic Betta Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 1.2 Pounds |
Size | 3 x 3 x 8.6 inches |
Shape | Round |
Highlight Features | Plastic plant holder with ceramic substrate planting material |
Penn-Plax Aquaponic Betta has a unique and convenient design to raise a small goldfish.
Large Glass Goldfish Tank
Most Durable (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium
- The filter works effectively to give back crystal clear water
- Quiet
- Doesn't have a button to turn off the lights
Compared to plastic material, a glass tank is more durable. So, it means that all products in the "large glass goldfish tank" part are sturdier and stronger than the 'small plastic goldfish tank" part. Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium is the most durable model among three glass tanks because it's made from scratch-resistant glass material. Small impacts of other pets and your kids on the tank surface can't leave a scratch, even breaking.
| Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 34.07 Pounds |
Size | 27.88 x 16.13 x 20.38 inches |
Shape | Rectangular |
Highlight Features | LED light |
Tetra ColorFusion Aquarium is made from a highly durable and strong material, lasting for a long time.
Easiest To Set Up (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit
- Quiet
- Beautiful
- Bright LED lighting but the low energy consumption
- Thick glass so durable
- Not adjustable heater
No one wants to spend plenty of their valuable time setting up a complicated goldfish tank. If you see eye to eye with me, Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit is a proper solution because it is straightforward to install. Moreover, you have the help and support of a competely setup guide with step by step. What you have to do is following the instructions and attach a piece to piece together.
Although this product requires less effort on your end to set up, it still has enough essential and convenient features:
Its cool white LED lighting helps you create an aquatic environment for your fishes' life.
There is no need to guess when you have to change your cartridge because the red LED light of QuietFlow 10 LED PRO power filter will tell you about this thing.
Meanwhile, the preset heater takes responsibility for keeping the temperature inside the tank at an appropriate level all the time.
| Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 32.9 pounds |
Size | 27.25 x 15.75 x 21 inches |
Shape | rectangle |
Highlight Features | Low profile full hood, vibrant cool white LED lighting |
You can set up Aqueon Aquarium Starter Kit in 5 simple steps, for example, finding an appropriate location and adding all essential things.
Best For Bedroom (Large Glass Goldfish Tank): Marina LED Aquarium Kit
- Cheap and easy to set up
- Super easy to maintain
- Well constructed
- The rough guard around the part of the filter
If you plan to set up a goldfish tank in your bedroom, make sure that how the lighting system and the filter work won't badly affect your sleep. The Marina LED Aquarium Kit can meet these requirements:
Its LED lighting module can mimic and produce the natural daylight effect's hue and intensity. So, it can maintain your body's natural circadian rhythm without influencing your sleep.
Although this model's filter doesn't work in silence completely, it just gives off a low constant hum without waking you up.
From these points, this is an ideal tank to set up in your bedroom.
| Marina LED Aquarium Kit Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 35 Pounds |
Size | 30 x 18 x 22.3 inches |
Shape | rectangle |
Highlight Features | a Marina Slim S20 clip-on filter, quick-change filter cartridges |
Marina LED Aquarium Kit has a suitable level of lighting and noise without affecting your sleep in your bedroom.
How To Choose The Best Goldfish Tank?
What Is The Ideal Size Of A Goldfish Tank?
You think that a small goldfish tank is the most suitable choice for your small fishes, right? Let me remind you that goldfish grow quickly and they can live for a long time. Thus, it's better to buy a large tank from the beginning. You don't have to upgrade the tank when your goldfish reach adulthood size.
If you own one-two goldfish, I strongly recommend you choose a 20-gallon tank. Meanwhile, you should invest in a more than 50-60-gallon tank for a school of fish.
Here are other reasons to pick up a large tank:
It requires less maintenance, fewer water changes, but you can keep this tank clean and clear easily. Fewer changes of water not only help you save a lot of time and effort on your part but also give your goldfish benefits. This type of fish is sensitive to temperature, so changing the water regularly can be stressful.
The tank size can influence your fish body's growth. A small tank inhibits this development, so your fishes can't reach a proper size. On the contrary, a large goldfish tank gives your fishes an unrestricted space so that they can grow up to 10 inches long.
The goldfish can live up to 20 years in the right conditions. But, if you inhibit their growth in a small tank, they just can live a few years.
As I mentioned, goldfish grow quickly, being bigger and heavier in a short period, so they require more oxygen. You need to provide your fishes with a large tank for their well-being, having plenty of surface area.
The more significant goldfish are, the more waste they make. A large tank containing more water volume can dilute the waster. So, the water quality is slowly influenced compared to using a small tank.
Space available plays a vital role in choosing a goldfish tank. If your office is small or you have a limited apartment, it's hard to set up a large goldfish inside.
What Is The Perfect Shape For Goldfish?
Goldfish needs surface area instead of depth because they enjoy swimming the tank's length, so you had better choose a rectangular tank.
Which Material Do You Need?
The majority of goldfish are made from glass or acrylic. Each of them brings specific benefits and drawbacks, so your choice will depend on your needs:
Acrylic
This is a perfect choice for people who want to transport and move their goldfish tank regularly because this material is lightweight and easy-to-lift.
If your family has children or own dogs and cats, selecting acrylic is better than glass material because it can deal with small collisions and impacts without breaking and cracking.
Another plus point is the acrylic tank's bonding process, which is so good that the seams are invisible without leaking over time.
Moreover, the acrylic retains heat better than another material, which leads to less extreme temperature fluctuations.
Glass
Although glass tanks won't be scratched, it's straightforward to crack and break. They can keep their original shape over time, but this is a challenging task for acrylic material. After unboxing an acrylic tank, you will see a stunning look. However, the model will yellow or get cloudy more or less if you let it expose to direct sunlight too much. The glass material won't cloud and discolor no matter how long you use it under the sun.
This material is heavy. So, if you choose a glass 200-gallon tank, it is challenging to lift and move.
The glass material just comes in rectangular tanks, but this is the best-suited shape for goldfish.
Which equipment do you need in your goldfish tank?
Filter
Most goldfish tanks available on the market have this filter that takes responsibility for removing your fishes' mess and waste, toxins, and other buildups. This part is essential, so you should choose a highly-efficient and high-quality filter system.
Lights
Though goldfish don't need plenty of light, your plants in the tank require an amount of lighting. Thus, if you grow some kinds of plants in your aquarium, you should invest in a model with low profile LED lights to simulate your plant growth. This accessory also adds extra beauty to your tank.
Dechlorinator and water conditioners
In case you want to improve the pond water quality, you can add these treatments into the tank.
Fine Sand
This is not a vital element, but it can add more aesthetic appeal.
Big Fishnet
This tool helps you catch and keep your fish from domestic pets, wading birds, and herons while maintaining your tank.
Gravel Siphon
The gravel siphon is designed to help you change the water. Depending on your needs and budget, you can purchase an automatic or a manual model.
Thermometer
This device helps you check the water temperature to maintain a stable level all the time.
Which Brands Make The Best Goldfish Tank?
Tetra
Dr. Ulrich Baensch founded tetra Werke Company in Melle, Germany, 50 years ago. It pioneered the development of flake fish foods. Now, this brand has produced a wide range of products as well as published books for keeping aquarium fish, amphibians and reptiles, and water gardening.
Aqueon
True aquatic hobbyists developed Aqueon, so their goal from the inception is providing the best products for fish and aquatic life. For instance, their fish foods are produced from premium natural ingredients.
FAQs
How many goldfish can you have in a tank?
If you want your goldfish to grow healthy and full-size, remember these rules:
- Raise one fish in a 20-gallon tank at least.
- Keep two-three ones in a 40-gallon aquarium at least.
- At least, use a 50-60 gallon goldfish tank for 4 small goldfish or 2 common goldfish.
What is the best filter for the goldfish aquarium?
The best filter for a goldfish aquarium must meet the following requirement:
It can cycle through the water volume in the tank ten times per hour.
What size tank do I need for 2 goldfish?
I mentioned this issue earlier. However, if you have a better budget, you should make a purchase of a larger goldfish tank. Specifically, you buy a 42-gallon tank for 2 common goldfish and a 30-gallon model for 2 fancy goldfish.
What size tank does a common goldfish need?
A common adult goldfish needs at least a 20-gallon tank, while a fancy adult goldfish just requires a 10-gallon unit at least.
Can a goldfish live in a 5-gallon tank?
No. A 5-gallon tank is too small for goldfish.
Conclusion
The best goldfish tank must allow your pets to grow up to its full size, comfortably and freely to swim. Besides, its accessories like the filter must function well to remove your fish’s waste.
