The Best Small Fish Tanks: Our Top 5 Picks Reviewed

Everyone loves looking at an aquarium. The beauty of the colorful fish and the swaying plants is captivating. However, not everyone has room for a large aquarium. But there’s good news! Any one of these amazing small aquariums would make a great addition to your home, office, or desktop.

Today’s nano and small sized aquariums are beautifully designed and fit into any décor. They look great on a desktop, in the living room, in a child’s bedroom, or even in the office. And caring for a small aquarium only requires a few minutes a day. If you’re new to aquarium-keeping and don’t know what equipment is required don't worry! Each of these 5 best small aquariums kits comes complete with everything you need to get started.

If you are looking to set up a small tank on your own you may want to check out this article where we drive you through the basic set-up process for building your own small fish tank.

Shopping for your first aquarium can be a bit overwhelming but don't worry. We have scoured the web and come up with what we think are the 5 top small aquarium kits of 2021. Our review will list all the features and benefits that are important in selecting the right desktop aquarium for your needs.

The Marineland Contour Glass Aquarium comes in either a 3- or 5-gallon size mounted on a black pedestal with a built-in filter and LED light rail. The glass canopy on top provides easy access for feeding.

The internal 3-stage filter system with mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration will help keep your water crystal clear. The filter is hidden in the back wall of the aquarium. Inside the filter is a water pump for circulation. The filter uses Marineland Eclipse Replacement Fitler Cartridges, also available on Amazon. These filter cartridges remove particulate matter, colors and odors. The filter also includes Bio-foam to help in biological filtration.

The aquarium also does not come with a heater, which is necessary for keeping tropical fish.

Blue and white LEDs are mounted in the attached light rail. The lights can be switched from white, to blue or both. The blue LEDS enhance the colors of fish, plastic plants, gravel and ornaments. It also creates a relaxing moonlight effect.

The Marineland Silhoutte aquarium is best suited for small freshwater fish, shrimp, a frog, or a betta.

Bottom line, this is a very stylish tank at a bargain price considering all the features (i.e. glass tank, high-quality filter, LED lighting, and pedestal). This is one of our top-picks in the small fish tank category!

The Fluval EVO V is designed for keeping marine fish, reef invertebrates, and coral. The aquarium is constructed of glass with a volume of 5 gallons. This puts the Evo V in the nano aquarium class of marine aquariums.

The aquarium kit comes with a bright 11000K high-output LED light encased in a sleek aluminum housing that is a blend of white and blue LED lights. The LED light is designed for saltwater corals but is not compatible for freshwater plants.

The 3-stage filtration system (mechanical, biological and chemical filtration) is mounted inside the aquarium to one side of the tank. The black honeycomb pattern helps the filter box blend in. The filter has a relatively large area for adding filter media. It comes with a Fluval foam filter block with handle that makes maintenance easy. The filter also comes with Fluval Biomax bio media and activated carbon for clear water.

The Fluval Evo V is best suited for small reef fish and soft corals. Large and small polyp stony corals will require better lighting and a protein skimmer. You’ll also need to add a submersible heater to maintain a steady water temperature.

Overall this is a great starter small saltwater aquarium kit with an attractive design and a super-clear glass. While the price may seem high, you really get what you pay for with this small fish tank.

The Hygger Horizon Aquarium measures 19" L x 11.8" W x 9.6" H, which still makes it small enough to fit on most desktops. This small fish tank features a curved front which widens the view of the aquarium. While it is a 8-gallon tank it only holds 6-gallons of water because of the detachable 3D rockwork background. When it is full of water and has a layer of gravel, the tank as a whole will weigh around 70-75 pounds. The tank has a cushion pad on the bottom to prevent scratches.

The tank includes a 7W 110GPH internal power filter pump with adjustable water flow and 2 rain showers that add a nice water noise. The 3D rockwork background also has a hole specially cut out for the filter.

Also included is an 18W white+red+blue LED lighting system with an external digital controller. The controller has a timer that can be set for 3-,6-, or 12-hour increments, can adjust the brightness from 10% to 100%, and has 3 light modes. The different light modes will really highlight the colors of your aquarium while also allowing you to simulate both daytime and nighttime conditions.

Bottom line, we really like this tank! It is very attractive - especially with the curved front and 3D rock background - and comes with a lot of great features for the money.

The Tetra Hexagonal 1 Gallon Bubbling LED Aquarium Kit falls into the Pico aquarium category. It holds just 1 gallon of water and measures 8 inches high by 6.5 inches wide and 6.5 inches deep. Its small size means this aquarium will fit just about anywhere.

The hexagonal design is sleek and gives the fish keeper a 360 degree view of the aquarium. The tank is made of durable plastic, which makes it a great option for children. The tank also comes with a clear plastic lid with a feeding hole.

The kit comes with Tetra's Whisper Internal Filter specially made for a Pico-sized aquariums. The filter uses replaceable Whisper bio bag filter cartridges to keep the water clear. The Tetra aquarium kit also comes with a color changing LED light and air pump. This LED bubbler really brings the tank to life.

The Tetra 1 Gallon Aquarium Kit does not come with a heater, which is required for keeping tropical fish. The Aqueon 10 Watt Mini heater, available on Amazon, is recommended for this aquarium. This 5-watt heater will make this aquarium suitable for small tropical fish and freshwater shrimp.

With this kit all you will need to buy is some gravel, plants, and ornaments to decorate your new fish tank!

Bottom line, this is a high-quality tank that would make a great desktop fish tank for beginner fish keepers, small children, or just a fun addition to the office, dorm room, or home. We would recommend stocking this tank with a single Betta, nano shrimp, or some small tropical fish.

Rimless glass aquariums are very popular with nano aquarium enthusiasts. The special high clarity glass gives the cube a crystal appearance and makes viewing fish, plants, and other aquatic live enjoyable. The Nova Clear rimless low iron tanks come in sizes from 2 gallons to 80 and come with a nice black foam leveling mat for extra support.

The rimless aquarium does not come with a filter, heater or lighting system. This rimless cube aquarium is intended for DIY nano tank enthusiasts who want to design their own aquarium system from scratch. The crystal clear, rimless design is just a starting point. Many types of filters and lighting systems are available from other manufactures to choose from, depending on budget and whether you want to keep corals, live plants or just fish.

All of these aquariums would make a great small fish tank for your home, office, or desktop. Your choice will depending upon your particular situation and budget. We've put together our top-picks below.

Best Overall Small Aquarium: For a higher-end appearance, we really like the MarineLand Contour Glass Aquarium Kit the sleek contoured glass, the black pedestal, and the built-in light rail give this small aquarium a very modern look. Add in a high-quality filter and this aquarium is our top-pick in the small fish tank category. It's hard to beat this total package for the money.

Best Small Reef Aquarium: If you're looking for a small reef aquarium, then we would recommend the Fluval EVO V . This tank comes with just about everything you’ll need to get started. It’s designed specifically for marine and reef keeping, especially soft corals.

Let us know in the comments which one is your favorite or if you have any other small tanks that you like!