Everything you need to start a great aquarium for your goldfish or betta. Includes 2 1/2 gallon acrylic tank with base and lighted hood, undergravel filter, air pump, airline, betta divider, light bulb, food, and water conditioner.
Average Customer Rating:
4.1 out of 5
Rating Snapshot
(30 reviews)
5 paws
14
4 paws
9
3 paws
3
2 paws
4
1 paw
0
24 of 30 (80%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.
"I bought this on sale for about $16.00, and it was really a steal for that price. The aquarium is very attractive, and I have not had any problems with the acrylic scratching or cracks in the tank.
I wouldn't recommend using only the undergravel filter that comes with the kit. For one, it does not provide any chemical filtration, and it makes cleaning your tank rather difficult. Secondly, the motor is very loud, and the wire on it is short. It is hard to place the motor far enough away from the tank to keep the vibrations from disturbing the fish. I decided to stop using this filter, but I bought the same tank for a friend of mine and she has been having good luck with it so far (over 1 month now).
I bought the Red Sea Nano filter as a replacement and it has proven to be an excellent filter for this small tank.
Another slight complaint is that the tank does not come with a heater. I got the Hydor mini heater, and it has worked well thus far.
I'd really recommend this tank for betta keeping. It's a great size; it provides just enough room for a betta to swim around in. If you do decide to keep the undergravel filter, you can twist the pipe so that the bubbles blow into the corner, which makes the water less turbulent (which is what bettas prefer). Also, if you add a bit more gravel to the bottom, it seems to make the bubbles a bit less strong.
The tank is a pretty good deal and MUCH better than a lot of the other options for bettas."
"I had to return the first one I bought because of a hair-line crack in the back of the tank. I have had the replacement tank for 3 weeks now and a crack appeared in the back of this tank. I am not sure why there is a crack in this one but I know that I will not be buying this tank again."
"i bought this tank for my 3 danios and snail they love it. The filter is quiet and the lighting is great! It was really easy to set up and basically alredy assembled. I would reccomend this to anyone who wanted to start a great new hobby."
"This kit comes with pretty much everything you need to start up a tank. I purchased it for my single betta fish and he seems to love the size. Since he is a betta, I did not make use of the tetra foods so I can't comment on their effectiveness.
The filter was somewhat too bubbly for my fish's taste so I did end up swapping it out for the Deco Art Nano Filter which is also quieter. This also vastly reduced the condensation on the lid so the fear of shorting out the light is all but gone. The included light illuminates the entire tank without generating too much heat as well.
I would recommend just purchasing some gravel and decorations to add to the tank and then it is all set for your fish. It is also relatively easy to clean since the tank detaches from the base so it can be washed out."
"i wanted to get a betta fish so i went to my petco and saw this kit. i wondered why they sold it for 30 bucks because its worth way more i got 2 bettas i white halfmoon and a black delta betta. they completely luv this tank. they started to attack the divider in the first hour but then they stopped they luv having the company now. i would definitely reccomend this product to all of my friends because its got they perfect amount of space on each side for a betta it is AMAZING. ill write another review and sho pics later. bye"
"I bought this about two weeks ago for my fantail goldfish to grow, I knew he was getting sick of the bowl I had him in. Once I put him in, he loved it! I don't think that the air pump was too strong for him, and sometimes when I watch him it seems that he likes to ride along with it. When he got sick the gallon size was a good size for treatment. He still loves it, and everytime I peer in, he's swimming happily in between his plants. The Only issue is my betta might be getting a little jealous, of all the room my goldfish has."
"I was given this kit and I must say that I LOVE it! Acrylic is so much safer than glass and it has survived a couple of relocations. The filter and air pump are both quiet and don't disturb my betta fish. Sometimes these little kits will have those power filters and I really don't like them. Some of my fish were killed by them so I stay away from them. This tank doesn't have that and I love it even more. You get everything you need in it and the light isn't too bright nor too dark. I have it next to bed and I like looking at my betta swim when I'm trying to fall asleep. I highly recommend this and will purchase it soon for my friend's birthday!"
"I purchased this tank for my Betta and Dwarf African Frog this past summer. I'd say that it's a fairly good starter for the burgening fish enthusiast, but it does have some issues.
Positives include the fact that it's black (opposed to the terrible colors that most of the other mini-bow tanks have), and the size is great for one or two fish.
The filter, however, is obnoxiously loud and terribly inefficient. I would highly reccommend getting a different filter immediately and not even bothering with the included one. The lighted hood also has issues with rusting screws and condensation build-up which can lead to blown bulbs and shorting of the electrical system.
All in all, if you're willing to look at alternate options for lighting and filtration, this is a decent kit to start out with."
"I recently upgraded my betta from his bowl of 3 years into this little tank. He seems to be much happier (I got him a little catfish buddy too) and is eating about twice what he did before. The tank is large enough to fit two fish comfortably as well as a fake plant and a tunnel, however I wouldn't recommend using the divider because it would be way too small. The undergravel filter is nice as well but it doesn't cover the entire tank floor - only the center. Also, the plastic bottom doesn't attach to the tank and gapes at the sides. Oh well, you get what you pay for right? For the price, I think it's a great upgrade from a betta bowl."
"I agree with other reviewers that the other mini bows are probably better. I have been fairly pleased with this tank for holding two bettas but the filter was awful. It was insanly loud and two strong for bettas who should only have a very gentle flow of water. I soon threw it out. I like the divider feature because the bettas get stimulation. Some people say they are unhappy but research on betta longevity has show that similar stimualtion allows bettas to reach up to 9 years of age! One point of caution is to keep them in separate tanks for a few weeks untill you are sure neither has any diseases are you could lose both fish suddenly. Other than the pump I am happy with the tank but if I were to buy a new one I would go for the other and probably newer style mini bow."
"I would strongly recommend purchasing one of the other colored minibows instead. I'll explain why.
Appearance: Nothing wrong here. Like the other minibows, it looks great. Bowed front, sleek design. Since it's black, it looks much more sophisticated than the other minibows (which come in colors like "Punky Purple"). Lighting is decent, although I personally upgraded mine.
Size: An excellent "mini" tank. Easy to clean/transport. My bettas love these. One was living in a 1-gal tank, and he became much more active when I upgraded him to a 2.5gal minibow, building bubble nests and exploring the whole tank. Goldfish will NOT survive long in this tank despite the box art. They are messy, fast growing fish who usually need at least a 15-gallon long tank to adequately live. As with other small tanks, you must keep on top of water parameters (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, temperature, pH, etc.) as they tend to be less stable than larger tanks.
Filter: Terrible. Undergravel filters are very ineffective at keeping the water maintained, especially when gunk builds up under the gravel plate. They are also a pain to clean, as you have to remove most of the gravel (which holds "good" bacteria) to clean it. Plant roots also can become tangled as they grow in it, adding to the hassle. If you purchase this tank, you will want to purchase a different filter for it (the tetra whisper filters work well, as do the art deco minifilters).
Other: This black minibow comes with a divider, which is useful if you ever need to put two bettas in one tank in a pinch. However, I would recommend keeping only one betta per minibow, as they do not like sharing their homes with other bettas.
In conclusion, purchase a different 2.5 minibow if possible, as they have far superior filters. However, if you MUST have a black minibow (like I did), be sure to purchase a different filter for it. Undergravel filters are considered outdated, and they just won't cut it in a tank this small.
Additional Purchases I Recommend: A DIFFERENT FILTER (I cannot stress this enough), a glass thermometer, a good mini heater (as temperatures are less stable in smaller tanks), a small java/tropical fern (a hardy plant that will help keep the water clean), water testing kits (a must for any aquarium). If you are keeping a betta in your minibow, you might want to provide them with a cave of some sort. If you are having trouble with currents being too strong in your minibow, putting a large silk plant in front of the filter output will help divert the flow."
"I bought this when I got my betta a year and a half ago and it is still works! When you add some great colored pebbles and a plant it WILL look great. Hope you love it as much as I do."
"I bought this for my male betta, Desi and he loves it. I had to get a regulator for the filter, though. It was too strong for his long fins. When it's time for the stone to be changed (I've only had it a week), I'm going to buy one that does "fine" bubbles and that may help a lot. I noticed on my trip to Petco today that the stone that came with the tank is one for "coarse" bubbles. He was in a one gal. tank and was pretty happy, but I upgraded his house when I bought a female and put her in the smaller tank. He's been SUPER happy in this tank. There is a pretty big gap in the back of the lid that I'm worried he'll jump out of (bettas DO JUMP, and well!) so I ALWAYS keep it covered when I'm not around to make sure there are no escapes. The light keeps the tank good and warm for him, and he's got tons of room to move around in. I had to return the first tank I bought because it was all scratched up, minor inconvience. FYI: It is ACRYLIC. All-Glass is the name of the company that makes this tank. I also wouldnt recommend using the divider that comes with this tank. It's not opaque, so the bettas could see each other and try to fight all the time, and there's plenty of room at the top and on the side where the tank bows out for a betta-ready-for-battle to get thru."
"I bought this tank for my goldfish. I won my fish at a fair and I didn't expect him to live long so I originally put him in a small bowl with an airstone. In a few days the tank started getting really cloudy and I started feeling bad for him. So, I bought this tank. This tank was a great find. It gives my fish plenty of room to swim around and it looks great. The water has stayed crystal clear and my fishh looks both healthy and happy. I would recommend this tank to anyone."
"I recently started keeping bettas as a hobby. I went from the betta bowl with the plant to a small 1 gallon aquarium. Then I saw this one and thought I would give it a try. So far, I am very happy. I have two bettas in one tank and they seem to love it. Bettas like to flare and it makes them happy. They like the company of another betta there. I do agree, though, with another review that it is not glass. It doesn't seem to be. But it is still very nice. For the price and everything that comes with it, I am very pleased so far. I even bought another one. I also think the bettas would have to be very small to get to the other side, but I could be wrong. All I know is that my boys are satisfied."
"The air pump is too noisy and creates turbulence that makes the fish hyperactive. I could feel vibrations when I put my hand on the tank.
I let it run for two days, then shut it off. The fish calmed down.
I think the size is good -- I have only one fish. I would recommend a tank without an air pump unless you are going to get tropical fish. Then I would recommend a larger capacity aquarium. Perhaps the air pump is too forceful for such a small tank."
"Not only was the filter damaged when we installed it, the divider could not be used when the filter was in the tank because the lid would not close. Also, the divider wasn't sealed tightly enough against the sides of the tank so our betas were easily able to get around and fight each other. We ended up losing our favorite fish and are very disappointed.
If using this for a goldfish it may be ok, the light works fine and it is a small and easy tank to move around. But please save your betas and do not put them in this tank if you are planning to use the divider!"
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