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Customer Reviews for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Modern slim and sleek design that makes it perfect for use as a home aquarium or as an office fish tankFeatures a hang-on power filter with quiet mechanical and chemical filtrationUL listed lighted hood with 15-Watt fluorescent bulbPlastic cover with easy-access feeding lid
Average Customer Rating:
(83 Reviews) 83
Rating Breakdown 83 reviews
5 stars
51
4 stars
22
3 stars
3
2 stars
4
1 star
3
74 out of 83(89%)reviewers recommend this product.
Customer Reviews for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Review 1 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Perfect beginner fishtank
PostedMay 18, 2013
Mamacita2007
from Los Angeles, CA
I love this fish tank. It's the perfect size & dimensions. It takes a slim profile on my kitchen counter leaving plenty of work space in front. It give the fish a wide path to swim back & forth without taking a bulky & huge amount of counterspace. I bought it for my kids' carnival fish & it's perfect. I can easily feed the fish from the opening on top.
I ordered online and the filter leaked & the light bulb didn't work. I already filled it with water & fish so I was hesitant to take the time to un-do everything and return. I was able to find it in a local store & they swapped the light & filter. Awesome. So happy it's been working perfectly for over 2 months now.
Happy customer
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 2 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
book shelf aquarium
PostedApril 28, 2013
kckb
from arvada, colorado
I originally purchased this aquarium for my 8 year old. was told that the filter is very quite and a good tank for the money. The first unit I purchased had a filter that leaked instantly at a very quick rate. Drove back to store to exchange out the filter as the rest of the tank is already filled with gravel, decorations, etc. Exchange went easy. Unfortunately the second filter leaks just as bad as the first. I am returning the whole unit. I would not reccommend this unit as I have now lost several hours of my time on something that should have operated correctly the first time, and then agin on the second. major bummer
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Review 3 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
6.6 gallon bookshelf aquarium
PostedApril 7, 2013
Jessymetal
from Howell, MI
Overall, this is a good tank, but the filter and light could be better.. The filter, when I got it, leaked and I couldn't seem to fix it. They sent me a new one, but that filter leaked, also. I decided to keep this one, and fixed it with aquarium sealant, and now it works pretty well. If it hadn't leaked, I would recommend it to others. The light/hood that comes with this aquarium isn't very bright, and makes the water look cloudy, even when it's not. I plan on buying a new bulb for it. Other than that, I really like this tank. The plastic cover and the hood come separate, so they're easy to remove for maintenance.
This aquarium is perfect for 1 or two bettas (divided of course).
This aquarium is perfect for 1 or two bettas (divided of course).
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Review 4 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Wonderful!
PostedMarch 18, 2013
horsesbefun
from Fairbanks, AK
This fish tank is Wonderful! I got this for my birthday and i love it! The pump is so quiet and it works good too. It's perfect for bookshelves and counter tops. It's nice and long so your fish have a lot of room to swim. The light works perfect for me cause my house isn't very warm but the light warms up the water a couple degrees so my fish love it too! Even though it's plastic, it works just fine. I know someone said the plastic scratches, but I haven't had that happen to me. I would definitely recommend this for anybody!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Review 5 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
LOVE this
PostedFebruary 12, 2013
FireflySage
from Littleton, CO
I love this tank! It fits perfectly on top my bookcase. The light makes things look pinker. The plants that looked dark purple at petco actually look hot pink in the tank. Still very pretty. I have 1 bushynose pleco, 1 betta, and a few neon tetras. I've had all the fish together for about 2 months and they are all very happy. This tank is very good for bettas because the filter flow can be adjusted to a very slow current and there is a lot of surface area and it's not too deep. My betta is happy to swim the whole tank. The bio-bag the site told me was a complimentary prodcut is not the correct one, but my local petco exchanged it for me with no problems.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 6 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Fun and Easy
PostedFebruary 11, 2013
Anonymous
from Minneapolis
I purchased this product online. My cover had a crack so I took it to my local Petco. They exchanged it, no problem. I have this tank on my kitchen counter. It's the perfect size. It's not in the way and looks amazing as an inexpensive aquascape. I would recommend this to any beginning freshwater aquarist or anyone who wants a great looking conversation piece.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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-1point
0of 1voted this as helpful.
Review 7 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Not Great.
PostedFebruary 9, 2013
JCruzer
from Queens, NY
The tank was purchased for my work office. We noticed the tank was kind of small and we didn't notice it was plastic. We ended up returning it because the cover was cracked.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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-3points
0of 3voted this as helpful.
Review 8 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Just short of perfect!
PostedOctober 20, 2012
Kaczie
from Mesa, AZ
I purchased this aquarium about two weeks ago to go on an entry way table. The tank's footprint is unique and great for long, narrow spaces (like bookshelves) and offers plenty of space for bottom dwellers like ADFs and newts. It's not too small, yet not too big and daunting to care for. The main drawbacks are: 1. the acrylic scratches easily so be careful pouring in gravel; 2. the filter increases the tank's footprint by about 3-4 inches and really, is not that great of a filter; and 3. the filter positioning is too far to the left side to get good water movement through the whole tank. Anywho, I have already ordered a Supreme Ovation 210 filter that should replace it nicely. I quite like that the light fixture is removable and is separate from the rest of the "hood", and I do not find that the light itself generates much heat. Overall, I am very happy with the tank, despite replacing the filter, since you really can't go wrong for <$40. In fact, I enjoy the design of the tank so much that I just ordered a second and plan to make it a planted aquarium!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+10points
12of 14voted this as helpful.
Review 9 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great size for bedroom, needs LED light not fluorescent hood
PostedOctober 14, 2012
EmuOilLady
from Carson City, NV
Very pleased with the long style tank of this small tank, gives much more swimming room yet plenty of space for decorations/plants as well. I did change out the hood light for an LED one due to the light hood this came with increases the water temp considerably & made the water too hot. The LED hood improves the look of the tank AND the fish are much more active since the changeover,,,including my Betta. The LED hood does not raise the temp at all & temp is steady by the heater as it should be. Because of the light hood change I had to do, I did subtract 1 puppy paw. It is a 6.6 gallon tank and is perfect in the bedroom. Don't overstock the tank and you as well as the fish will be very happy.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+15points
15of 15voted this as helpful.
Review 10 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
bookshelf aquarium
PostedOctober 13, 2012
jjpwat
from jacksonville
love this aquarium! fits perfect on my fireplace mantle.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
6of 6voted this as helpful.
Review 11 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great multipurpose tank!
PostedSeptember 24, 2012
Kimkimya
from Minnesota
This is a great tank, I have used it for betta fish and platy fish. The filter has a very strong flow on high, I had to turn it down all the way so the current wasn't too strong for my fish! I have also been able to put the tank pretty much anywhere I want due to the shape and size (a big plus for me). I am currently using the tank as a sick/quarantine tank, and it works great for that too. The clear side of the tank does scratch a little bit if you are not careful, but it's not so bad. My only real complaint is that it has a very strong light, which causes an abundance of algae growth. This can be fixed by replacing the light or by getting an algae eating fish. However, the light is great for growing real plants, even in this smaller tank. In my pictures, there are 2 real plants and some plastic ones.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 12 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great price deal and a good tank but scratches easily.
PostedSeptember 19, 2012
Graystone55
from Mesa, AZ
I purchased this tank kit in a store after finding it online., I live in an apartment that has little space for an aquarium. I have spent many years as both a salt and freshwater hobbiest but have not had any tanks for the last 6 or 7 years. I wanted to get back into the hobby again without spending lots of $$$ or using a lot of floorspace required of larger tanks. Due to the bookstand I wanted to put one on, I figured the weight of anything much more than 5 gallons would be a problem.
The price was also right for this tank/filter/light kit. It was going on a sturdy but small bookcase that was only 12" from front to back. So, It was between this 6.6 gallon bow front rectangular tank or one of the round ones sold by a competitor. I knew this tank's wide but low dimensions woul be better for the fish than the taller cylinders.
All of the ones I looked at were under 10 gallons and acrylic or plastic. I've always had glass tanks in the past and nothing this small, so there would be a learning curve. Most of the kits I looked at only had a single air stone undergravel filter while this one had a hanging power filter. Most I looked at had cheap incandescent light hoods or LEDs. This one has a nicely bright 15 watt fluorescent hood. This light I found highly superior to LEDs and not as hot as incandescents.
I got it home, put 10 pounds of gravel in it and installed the filter and hood. The tank seemed quite sturdy. It's also lighter than the glass ones. It's got long but low dimensions (23.5"L X 9.25"T). It's front to back size is about 7.25" at the sides. But because the front bows outwards, it is about 8.25" front to back in the middle of the tank. Of couse the hood perfectly fits this tank design. But good luck finding any generic hoods or lights for this tank's size/shape. You'll need to stick with exact replacement parts if you break something or it goes bad. But this isn't unusual for small tank sizes which are often custom sized. But one advantage this one had over the round ones I looked at was that the back was just like a rectangle tank and therefore could take many types of hanging filters or heaters. This flat back also allows a background scene to be installed just like a bigger rectangle tank would.
The filter fit nicely behind the tank on the 12" deep shelf. One issue I had here, though: There is only one punchout panel in the hood large enough for the power filter to hang. Power filters work best when they pour into the center of a tank. This punchout was to the left end of the tank. So one side will get higher flow than the other in the tank. Not a big deal, but it would have been better if this punchout had been in the center or if more smaller punchout panels were included so the installer had a choice. There is another punchout for a hanging heater and a built-in hole for air tubing. At the front is a small door you can open for feeding. This could be a good tank if you've got fish that are jumpers as the hood covers the tank very well.
The hanging power filter was made for 3-10 gallons and has a somewhat adjustable flow control. Most tank fish small enough for this tank will prefer a lesser flow than this filter's maximum output. The filter is a cartridge but it looks like you could experiment with your own materials as long as you keep the area near the propeller pump clear. If you want to also have an undergravel filter, you are going to have to hunt for small enough plates (23" X 7") and then you'll always have a gap in coverage where the front bows out and the area around your custom plates.
After filling the tank with conditioned water, I could see 4 scratches on the front inside of the glass where the cardboard packing contacted it. Luckily they were small and became nearly invisible when viewing from a few feet away. Up close they were visible (but only after water was added). This brings me to a second point I need to make. This tank scratches very easily. The bottom area of the tank where the gravel touches is already becoming heavily scratched. Where a tank decoration was placed is now a scratch. Because these are inside, acrylic repair using chemicals won't be an option. Using a magnetic algae sraper or abrassive sponge would ruin this tank! I didn't know this was a disadvantage of acrylic tanks. While it seems it would be more resistant to impact cracking than glass, it scratches with the slightest touch. If I had known this, I probably would have chosen glass instead.
As a long time aquarium hobbiest, I wouldn't necessarily recommend a small tank like this to beginners unless they use test kits for toxins and go slowly. Smaller amounts of water volume make for ammonia and nitrite spikes. Also temperature and pH changes occur faster than they would in a larger tank. You don't want to stock more than 6 or so small fish in this tank with maybe one bottom dweller. But if you are willing to add fish slowly over a few weeks and you make fairly regular 10-20% water changes, you'll probably do all right.
This tank/filter/hood is a good deal for the price and looks quite nice (scratching aside). It fits well on a sturdy bookcase or desk.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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12of 12voted this as helpful.
Review 13 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great tank!
PostedSeptember 13, 2012
taulmaril
from Orlando, FL
I ordered this tank for my living room as a centerpiece to place on the accent table behind my couch. (We have an open floor plan, and this is what you see first when you come into the room.) When it arrived, I found that the filter was broken and the plastic top was pre-punched. I already had a filter lying around from an old tank, so I put that one on. However, I have cats and the unnecessary holes were a problem for me (and the fish). I contacted customer service, and they shipped me a whole new tank at no cost to me - and they let me keep the one I already had. So, I moved the tank with the defective top to my husband's office (where the cats are not allowed) and put the new tank in my living room. My betta is very happy, and my husband's office has a more professional feel as well now.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
7of 8voted this as helpful.
Review 14 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great tank
PostedSeptember 2, 2012
Love these had my first one seens they first came out.I wasn't using so divided it up into 3 small setups for my bettas.When I first got used on my bookshelf for guppies worked great.Now setup for bettas filter still does great job.Purchased 3 more will setup for bettas or small fish
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 15 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Great tank!
PostedAugust 26, 2012
FlAussieMom
from Central Fl.
The tank its self is great! Perfect size to my show bettas. The filter is awful. I have bought 3 of these tanks and always have to replace the filter with the Quiet Flow 10. The latest one I bought, the filter wouldn't even come on when plugged in.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
5of 6voted this as helpful.
Review 16 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Happy home for a Betta!
PostedAugust 23, 2012
Ochee
from Binghamton NY
This tank is a good size for a betta fish. It will give him plenty of room to swim back and forth.
It comes with a filter, hood and light.
Filter = junk
It is noisy and seems to cause a lot of vibrations against the plastic tank side. Even when I used the leveler, the problem didn't seem to go away.
Hood = Ok
It is piece of clear plastic with pop outs along the back for the filter or cords/tubes.
Light = Ok
It is very bright but I noticed an odd smell when it was on. I'm hoping that the smell goes away after a bit as the fluorescent burns in. If it does not go away then I'll have to buy a new light - If I can even find one for this odd shaped tank.
I have a Petco Branded LED/bubbling volcano and the skull mountain decor and it is pretty much full. I may put one silk plant in to balance out the side but don't expect to put lots of decor in here.
With the Volcano I don't use the florescent light and will replace the filter with something more quiet.
Overall I'm happy with the tank size but not the filter or the light. But if the smell goes away in the light then it is just the filter that makes this a a 3/5 review.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Review 17 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Economical for Budget Minded
PostedJuly 16, 2012
LoryB
from North Carolina
I was pleasantly surprised that the acrylic is more substantial than I thought it would be. The bottom frame covers the entire bottom of the tank which is a good reinforcement. The top frame has a convenient feeding door. The clear top is very thin plastic with cutouts for filter, heater, etc. It suits me fine for now, but does not allow much ventilation for air exchange. Will change this for a screen top. The light is very low end and gets very warm. The bulb is good for plants, for now. They are growing fine. This will have to be changed as my budget allows as it heats the water to unacceptable levels. I am using this tank for a pair of CPO crayfish as they do not need the depth of other tanks. Love the size and affordability. I am using a turtle canister with a spray bar which does a good job. The included filter looks like it would do a suitable job, but I like the versatility of the canister and no vibration. If you don't have a lot of money, this is the way to go for a long profile starter tank.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+9points
9of 9voted this as helpful.
Review 18 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
great little tank
PostedJune 30, 2012
Rachel35
Great little set up. Includes light and an easy to use filter. Looks great on the top of my bookcase.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
2of 3voted this as helpful.
Review 19 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
Awesme little tank.
PostedJune 29, 2012
JaquAttack
from Alabama
I bought this tank for my Glo Fish. It's very nice looking, especially since it is acrylic. The directions on how to assemble the tank are not very clear, but it was fairly easy to figure out. I was skeptical about buying it because some of the reviews stated the filter is really loud. It made me deaf when I plugged it in for about 5 seconds. Now, It's nearly silent, even when standing right over it. Just had to take some time to kick up, I guess! The fluorescent light is SUPER bright. It now will serve as my lamp. I may end up buying a black light since I have Glo fish. Overall, a really fantastic tank. Especially for only $40. I highly recommend this tank for anyone!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+5points
5of 5voted this as helpful.
Review 20 for Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium
Overall rating
A short and sweet review.
PostedJune 22, 2012
DavidWM
from Stockton CA
The tank is acrylic and very nice so ill give it an A
The light is a T5 fixture with a replaceable fuse. A+
The filter is the only weakness, so buy a good filter if you buy the tank (i would recommend a marineland penguin series filter). D
The hood is a sheet of clear plastic which makes maintenance a bit more difficult but it looks cool so ill give it a B+
All in all its a great set and i would 100% recommend it to any experienced aquarist... newbies should start with a 20 gallon because the smaller the tank the easier it is to screw up.
Overall rating: B++
I would recommend this to a friend!
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1of 1voted this as helpful.