The perfect aquarium starter kit will give your fish a safe, attractive home…
… All while being beginner-friendly.
The best part?
You’ll also get a better deal than buying everything separately.
With that in mind, here are our top picks.
Enjoy 🙂
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
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Our Top Pick
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Aqueon MiniBow Aquarium Starter Kit |
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Marina LED Aquarium Kit |
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Tetra LED Half Moon 3 Gallon Aquarium |
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Coralife Biocube Aquarium with LED |
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Aqueon 10 Gal LED Aquarium Kit |
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Best Starter Fish Tank Kits on the Market
OUR TOP PICK
Why We Love it:
Fantastic value for the cost
Not too large and not too small
Beautiful design, includes light & filter
Meet the elegant Aqueon Minibow, the perfect starter fish tank kit. It features a graceful bow front that subtly magnifies the view of the fish and plants inside, as well as an elevated (and removable) pedestal base. The tank is cast of one solid piece for a seamless and leak-proof design. Comes with a hood that holds the LED light and feeding hole as well as Aqueon QuietFlow filtration. Available in white or black and comes in a variety of sizes to suit your needs:
Why We Love it:
Multiple sizes – 5, 10 and 20 gallons
Great for housing more or larger fish
Great value for everything included
Marina’s high quality kits comes with all the basics you need to set up and get started as a first time fishkeeper – and at a reasonable price point. Included are the filter, energy efficient LED light, hood, water conditioner, biological bacteria supplement, fish net and even fish food. Sharp design outlined by black silicone. Fast, easy setup to get started quickly!
Why We Love it:
Clear half moon design fits almost anywhere
Budget friendly – includes lid, LED light and Tetra 3i filter
Manageable for the first-time fishkeeper
For a basic, affordable starter kit that isn’t too small but fits nicely in a limited space, the Tetra LED half moon fits the bill! This unobtrusive 3 gallon fish tank comes with a lid (with a feeding opening) to prevent jumpers and evaporation, Tetra Whisper 3i power filter and LED light and sits on an elevated pedestal base. Curved corners add a special touch to the appeal of this tank.
Why We Love it:
A specifically designed saltwater aquarium kit
Ideal space-saving nano reef setup
Perfect for those just getting started in the saltwater hobby
Thinking of setting up a nano reef, or maybe a high end freshwater tank? The Biocube offers customizable built-in spacious back panel filtration with an adjustable return nozzle, as well as a hood that includes powerful LED light that can be used for marine or freshwater setups to get you off to a perfect start. It also features an integrated 24 hour timer with color enhancing settings and a quiet submersible (as well as adjustable) pump. You’re sure to be impressed by the quality of this tank, evidenced by thick glass and a well thought out design that makes fish keeping easier than ever. Available in 2 sizes.
Why We Love it:
Simple & straightforward assembly
Quiet filter with cleaning indicator light
Includes all the equipment you’ll need
Get a beautiful 10 gallon fish tank set up and running quickly and easily – just add fish, substrate & decor. Good value for everything included – comes with a low profile hood and bright LED light, Aqueon QuietFlow 10 LED PRO power filter with indicator light, heater, fish food, water conditioner, net and thermometer.
Why We Love it:
Suitable for a larger variety of fish and plants
Comes with 4 artificial plants
All equipment included
Accelerate your fishkeeping journey by starting off with the Tetra 20 gallon complete aquarium kit! This kit comes packed with a scratch resistant 20 gallon glass fish tank, hood & LED light combo, 4 artificial plants, heater and Whisper filter. Simple, cost efficient setup. There are 4 packages to choose from:
- Tetra (standard)
- ColorFusion (Color changing LED)
- GloFish (Blue LED & fluorescent gravel)
- ColorFusion Plus (Color changing LED + filter replacements + Safe Start water conditioner)
Why We Love it:
Attractive and compact cube style tank
Excellent mini-aquarium for the first time fishkeeper
Made of sturdy acrylic material
Get a beautiful view of your little underwater world with this clear, strong and lightweight high-quality acrylic fish tank. A compact, cube shaped aquarium that is perfect for just about any living area. Comes complete with filter, filter cartridge, adjustable LED light and pedestal base. Great for a variety of small fish.
Why We Love it:
Larger tank supports more fish
Cost-effective package gives you everything you need to get started
Durable & well made glass aquarium
Get off to a fantastic start with a complete setup all in one package! This 55 gallon fish tank kit is large enough to support bigger size and/or a greater number of fish, while still remaining manageable for the aquarist. Great value for everything you get, which includes the tank, LED light, heater, filter, water conditioners, net, fish food and digital thermometer – all with easy installation. Measures 48 x 12 x 20 inches. Stand available separately.
Tips for Choosing Your First Aquarium
Let’s face it:
A packaged deal can make everything so much easier when you’re first getting started.
You know everything will fit properly.
You have clear instructions on setting each item up correctly.
And you can also save money by buying everything together vs individually.
So here are a few tips when it comes to picking out the best fit for you:
- Size: Knowing where you are going to put the tank will help determine how large you can go.
- Filtration: Ensure your tank has proper filtration for the species you are going to keep. If your kit does not include a filter, you will probably have to purchase one separately. Some also find doubling up on filtration lets them go further between water changes.
- Material: Fish tanks usually come in either plastic, glass or acrylic. Usually only the small ones are made of plastic. Each material has its own set of pro’s and con’s, but for larger tanks glass or acrylic is the best long-term solution in most cases.
Wrapping it All Up
Starting out in the fishkeeping hobby is so exciting, and what could be better than finding your perfect dream tank in a complete, cost effective setup?
We hope you found something that sparked your imagination 🙂
So what do you think?
What was your first fish tank kit, and how did you like it?
Do you have a favorite on this list?
Share your comment below!
Hi Meredith!
I love your website! My boyfriend and I want to set up a goldfish tank in our Aqueon tank that we bought over two years ago and have had zero success with freshwater fish. I have read on your website that goldfish do not necessarily need a heater, so other than the heater, do you think if we just got a new filter cartridge, new sand and decorations (I want to mimic your beautiful tank with river rocks and live plants!) our tank will be good to go? (I am doubtful it is that easy!). One of the reasons I think we had so many problems with our initial tank was because, if we are not super careful, at certain times of the day/year, our tank would get direct sunlight. Could this be an issue? I really want to be successful with goldfish! I grew up watching my fish tank every night and I want to do the same for boys 🙂
As far as equipment goes, that’s pretty much what you’ll need 🙂 Shading the tank can be done with a bamboo placemat or curtain. Cycling and testing the water daily for the first few weeks are two very important steps, as is quarantine 🙂
I am LOVING your site. I’ve read most of your articles and bought your book (on it’s way!). I’ve never had an aquarium bigger than 2.5 gallons and putting together a completely custom setup is somewhat overwhelming. I’m considering going with this all-in-one aquarium and adding one fancy goldfish and some snails. Do you think it will work? https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/flex-32/
Forgot to mention, also a ton of the plants you’ve recommended
Thanks for your kind words, Travis – absolutely! That’s like a goldfish mansion.
Ok. I got a 5.5 gallon tank (it was cheaper than a bowl at PetCo) and I just want probably 1 goldfish. I have 9 kids – one of my sons will be taking care of it so I don’t want too many fish in there. Figure that a tank is easier to crowd around than a bowl. So, I have the tank, put the rocks in, bought the food….I did buy some things to help with the water, but I got too overwhelmed in the fish aisle. This is our first one in a tank instead of a bowl. We’ve had a goldfish that lasted years in a bowl. Ironically, my child had named him Moses. Anyways, wanted to know if you could get me a list of things that I need to “get it up and running”. Not looking to spend a lot of money. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The fish isle is overwhelming 😉 To get up and running, you’ll probably want a filter, starter bacteria (I like ATM colony), Prime and a test kit. Those are a good start.