Marineland Portrait Glass LED Aquarium Kit, 5 Gallons, Hidden Filtration,Black

Why it's worth it

The Marineland Portrait's tall, narrow glass footprint fits a dorm desk or a nightstand, and its three-stage filtration is tucked out of sight behind the tank. The rear-compartment design keeps surface movement gentle, which is exactly what a betta wants.

Bettas don't want a current. They come from still, warm water, and a front-mounted hang-on-back filter pushes them around all day. Wirecutter's reporting on rear-compartment tanks like this one notes they produce noticeably less surface agitation than HOB filters. The Portrait's filtration lives behind the back wall, so the water turns over without turning your fish into a kite.

Five gallons is the compromise, and you should go in knowing it. This tank suits one betta and a snail, or a small shrimp colony, and that's the honest ceiling. Long-time owners say the same thing. Under five gallons the water chemistry gets twitchy fast; at five you're fine as long as you keep the stocking light and stay on a weekly water-change rhythm.

From our review of 8 fish tank starter kits for beginners, by James Bennett, Associate Editor

What we like

• +Bettas don't want a current
• +Five gallons is the compromise, and you should go in knowing it
• +The design does a lot of work in a small room
• +It also fits Marineland's Rite-Size Z cartridges, which are common at chain retailers

What to know

• –The rear filter compartment can rattle
• –There's no heater in the box, which is a problem for the betta keepers this tank is aimed at — bettas need water in the upper…