In this article, we take a look at the best 10 gallon fish tanks, discuss their pros and cons, who they’re best suited to, and hopefully answer all the questions you may have as a prospective buyer.
If you’re a first-time fish owner or looking to upgrade, the first decision you have to make is on the ideal tank size for your current situation.
With so many sizes to choose from, it can be a real challenge to decide if you’ve not previously owned an aquarium and have experience of managing different sized tanks.
Fish-keeping and setting up your own aquarium can be a lot of fun, but it does require a little research and some planning to avoid any frustration and costly mistakes.
The 10-gallon tank is one of the most popular sizes for new hobbyists – especially those who want the full experience of a beautifully arranged aquarium.
Let’s look at this tank in more detail, before offering some recommendations for suitable products.
Contents (click to topic)
Best 10 Gallon Fish Tanks for 2021
There is a lot to consider and so many options available to choose from, it’s hard to sort out the wheat from the chaff so to speak.
We’ve put together a list of what we consider to be the top six, best 10-gallon fish tanks, aquariums and kits for sale in 2021.
Marina LED 10 Gallon Aquarium Kit
The Marina LED 10-Gallon Aquarium Kit is perhaps the best 10 gallon fish tank for beginners as it comes fully stocked with everything you need to set up an enjoyable and easy-to-maintain aquarium adventure.
Made from high-quality tempered glass, it will keep that brand-new look for years to come.
Included in this kit is a good LED lighting system built into the canopy, providing a daylight option any time of the day or night.
The Marina Slim S15 clip-on filter provided is both powerful and quiet to guarantee the healthiest environment possible for your fish.
As a bonus, you also get fish food and water supplements – all you need to do is buy the fish!
What’s in the Box?
- 10-gallon glass fish tank: 20L x 10W x 12.5H inches
- Energy saving LED lighting with natural daylight effect
- Aquarium canopy
- Marina slim clip-on filter with quick-change cartridges
- Fish food
- Aqua Plus Water Conditioner
- Cycle Biological Water Supplement
- Fishnet
- Aquarium care guide
This a rectangular-designed tank is crafted from high-quality, tempered glass – built to withstand both temperature changes and water pressure.
It has an unobstructed view of all four sides of the tank ensuring you have viewing pleasure from every angle.
It provides a simple setup, equipped with easy to change LED bulbs and filter cartridges. It’s an impressive structure with a modern, simplistic design.
The two LED bulbs are built into the tank’s hood which is great for access. The lighting system provides a steady supply of lighting – simulating natural daylight. It’s the ideal set up for low-light plants.
To avoid taking up too much space in your aquarium, the Marina LED 10 gallon fish tank kit includes a ‘hang on back’ style filter that clips on the outside, also coming with additional cartridges.
The filtration is a robust modern 3-stage system of biological, chemical and mechanical filtration with the added convenience of quick-change filter cartridges.
This is a good system to get rid of pollutants such as ammonia and debris from the tank to ensure a healthy environment for your thriving fish. The filter is quiet and powerful enough to cycle the water numerous times an hour.
The 10-gallon kit includes a hood with attached lighting – providing easy access to your tank’s interior for cleaning and maintenance.
Pros
- Comes with day-time LED lights
- Nice clean design
- Filtration system included
- Included fish food and water conditioner
- Great kit for beginners
- Reduces mess with quick-change filters
- Easy access
Cons
- No night-time light
- No heater
This comprehensive 10 gallon fish tank kit is ideal for beginner fish-keepers who love the simplistic, clean design without the need to shop for a lot of accessories.
For information see below.
Fluval FLEX 34L 9 Gallon Nano Glass Aquarium Kit
This new-to-the-market, contemporary 9-gallon aquarium kit is the perfect setup for those who want healthy plant growth in their aquariums.
It features a fantastic 7500k LED lighting system with convenient remote control, that if you follow instructions will ensure optimum plant growth.
The bent style of the glass provides you with an exquisite view with enhanced-like images from the front.
An added feature of this unique-looking aquarium is the easy-to-remove hood which marries nicely with the intricate design.
The filtration system hides eloquently behind the back panel of the tank and can hold a substantial amount of media. This is a great aquarium kit for lovers of design.
What’s in the Box?
- 9-gallon glass tank: 16W x 13D x 13H inches
- 3-stage filtration system
- 7500k LED lighting system with white & RGB
- Flex-pad remote control
- Hood
- Oversized foam, carbon & bio-max
The glass structure of this aquarium looks very sturdy, and the contemporary design would look great in both a personal or professional environment.
The unique craftsmanship of the bent frontage enables your fish to look a lot larger than they are in reality, while with the hood appears to be of premium quality.
The discretely hidden filtration system provides plenty of room for additional media and the honeycomb wrap hiding the water line is a nice touch.
This kit comes with a powerful 7500k lighting system built into the hood with a remote control to customize to suit your mood. There are 15 different colors in addition to white with a dimming option.
The night setting will illuminate any glow-fish products you may have, and the opportunity to cycle slowly through every color is a beautiful effect.
If you want both a visual display and the ability to sustain plant growth, you will have no issues with illumination when you buy this 10 gallon fish tank and led aquarium kit.
Also included, you’ll get a robust 3-stage filter to cover all three major types of filtration: chemical, mechanical and biological. Also included, is oversized activated carbon, bio rings, and a foam block.
This filter can turn over the water in the aquarium many times an hour – important for keeping a nitrogen cycle going. The filter sits in the back panel of the tank, ensuring you’ve no distractions surrounding your visual experience and the adjustable nozzle for the output filter is a nice bonus feature.
This particular filtration system includes a large foam filter that absorbs pieces of food scraps and debris. The activated carbon gets rid of discoloration to ensure transparent and clean water, whereas the bio-max eradicates nitrates and ammonia to ensure your fish stay happy and healthy.
The internal water pump works well at circulating the water via the filtration setup and back into the aquarium.
The hood of the Fluval Flex 10-Gallon Aquarium is straightforward to remove, providing easy access to clean and maintain the inside of your aquarium.
Pros
- Simple, comprehensive kit
- Great filtration system
- Twofold water flow channels
- Energy-saving lighting
- Power 7500k illumination to maximize aquarium plant growth
Cons
- No hinge on the hood
- Can’t adjust flow rate on the water pump
This the ideal kit for beginners and those who want a reliable lighting system designed for the growth of aquarium plants.
You can find out more about those features here:
Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit
If you’re looking for a seamless and modern 10-gallon aquarium, the Penn Plax Curved Aquarium ticks all the boxes.
This built-to-last tank comes setup ideally for beginners, with a powerful cascade filter and LED lighting – easily mounted to a transparent, plastic hinged hood. The light sits centerpiece over the tank providing illumination strong enough for plant growth throughout the aquarium.
The included filter is a powerful cascade filter with a reputation for superior quality and strength. This filter comes with three different strength settings to allow for the needs of various fish. The effect of the cascade provides adequate flow for smaller aquariums – ensuring a clean and healthy environment.
This easy-to-maintain-system is excellent for beginners.
What’s in the Box?
- 10-gallon bent glass tank: 17 3/4L x 12 5/8H x 11 3/4W inches
- Internal filter
- LED lighting system
- Plastic hood
This 10 gallon fish tank starter kit is easy to install, mostly due to the sleek, modern frameless design. The craftsmanship is solid with an on-trend bent glass shape – allowing for a clear view from every angle of your aquarium.
The structure is a high-quality solid glass that will maintain a stylish look for years and comes with a transparent plastic hinged hood which allows for maximum reflection from light sources.
This Penn Plax Curved Corner Glass Aquarium Kit includes an energy-saving LED light attached to the hinged acrylic hood. Easy to mount and position at the rear of the tank, it provides adequate lighting 24 hours a day. It’s not the most powerful light source and has no on/off switch, but it is perfectly suitable for some fish such as Bettas.
Included with these 10 gallon fish tanks is a robust internal cascade filter which utilizes the significant filtration three-stages to guarantee your tank stays clean, and your fish remain healthy.
It is both simple and effective. The superiority of this model is illustrated by the filter’s three adjustable settings, to control the flow.
The floss pads sift out larger particles and debris, and the carbon pouch gets rid of smells and contaminations. The rough sponge absorbs the bacterial growth for the biological filtration. Included in the filter are a sequence of trays to allow for additional media.
The clear plastic hood of the tank provides a great view of the interior and is hinged for both reliable attachment and straightforward access to feed your fish or clean the tank.
To be able to maintain the look of the plastic hood try not to scrub it clean. A gentle wipe will help it look as good as the modern glass structure for as long as possible.
Pros
- Perfect for beginners
- Stylish LED lighting
- Great filtration system
- Sleek, modern design with crystal clear views
- Easy installation
- Easy maintenance
Cons
- No on/off switch for the light.
This is an excellent kit for novice fish-keepers who love sleek, modern designs with a clear view from every angle of the aquarium.
To discover how to inject more style into your home, see below:
Aqua Culture 10-gallon Aquarium Starter Kit
The Aqua Culture 10 Gallon Aquarium Starter Kit is the ideal solution to a beautiful display of marine life to your home or office space. It is great for bringing some light to a dark corner of your room either fully supported at the base or by a suitable stand.
A natural daylight effect is achieved by the use of LED lights integrated into the low-profile hood. The internal filter supplies strong yet quiet filtration to maintain clean and clear water – ensuring your fish stay healthy.
The sample fish food and fish care guide is an added bonus.
What’s in the Box?
- 10-gallon glass tank: (LxWxH) 20.13 x 10.13 x 13.19 inches
- Low-profile hood
- LED lighting for daylight effect
- Internal filter
- Fish food
- Aquarium guide
This is a great starter aquarium kit due to the superior craftsmanship and beautiful, clean design.
It is made from high-quality solid glass, and the broad shape of the design allows for ample room for your fish to thrive without fear of boredom. The hood is very well-made, and the lighting system is more than adequate for complete illumination of the aquarium.
An LED aquarium kit lighting system is built into the sturdy plastic hood to provide a lovely bright day time effect. You will have no trouble with full illumination of your aquarium with this setup. However certain plants may need a stronger light source for optimal growth.
This 10 gallon fish tank comes with a comprehensive filtration system with an internal pump. Included is the charcoal and media filter – overall it runs very smoothly and quietly at removing harmful debris and other pollutants to produce crystal clear water and keep your fish happy and healthy.
Access to this is made exceptionally easy via the sturdy hood, which merely lifts off.
Pros
- High-quality, durable glass
- Looks stunning
- Includes care guide for your fish
- Good quality hood with integrated LED lights
- Whisper quiet filter
- Provides fish food
Cons
- The lighting system will not support all plants.
This an excellent aquarium for beginners or lovers of high-quality glass aquariums. Overall this is a beautiful, clean design.
Check out your options at the following link:
Aqueon Fish Aquarium Starter Kits LED Neo-Glow
With this 10-gallon kit, there’s no figuring out what else you need in your aquarium, as the only thing missing is the water and fish, so it’s great for beginners and hobbyists alike.
This visually dynamic display is perfect for a child’s bedroom, as a centrepiece in the living room or even in your office space.
The superbly crafted glass tank comes trimmed with fluorescent silicone that radiates under the low-profile LED lighting system. Included is a Quiet-Flow 10 LED Pro Filter that is so quiet, you’ll barely notice it going. The filter has a handy LED light to remind you when to change the filter and an aquarium heater and aquarium thermometer.
On top of all that, they’ve thrown in the fish food, net, and water conditioner – for a beginner with no idea how to get started, this is perfect.
What’s in the Box?
- 10-gallon glass tank with orange fluorescent silicone trim: 20.2 x 10.5 x 13 inches
- Low profile hood
- Neo-Glow lighting for vibrant fluorescent color
- 50W preset heater, adjusted at 78 degrees
- Thermometer
- Quiet-flow LED filter and medium cartridge
- Multi-colored gravel & three plants
- Fish food, fishnet and water conditioner
- User guide
This tank looks beautifully crafted with a durable, high-quality glass design. It has a traditional rectangular shape with the added dynamics of the Neo-Glow lighting, accessories and fluorescent silicone.
The glass structure ensures your tank will look in peak condition for many years.
The filtration system is hidden behind the blackened back panel, and there’s a detailed guide for easy installation – making it perfect for first-time aquarium owners.
The Aqueon Fish Aquarium Starter Kit comes with a blue LED light built into the hood to provide a vibrant fluorescent glow throughout your aquarium.
The unique aspect of the low-profile hood allows the lighting to provide adequate illumination for your fish without subtracting from the visual appeal of your 10-gallon aquarium.
The filter included in this kit utilizes a five-stage filtration setup to ensure your water is clean and free from contaminants.
The Quiet-Flow filter employs a high-grade pump, fitted into the intake tube to produce water flow via the filter chamber.
The pump and the filter are both very quiet, but this filtration system is powerful enough to turn the water over in the tank several times an hour.
This aquarium includes a full-sized hood with low profile LED light built into it. This allows for easy access into the tank for maintenance and feeding. There is no hinge on the hood, you just lift it off to assess the interior.
Pros
- High power filter – runs quietly.
- Low profile LED lights.
- Water conditioner included.
- Fish food included.
- Includes a net.
- Heater included
- A tremendous comprehensive kit for beginners
Cons
- Can’t adjust heater settings
- No hinge on the canopy
This is best suited to fish-keepers who don’t want to waste time buying accessories – ideal for beginners. While this tank wouldn’t appeal to everyone, it does make a great focal piece in the right environment.
Find out at this link if the Neo-Glow 10-gallon aquarium is for yo:
All Glass Aquarium Tank and Eco Hood Combo, 10-Gallon
This all-glass aquarium kit features high-quality glass – designed to last for years. If you already have a filter and other accessories, this is an inexpensive kit for creatives or DIY enthusiasts.
This kit provides a great space to work with, due to the wide-shaped design and the eco black hood that contains two light fittings – capable of producing illumination evenly across the entire aquarium.
The small section on top of the hood opens to create assess for feeding.
An inexpensive tank for those who want to modify their aquarium with their own quality equipment and accessories.
What’s in the Box?
- 10-gallon glass tank: 20.2? L x 10.4? W x 12.6? H
- Eco hood
This 10-gallon tank is made from durable, high-quality glass, featuring a great view of your fish from all four sides.
The full rectangular shape ensures there is a lot of space for active swimmers and the simple-to-remove hood allows you to feed and maintain the tank with ease.
The detachable feeding section looks solid, and simple to use. The light fittings allow you to choose between fluorescent or energy saving bulbs.
The hood contains two light fittings capable of producing an even amount of light across the tank. You use fluorescent or LED bulbs, but these will have to be purchased separately.
This kit has no filtration system. You’d need to purchase that separately.
The eco hood is easy to remove. There is a small section located on top of the hood, which opens towards you – making it easy to feed your fish. Lifting the hood exposes the vast, broad area of the tank for maintenance.
Pros
- High-quality build
- Easy-assess for feeding and maintenance
- Gives you the freedom to get creative and design your own aquarium
- Great wide shape
Cons
- No filter
This is the ideal aquarium for someone who knows what they need and the desire to buy their own additional requirements. It is an economical kit for creative and experienced fish-keepers who like to design their own aquariums.
To begin your next project, follow this link:
Benefits of a 10 Gallon Fish Tank Over Other Sizes
The 10-gallon tank is the perfect way to add a small slice of nature into your home, as well as a great teaching tool for children for the keeping of pets, responsibility, and how to keep and maintain a small aquarium.
It’s large enough to keep a good number of fish and decorations, offering far more flexibility compared to 5 gallon tanks or smaller when it comes to setting yourself up with a delightful aquarium.
A significant benefit of the 10-gallon tank is its ability to establish a nitrogen cycle, essential for water quality in a way that smaller tanks cannot. A smaller tank restricts your ability to maintain water quality consistently, with minor changes to the environment having a significant impact on water quality.
If you don’t have a lot of space for an aquarium in your home, a 10-gallon tank is a perfect starter kit, takes up way less room than larger sizes and is a lot easier to clean and maintain in most cases.
You will have a great time setting up your 10-gallon aquarium with lots of plants and ornaments – it’s the perfect starter kit – you won’t be restricted like you would with a tiny tank or overwhelmed as a beginner as you would with a 50-gallon+ aquarium!
Things to Consider Before Buying
There are many considerations to make before going ahead with the purchase of any fish tank.
To save you the hassle of trying to work out all the details yourself, we’ve compiled a list of the things you need to consider before purchasing.
Where are You Going to Put it?
It’s important not to purchase your tank before you’ve established you have the space for it. If you’re using a stand for your aquarium, you’ll have to allow for this when considering your area.
A wall mounted aquarium is an excellent option for families with small children; however, it does prove a little more challenging to clean as opposed to being on a stand.
Once you know where your tank will go, use a measuring tape to guarantee you have adequate room. The average measurements of a 10-gallon tank are 20″ x 10″ x 12″.
Don’t skip this step or your new-found passion may just result in disappointment and irritation.
What Fish do You Hope to Keep?
Beginner fish-keepers often make the mistake of not researching the types of fish to stock in their tank, which mostly depends on size.
So before you buy, it’s important to understand the types of fish that can thrive in the relatively confined area of 10 gallons as well as how different species interact with each other.
The shape of your tank will also impact the fish who dwell in it: fish who love to swim and explore require classical, broad and flat tanks, while you’ll need a tall and thin aquarium if you want to fill it with a combination of surface and bottom dwellers.
Some of the best fish suitable to stock in a 10-gallon tank include:
- Pygmy Corydoras: Kept in a group of at least six. They are active little fish and spend most of their time in the middle of the tank. Ideally suited in a low tank.
- Fancy Guppy: For them to thrive, fancy guppies need to be kept in a group of less than five in a 10-gallon tank. A broad, flat tank would be great for fancy guppies.
- Neon Tetra: They swim in the middle levels of the tank and require a wide and flat or tall and thin fish tank.
- Mosquito Rasbora: Ideally you need at least seven-eight in a tank. An excellent schooling fish, preferring the mid to top level of the tank.
- Cherry Barbs: Another good schooling fish, requiring a group of around six to thrive. Cherry barbs prefer the mid to bottom level of the tank.
- Sparkling Gourami: Need to be kept in pairs. In a 10-gallon tank, they will swim about at all levels but mostly close to the top. A rectangular tank is ideal for this species.
- Clown Killifish: Keep in groups. A long, low tank with a lot of surface area is preferable to a deeper tank.
- Scarlet Badis: Need to keep either in pairs or a harem. Not very active and suitable for any shaped tank.
- Kuhli Loach: These scavengers require a low, flat tank. Should be kept in groups of at least four.
This is not an exhaustive list of the fish or invertebrate you could stock, but rather a rough guide of how to get started. There are many more options to choose from, however, these do tend to be among the most popular species.
Do You Want to Keep Live Plants?
Plants and other decorations are an excellent addition to any tank. If you are interested in keeping live plants in a 10-gallon aquarium, you’ll need to ensure that the type of substrate and lighting you use is compatible with your intended plant life.
The gravel or sand must support plant growth, and the lighting has to be adequate. If you prefer to use plastic plants, then you can go ahead and choose anything you like.
Salt- or Freshwater?
Some tanks and filtration systems are only compatible with either fresh or saltwater, so it’s vital you do the necessary research before deciding.
Most newcomers start with freshwater as they are generally less expensive and require less effort to care for. You will have a lot more options available to you with fresh water, in the way of structure and size of your tank.
You just need to weigh up all your options and whether you’re prepared for the extra expense and upkeep of the more visual delight of marine life associated with saltwater aquariums.
A 10 Gallon Fish Tank – Or a Full Aquarium Kit?
Deciding whether to buy a basic tank instead of an all-in-one kit can be an easy decision for an experienced fish-keeper. If you know what you are doing and what you want, it’s great to purchase a plain tank and then to fit it out the way you like.
However, an aquarium kit containing everything you need to get started is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to save themselves the time and effort shopping around for lighting, filtration, plants, and decorations.
It’s also ideal for beginners who aren’t sure where to start with all the necessary extras.
Some kits even come with fish food and water conditioner. All the work is practically done for you when you buy a kit – just as long as you don’t mind losing some ability to add your own personal extras – there’s plenty of time for that when you’re more experienced.
Materials and Build Quality
Aquariums are either made with glass or acrylic. Whichever option you choose will be determined by your personal requirements and budget.
Glass: Practically scratch resistant, a glass tank can uphold its original crystal-clear look for many years. If the price is a factor, you will generally pay less for glass than an acrylic tank; however, it does weigh a lot more.
A glass tank does not require full contact support at the base, meaning you can use a stand – just ensure it is strong enough to support the weight of the structure.
Acrylic: The acrylic 10-gallon fish tank is lightweight and although less expensive to make than the glass alternative – it can cost more to purchase due to the specialized techniques and shipping costs involved.
You have plenty more options in-regards to shapes, and it’s highly unlikely to scratch. However, it will lose that ‘brand new’ look after continuous cleaning.
Due to the light structure of an acrylic tank, it does require full support at the base. This means you won’t be able to use a stand. However, you will have a great desktop aquarium that when empty, is easy to move around.
How Much are You Willing to Spend?
Establish a clear budget before shopping for your tank to avoid overspending, but be mindful of the fact you want something built to last.
Investing in a good quality tank or kit from a reputable manufacturer can save you a lot of unnecessary frustration having to replace a bad purchase.
Customer Support and Brand Recognition
Your best option is to buy your aquarium from an established brand with years of industry experience and exceptional customer care.
Keep an eye out for recognizable brand names and always check their returns policy and warranty conditions before purchase.
All of our choices below have been carefully chosen to give you peace of mind, knowing they are reputable brands with good customer service history’s.
Conclusion
So there you have it, our buying guide and top choice contenders for the best 10 gallon fish tank.
We’ve tried to pick the best in a few categories, at different price points, with different features, pros and cons, so there should be something for everybody.
If you’ve purchased any of these products in the past, let us know about it in the comments below.
Also, we would really appreciate your feedback or any questions you may have regarding setting up a 10-gallon aquarium. We sincerely love to hear from our readers and will answer every comment.
