Tank Review - Top Fin 3.5 “Enchant”
I purchased this tank from my local PetSmart a week ago for my betta fish, and so far I am very pleased with it.
- PROS: kit comes with a filter, the tank itself, a hood with a feeding door, and an LED light. The LED can cycle through the RGB rainbow of colors, be stuck on a color of choice, or be set on the white light daytime setting. The cords for the filter and the LED are separate, allowing for the use of a timer if desired. The tank has a black lip around the bottom and top, giving it a structured look. The lid is sturdy, which is good if you are a cat owner like myself. The filter itself has a very light flow, making it betta friendly without modifications. The filter takes two storebought cartridges, however there is enough room inside of it to only use one cartridge and use a small bag of biological media instead. (probably what I will be doing in the future) The tank is tall rather than wide so larger or taller decorations fit comfortably inside of it, although there isn’t much floorspace. This is a CHEAP tank. If you have PetPerks with PetSmart, this tank is usually discounted by $10 to a grand total of $19.99 plus tax. It’s QUIET. If you’re looking to keep this tank in your bedroom, the only noise this thing produces is the trickle of the water from the outtake. I have had significant problems with Top Fin filters in the past, but this one seems to be both quiet and sturdy, thank god. I have an Aqueon filter running for my axolotl tank in my bedroom, and that thing is LOUD. If it was just my betta tank running, I don’t think I would have a problem getting to sleep at night.
- CONS: The tank is only 3.5 gallons, which is only a gallon more than the minimum amount of water a betta can live in comfortably. However, my betta does seem happy in this space. A 5 gallon would be ideal, but could easily be bulky in this design. The tank itself is made out of a clear plastic, which scratches much easier than glass or acrylic. The filter takes 2 cartridges unmodified. Filter cartridges made for this specific tank are sold for $4.99 at PetSmart for a pack of two, meaning that if changed monthly, the total cost for maintaining just the filter of this tank is $60 a year. This problem can be solved by using one filter cartridge and one small bag of ceramic bio media, cutting your cost to just $30 a year + the cost of your preferred bio media. The intake of the filter doesnt even reach halfway down the tank, meaning that debris on the bottom of your tank may not be picked up, so a gravel vacuum is recommended. As for the LED lights, I am unsure of whether or not it is capable of growing live plants. I have one anubias plant and one marimo moss ball in there right now, but I also had those in my previous, unlit tank and they grew at an ordinary pace. If I had to wager a guess I would say that this light is only enough for beginner plants.
Overall, for $20, this is a great tank for the price. If you are interested in purchasing a tank kit for one fish, this is the perfect tank for you. It looks neat, it’s quiet, and it’s very affordable. If you are a beginner fishkeeper interested in a nano tank capable of plant growth, I would recommend getting a different light via Amazon.com. Anubias and marimos do quite well in this particular environment, as I have observed so far. My betta seems to be doing very well in his new tank and I hope this helps somebody else on their fishkeeping journey🌟
