Petco Bookshelf Freshwater Fish Aquarium

This tank is great for small spaces, and because it's so narrow (front to back) it really CAN fit on a bookshelf. The included filter has an adjustable flow, so you can dial it back for fish that don't like strong currents.

The tank LOOKS much bigger than it is because of the length, and it also has more surface area than many 6 gallon tanks. The surface area is important for gas exchange, so this is a big plus.

The bulb that comes with the tank isn't the best for live plants, but it's a size and type that is readily available at any big-box DIY store. I replaced the original bulb with a 6700 Kelvin (daylight) one for about $7, and the tank looks much better for it. The plants are much happier, too!

The only flaws are that the plastic is VERY easy to scratch, and the tank tends to leak from under the top trim. Lift the trim off the tank, lay down a bead of silicone sealant and replace the trim this will stop the leaking.

Overall, this is a good deal and a very nice tank. I would recommend this to a friend.

Shipping time: Great as this arrived aprox 4 days from Amazon purchase date

Packaging: Everything was either boxed or plastic wraped or both.

Dimensions: as it is 24 long by 8 deep and 12 high, it has alot of floor surface area. This was ideal as my tank inhabitants are bottom dwellers. MUCH more space than other small gallon/desktop tanks.

Price: Super for what you get. I did add filter media (5-10 gal sponge and white ceramic bio)from my local pet shop, small heater, bubble wand and my own decorations.

Cover and light: There is a small lid for feeding in the front. The clear acrylic topper has lots of punch outs for addition needs ( like air tubes and heaters). The light works just fine and has a bluish glow. This is easily upgraded.

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First off, this is a good tank. Well packaged, good construction and components. Very attractive, excellent shape for 6.5 gallons. Looks bigger than it is. The acrylic is nice and sturdy and in my experience was not easily scratched. The filter seems to work well, pretty quiet and can be dialed from low to high depending on your fish needs. The light works fine and the hood has a convenient door for feeding the fish. In order to access the inside of the tank, you must first lift off the light fixture and set it down somewhere. Then underneath there is a clear plastic lid that your remove and set aside and then you can access the inside of the tank. I recommend this tank as a good value and it's unique dimensions for a small tank are very attractive. Don't plan on putting much in this tank however, at 6.5 gallons it is only suited for maybe 1 betta and a bottom dweller or two.

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I received this tank as a Christmas present for my betta. I really adore it! You can't fill it up above the rim because the rims actually pop off. Because there isn't an actual seal the water leaks right out if you fill it above the rim. While it's slightly annoying, I appreciate that in the future I could run this as a rimless tank if I could furnish a different sort of lighting (the rim is required to support the light fixture). It's difficult to find nice rimless tanks in this price range so I'm pretty happy about that.

While my betta lived in a 10 gallon tank before so this may seem like a downgrade, he actually has much more usable space and loves to zoom from one side of the tank to the other. :) The dimensions are just lovely for bettas and really pretty much any fish. It has the same proportions as a 20 gallon long, just mini. I put it side by side with a 10 gallon tank and it's 2-3 inches longer, but of course much shorter and thinner.

I cant comment on the filter because I just used the filter I already had running in my 10 gallon-an Aquaclear 20.

There was some cloudy-looking whitish substance on the glass when I filled it up (it wasn't visible when the tank was empty) [***EDIT: I figured out what was going on with that-I was using a sand substrate and the residue from it left a film on the walls of the tank. I discovered this once I used the same sand in a completely different, old tank I had lying around and the same thing happened. So this is NOT the fault of the manufacturer of this aquarium.***] but it rubbed off easily with my finger. I didn't rinse the tank, though, so that might have prevented it. Once I removed the cloudy-looking stuff the tank is crystal clear. It is acrylic so you should only use micro-fiber on the outside and an algae scrubber made for acrylic on the inside-glass scrubbers WILL scratch this aquarium. Luckily there are products on the market that remove scratches (I can't vouch for their effectiveness, though, as I haven't used them) if you have a slip up. I really like that acrylic tanks like this one have no seams on the edges like glass tanks do, where they were bonded with silicone.

Also, this is a bowfront tank but because it's so long the bow is very slight, so there is literally no distortion. Which is awesome.

The light fixture isn't the best. At first it kept going out and turning on again like the bulb wasn't staying in correctly. I haven't had a problem in the past couple days though. I'm also going to change the bulb to a daylight bulb (6500 K) because it is better for growing plants. I really like the fact that the piece supporting the light is clear throughout, because it allows you to stick another light fixture behind it (I will post pictures explaining what I mean by this) for greater watts per gallon (only important for live plants). The second fixture I used, which is the same size as the one that comes with the tank, was for an 10 imperial gallon tank (this is about 12 US gallons, but the proportions are different for UK and US tanks).

Overall I am very very happy with this tank. Best gift I got this year. :D

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I think I figured out the deal with the hood/light. When I changed the bulb I realized that the one that comes with the aquarium is a few centimeters smaller than a standard 15 watt, 18 inch florescent bulb. If you buy a new bulb it will have a tighter fit (but not too tight--the light it comes with is too loose) and it will stay in place better. It kept turning off on me because the old bulb would slip slightly out of alignment. I have no idea why they would include a non-standard size bulb in what appears to be standard size hood, but that seems to be what's going on. A new bulb (which can be easily found at Wal-Mart) does the trick. [EDIT: Two weeks with the new bulb and no problems at all. It cost me $8 at Wal-Mart, but cheaper ones can be bought if you don't have live plants.]

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I purchased the Petco Bookshelf aquarium through Amazon and I am THRILLED with it. I did it in an Asian theme and it is beautiful. Aqua colored gravel, a pagoda, bridge, bamboo and grasses. My blue Betta thinks he is in heaven! I love the long syle of it. At 6.6 gallons, it gives fish lots of horizontal room to swim the whole length of the 24" tank and plenty of room for plants and decor. The flourescent light brings out the colors of the ornaments and makes the betta glow with beauty. The pump and filtration system work nicely and my pump is quiet. It was shipped VERY quickly, I got it within 2 and a half days, and it came double boxed. Inside the main box it was packed really nice. The tank itself was inside a plastic type bag to help minimize scratches. For the price, it is better than anything I have seen at local pet stores. I'm thinking of getting another one I like it so much. If you are thinking of getting an aquarium, don't let this one pass you by. I think you will more than happy with it. Thanks for reading my review and hope it helps!

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