I like this tank so much I will soon get another!For a few years I've enjoyed having a Betta in a globe fish bowl on my desk at work. Last November my little scaly friend passed away so I went looking for a new desk companion. Well there were TWO beautiful fish and I just couldn't decide, so I just bought both! (I'm going somewhere with this, I promise) I decided to keep one fish at home and the other at work but I obviously was going to need a new bowl as Bettas are not all that good together. Well I found the Aqueon Mini Bow here on Amazon and despite mixed reviews I thought I'd give it a try. And I'm glad I did. This tank is fantastic. So quiet that you have to check to see if it's turned on. Silent is the word.Ok, so the reason I gave you back story on owning two bettas is this: My standard globe bowl at work I've cleaned 3 times in four months. AND it's still on it's first filter! This tank has a VERY simple filter style, it just sucks up water and lets it flow over the top of the filter before gently flowing back into the tank.

Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done VERY well. I think another thing that helps this tank stay clean and clear is my snail. He's very active, but he obviously doesn't clean the water, just the surfaces. So grab a snail when you pick up your betta as well.There are two things that many of the negative reviewers have said about this tank that I've got solutions for.Reviewer complaint one: Too strong of a current for the fish.Solution: Fill your tank up with the correct amount of water. The tank has a specific recommended water line and when your water is at the correct level, the drop from the filter is almost none. Yes, there is a little current, but not enough that it looks like the fish is always having to fight it.Reviewer complaint two: The hood gets too hot and starts to deform.Solution: I didn't notice any SIGNIFICANT heat on mine when used for reasonable time periods (a couple hours at a time). But just in case other reviewer were right, I devised a wonderful double-benefit solution.

A custom Heat Shield! (See my photo in the customer photos section) It's made of aluminum foil and electrical tape and takes maybe five minutes to construct/install. Just remove the screws from the clear plastic, then cut a piece of aluminum foil to size and secure it to the contours of the plastic with some electrical tape. Now the the top of my hood doesn't get warm even after being on for a few hours plus being that betta are tropical fish they prefer warmer water, so the heat shield also helps direct the heat into the water!Pros:Fairly InexpensiveInexpensive FiltersLong lasting FiltersVERY QuietLit HoodFeeding holeCleanCons:Two separate cords (one for filter, one for light)UPDATE (4/11/12)So I did in fact buy a second tank and oddly it did at first seem as though the current was a bit much for the fish with this tank. But there are a few possible reasons why this is the case. It MAY be possible that some tanks have a more powerful suction/filtration system, but I kinda doubt it. So here is what I think is going on.

First, with the first tank I purchased, before I even turned it on I had a tall plant RIGHT in front of where the water spills over the top of the filter. I think this breaks up the current quite a bit. Second, the fish from my first tank has much larger fins. Third, the first tanks filter has been in use for a while and is probably dirty enough to slow down the water flow a little bit. Fourth, the fish in the new tank had been a lazy SOB for like 8 months. I think he may have been over feed while I was on vacation and may have developed a swim bladder issue. buy aquarium plants ebaySo he floated at the top fairly frequently. cheap fish tanks ipswichSo take him from a no water-movement bowl to a tank with some flow and it is gonna look like he's being thrashed around. buy fish tank online malaysia

Fifth, the fish simply hasn't had time to adapt. After a week or so in the tank with the pump on he found a bunch of places that he likes to chill out it, with seemingly no current issues. BUT that doesn't mean I didn't feel the need to ease him into this tank transition by turning off the filter for periods of time.So these are my suggestions for those with current concerns.1. Get a tall plant and place it on the opposite side of the tank as the filter. Also put some little plants on the bottom. This gives your little fish plenty of places to relax.2. Add an inline switch (kinda like a lamp toggle switch on a cord) Here's one from amazon:Leviton 5410 Appliance Switch, Feed-Through Switch Rocker, Single Pole, Single Throw, 3A-125V AC, Brown This will make it easier to switch the filter on and off.3. If you just bought your fish or have had him in a bowl for a while he has been lazy for a long time. He just needs time to adjust.All in all, my fish seems a LOT more happy in this tank. He used to float around the top so much that I though he was dead plenty of times.

Now he swims around and plays and I bet he's very excited for his tank to ALWAYS be clean. Used & new (12) from $11.95 Ships from and sold by ValuePetSupplies. There is a newer model of this item: Aqueon Mini Heater, 10W Aqueon AQE06194 Mini Heater for Aquarium, 10-watt Aqueon Multi-Color Flexible LED Bubble Wand Aquarium Light FREE Shipping on orders over . DetailsAqueon Kit Betta Falls FREE Shipping. Aquino is introducing exclusive features that are new to the aquatic industry and a variety of high-quality products help the beginning to intermediate hobbyist create and maintain a thriving aquatic environment. 1 x 1 x 1 inches ; Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) International Shipping: This item is not eligible for international shipping. Item model number: 100106194 #14,133 in Pet Supplies (See Top 100 in Pet Supplies) in Pet Supplies > Fish & Aquatic Pets > Aquarium Heaters Marina C10 Compact Heater, 10-Watt