Marineland Portrait 5 Gallon Aquarium Review: A Glass Tank Kit Worth Buying?

Is the Marineland 5 Gallon Portrait right for you?

It’s a fun little tank, but it won’t be right for everyone – especially if you want to keep a few fish because it’s still quite small.

Marineland is one of the world’s leading brands of marine equipment and environments. They’ve been providing high-quality products to fish lovers for over 40 years.

Today, we’ll be reviewing the Marineland 5 Gallon Portrait Glass LED Aquarium Kit (Amazon OR Chewy).

It is really nice rimless design that allows you unobstructed views of the tank, and it’s perfect for those who do not want to do a lot of maintenance.

Marineland 5 Gallon Portrait Review

 

A 5 gallon fish tank like this is good for 1 – 5 fish, depending on the variety and breed.

For example, it would be a good fish tank for a betta fish. However, only for a single fish (no more).

Or you could have 5 neon tetras or 3 mollies.

5 gallons is not a large tank and you don’t want to overcrowd it. Consider a 10 gallon tank if you’d like to keep a few more fish.

But this Marineland Portrait 5 gallon aquarium is great for the kitchen counter, the bedroom, or a small stand in the living room.

In a rush?

Take a quick look at these pros and cons to see if this tank covers what you need.

Pros:

• Easy to set up
• Easy to clean
• Beautiful curved glass design
• Low-maintenance
• Daylight and moonlight settings
• LED lighting in both white and blue
• Advanced hidden filtration
• Minimal design
• Price is cost-effective
• Low noise filter
• Tall (portrait) build
• Adjustable flow filter pump

Cons:

• The plastic base isn’t sturdy
• Doesn’t come with a heater, algae killing filter substrate, or decor
• Debris may collect in the back panel
• Can only stock a few small fish
• Easy to quickly grow out of it
• Can’t fit many ornaments in it
• No lid (some fish jump out)

Marineland Portrait Glass Aquarium Kit Overview

This Marineland aquarium holds 5 gallons of water when empty.

It features a design of curved glass and rounded corners. It’s a beautiful aquarium tank that allows you to view your fish from different angles.

The Marineland portrait aquarium is a little under 12 inches long and 12 inches wide. It stands at almost 17 inches tall and weighs a bit over 6 pounds.

A tank of this size is great for kids and allows you to keep a few more fish than in a 3-gallon aquarium.

Types of fish that might be suitable:

• Guppies
• Ghost shrimp
• Cory catfish
• Freshwater angelfish
• Neon tetra
• Goldfish
• Betta fish
• Mollies

You could even use it for keeping the interesting Glofish species.

Marineland Portrait Features

 

Here are some of the standout features of the Marineland portrait fish tank.

1. Glass Canopy

The glass canopy can easily slide to the back of the tank with no fuss or hassle.

It’s designed to give you easy access to clean the tank or feed your fish. It’s a simple, no-hassle process, and doesn’t require any awkward moving of the tank cover.

2. Adjustable Flow Filter Pump

The fully adjustable filter pump is easy to use.

Simply take it out of the tank, adjust it to your preferred setting using the dial, then put it back in. It works to provide efficient water and oxygen flow.

It’s quiet, which is a good thing because you have to keep it working all the time.

3. Functional Design

One unique feature is the exterior glass design.

The corners are curved and rounded for a beautiful look. There are no rims or frames.

It’s a unique build that allows you an unobstructed view of the tank and everything in it.

It stands taller than other tanks, which is a feature that I think gives it an edge over different tank designs.

4. LED Lights

LED lighting mimics natural day and nighttime lighting.

This is important to maintain the health and growth of your fish and plants.

This aquarium comes with 2 LED colored lights: bright white and blue. The lighting system comes with a 3-way toggle switch.

You can go from white and blue, to blue-only, to turning them completely off.

The white lights create soft, shimmering light. This is to give the feeling of sunlight as it shines under the water.

The blue lights are designed to provide a soft moonlight glow.

They’re energy-efficient lighting, which means you can keep them on all day without worrying about your electric bills.

They’re also designed to be slanted slightly to allow you easier access to the tank.

5. Hidden Filtration

The Marineland aquarium features a 3-stage hidden filtration system. Included with the kit is a Rite-Size Z Cartridge.

You’ll also find a Marineland Bio-Foam that comes with the kit. The foam helps filter out debris, dirt, and grime.

It also sustains the growth of good bacteria in the tank. Bio-Foam boosts the biological filtration of the whole aquarium. It’s a great way to protect your fish and plant life.

It comes with a plastic wall at the back of the aquarium. This is meant to keep the filtration system hidden. It also prevents your fish from going near the filter and harming themselves.

Marineland Fish Tank Review

The Marineland 5-gallon portrait glass aquarium kit is one of the best small tanks on the market.

It comes with many practical features, includes all the bits and pieces you need, and it’s an easy starter tank.

All you need is a couple of small fish, and you can start enjoying your brand-new Marineland aquarium.

BUT, if you like interesting fish tanks, also consider these fun aquaponic fish tanks – many of which are about the same 5 gallon size.