Our little girl has been begging for a fish glofish tank for almost a year and after seeing the neon GloFish at our local pet store, I knew she was hooked. My mom has a 20 gallon aquarium and my kids love to watch her kid when they’re visiting. I figured having a small tank at home would be a good way to introduce chores and household responsibilities so I finally agreed. And you know what? These GloFish Tetras are actually super cool! I asked a bunch of questions and did research online before deciding on which GloFish tank kit to get, complete with cool decorations and LED lights, which was easy to set up.
So here it is, my complete GloFish review from the perspective of a first-time aquarium owner…
What Are GloFish Tetra?
The history of GloFish Tetra is actually quite fascinating. After being bred by scientists to help detect pollutants in waterways a decade ago, GloFish Tetra was born as a way to teach the average consumer about marine life.
GloFish are schooling fish and, unlike Betas, should be kept in multiples of 3 or 4 with plenty of space for them to roam. You can even buy GloFish on Amazon, which was kind of crazy to me, but all 4 of mine arrived safely. I’m somewhat concerned our 3-gallon GloFish tank might be a bit small for 4, so we might invest in a 10 gallon tank soon.
The GloFish lifespan is also quite amazing. Comparable to other tetras, the GloFish can live between 3-5 years! Can you believe that? Determining the gender of these fish is super hard to do, but from what I’ve read, the males can become violent if kept in too-small tanks (or tanks with too many fish). From hours of observing our fish, we think the Pink and Yellow are males. They truly are fascinating!
GloFish Tank Options: 3 Gallon Aquarium Kit
Originally the GloFish Tank was to be kept in my daughter’s room, but after realizing that she wouldn’t be able to watch her Glofish as often throughout the day, we decided to keep the tank in the living room instead. They really do look great! I love the vibrant colors the LED lights of the GloFish tank and the soft churning of the filter is a great too.
The GloFish 3 Gallon Aquarium Kit is a cylindrically shaped tank and comes with under gravel filter system and air pump, full hood with special GloFish LED lighting, providing three switchable color selections, GloFish blue, blue/white combo and daylight white. It also features seamless acrylic construction, which offers crystal-clear viewing and safety for the kids (no glass!). The GloFish 3 Gallon Aquarium looks great and is a great size for just about anywhere in the house. However, if you have space for a larger GloFish tank, definitely check out this 10 Gallon GloFish Tank. Be mindful of how many GloFish in a 10 gallon tank works best, but honestly, I would say no more than 5.
There are a few other GloFish tank options to consider before selecting your aquarium, including half moon tanks! I like the kits for all the extra decorations that come included.
GloFish Aquarium Setup
Now it’s time to get this tank set up! In addition to the GloFish tank and filtration system, the GloFish lights need to put together. The GloFish aquarium water needs to be treated and the tank needs to be decorated and, of course, the kids need to learn how to care for GloFish.
I was surprised with how straightforward the directions were. We had to treat the water with AquaSafe before adding it to the tank to ensure proper ph balance. The SafeStart solution is for when you first start the aquarium and adds healthy bacteria to the water. And the Easy Balance is a weekly solution that helps keep the water a healthy environment for the fish. After chatting with the kind employee at Walmart, I learned that this specialty GloFish food helps to maintain their unique color, too.
The maintenance on our GloFish is surprisingly easy once the tank is set up. Just be sure not to overfeed them, change the filters every so often and ensure that everything stays clean.
Learning About GloFish Care
I was surprised with how straightforward it is to care for our GloFish! After an adult helps with setup, GloFish care is a great chore for young kids. To set up the aquarium, you first treat the water with AquaSafe before adding it to the tank to ensure proper ph balance. The SafeStart solution is for when you first start the aquarium and adds healthy bacteria to the water. And the Easy Balance is a weekly solution that helps keep the water a healthy environment for the fish. I also learned that GloFish need special food! GloFish food helps to maintain their unique neon color, so be sure to get the right kind.
The maintenance on our GloFish is surprisingly easy once the tank is set up, but I will advise keeping the lid on the aquarium. Luckily for little Pinkie I was standing there to rescue him when he jumped right out of the aquarium one day! Also be sure not to overfeed them, change the filters every so often and ensure that everything stays clean for a maximum GloFish lifespan.
Linsey @ LillePunkin
August 27, 2014 at 11:09 pmAwww. your pictures look AMAZING! Your fish look just as happy as ours. Aren’t they cool?