The 6 Best Goldfish Tanks of 2023

Jessie Sanders, DVM, CertAqV By
Jessie Sanders
Jessie Sanders, DVM, CertAqV
Jessie Sanders
Dr. Jessie Sanders, CertAqV, is an accomplished aquatic veterinary medicine expert with nearly two decades of experience working with private patients and aquaculture facilities. She owns Aquatic Veterinary Services specializing in fish surgery, and she hold the rare certification through the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association.
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Published on 11/21/22

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When it comes to selecting the best tank for your goldfish, size is key. Goldfish are messy fish that need lots of space to swim and dilute out their waste. Even if you have a large system, the key is to keep your bioload low so your fish stay healthy and your maintenance routine minimal.

“Goldfish tanks are frequently overstocked when they are new, leading to New Tank Syndrome,” Dr. Jessica Koppien-Fox, DVM and CertAqV—a certification for experts in aquatic veterinary medicine—told The Spruce Pets. “Owners can avoid this by only adding a few fish at a time or having a very large system. When setting up any tank, all fish require aeration and filtration to keep their tanks healthy.”

Don’t put your goldfish in an antiquated bowl. Despite the long association between goldfish and bowls, fish bowls are not proper homes for any fish. It is inhumane and cruel to keep your fish in a standing cup of water with no filtration.

If this is your first aquarium, check out our list of everything you’ll need to keep your fish happy including a robust filter, décor, substrate, and more.

We also recommend against the small, 10-gallon aquariums commonly marketed at pet stores and big box retailers. These tanks are too small for an adult goldfish, let alone multiple goldfish. Instead, your tank should provide approximately 20 gallons of water per fish. Goldfish can also grow to be quite large, and fully grown goldfish should have 50 gallons of space.

Our favorite goldfish tank is the Tetra Glass Aquarium 55 Gallon Rectangular Fish Tank, which allows for custom filtration tailored to your goldfish. For example, comet goldfish require a lot of filtration, while some species of fancy goldfish with specific swimming difficulties may need a carefully directed flow of water so they do not get pushed around the tank. We also have several other tanks we love that may work better for your specific setup.

Here are the best goldfish tanks.

Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Tetra 55 Gallon Rectangular Fish Tank at Amazon
Jump to Review
Best Splurge:
JAJALE 260 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank at Amazon
Jump to Review
Best Lightweight Acrylic:
Clear-For-Life 40 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium at Amazon
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Best Shape:
Midwest Tropical 28 Gallon AquaTable Aquarium Octagon at Amazon
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Best for Small Spaces:
Penn-Plax Aquarium Cylinder Tank at Amazon
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Best Goldfish Pond:
Pennington Aquagarden Pond Kit at Amazon
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In This Article

Best Overall

Tetra Glass Aquarium 55 Gallon Rectangular Fish Tank

Tetra Glass Aquarium 55 Gallon Rectangular Fish Tank

Amazon
View On Amazon View On PETCO
Pros

  • Easy to clean

  • Will work well for any type of goldfish

Cons

  • Only includes the tank

The 55-gallon capacity Tetra Glass Aquarium can fit up to three young comet goldfish and provides the perfect platform for a custom tank setup—this one doesn’t come with lights, a lid, filtration, or other components. Tetra offers a wide range of compatible accessories, which makes this an easy first tank to build around. Tetra also offers a kit version of the tank.

The Tetra Glass Aquarium is constructed to be wide and rectangular—it’s only 13 inches deep—which is good for any species of goldfish, as they tend to prefer shallow water and space to roam. 

Price at time of publish: $211

Materials: Tempered glass | Dimensions: 48 x 13 x 20 inches

Best Splurge

JAJALE 260 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank

JAJALE 260 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank

Amazon
View On Amazon
Pros

  • Large capacity can host multiple goldfish

  • Includes sump and cabinet stand

  • Built-in LED lighting

  • Durable materials for decades of use

Cons

  • Does not include filter media

  • Not suitable for beginner aquarists

The JAJALE 260 Gallon Aquarium Fish Tank features low-iron ultra transparent glass, and comes with its own cabinet, available in a wide range of colors. The frame itself is all metal to prevent water damage, while the tank is sealed with biophilic silica gel that will keep this fish tank in prime working condition for decades. Beneath the fish tank is a cabinet with magnetic seal doors that contains a built-in, high capacity water pump (capable of moving 1,717 gallons per hour) and filtration system. The tank also features built-in LED lighting in the lid.

Price at time of publish: $5,500

Materials: Tempered glass, aluminum, LED lighting, pump components, plastic filtration compartments | Dimensions: 78 x 26.8 x 32.3 inches (tank), 78 x 26.8 x 29.5 inches (cabinet)

Best Lightweight Acrylic

Clear-For-Life 40 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium

Clear-For-Life 40 Gallon Acrylic Aquarium

Amazon
View On Amazon View On PetSmart
Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Durable

  • Top cutout decreases loss to evaporation

Cons

  • None

Clear-For-Life acrylic aquariums are known for their super clear acrylic designs that are stronger and more resilient than typical glass aquariums. Rather than sealing multiple glass panels, the wraparound viewing area on this 40-gallon acrylic tank is made from a single piece of acrylic, with rounded corners that maximize viewability.

Acrylic tanks require different accessories than glass tanks, so be careful to ensure something is acrylic compatible when buying cleaning products.

Price at time of publish: $603

Materials: Acrylic | Dimensions: 36 x 15 x16 inches

Best Shape

Midwest Tropical 28 Gallon AquaTable Aquarium Octagon

Midwest Tropical 28 Gallon AquaTable Aquarium Octagon

Dream Fish Tanks
View On Amazon View On PETCO View On Dreamfishtanks.com
Pros

  • Décor included

  • Built-in filtration

Cons

  • Hard to clean

  • Most set-ups will require additional water circulation components

Want to bring your fish into the middle of your living space? Check out the Midwest Tropical 28-gallon AquaTable, which doubles as a coffee table, allowing you to keep your fish in view at all times. This unique design from Midwest Tropical includes a built-in filtration system, blue glass gravel, and bottom-up illumination. It also comes with its own decorative aquatic plants.

The main downside to this type of design is that you’ll need to remove the tempered glass tabletop to clean or perform other maintenance tasks. Plus, given their sensitivity to sound and vibration, goldfish tanks should not be placed directly in front of TVs or sound systems. You should also consider using padded coasters with this table.

Price at time of publish: $805

Materials: Tempered glass top, acrylic | Dimensions: 38 x 20 x 15.5 inches

Best for Small Spaces

Penn-Plax 58 Gallon Front Acrylic Aquarium Cylinder Tank

Penn-Plax 58 Gallon Front Acrylic Aquarium Cylinder Tank

Amazon
View On Amazon View On Walmart View On PETCO
Pros

  • Good for small spaces

  • Cabinet stand included

  • Bottom drain simplifies cleaning

  • Built-in LED light system

  • Separate feeding compartment

Cons

  • Too deep for fancy goldfish

  • Have to deal with heavy lid for any deep cleaning

If you’re looking for a goldfish tank to fit in a smaller space, The Penn-Plax 58 Gallon Front Acrylic Aquarium provides a 16-inch deep habitat for fully grown goldfish, in a cylindrical design that will fit well in corners or other cramped areas thanks to its vertical design.This tank also has a built-in, customizable LED light system and a glossy black base cabinet with gold trim.

Price at time of publish: $1,399

Materials: Acrylic | Dimensions: 60 x 40 x 15 inches

Best Goldfish Pond

Pennington Aquagarden Pond Kit

Pennington Aquagarden Pond Kit

Amazon
View On Amazon View On Penningtonaquagarden.com
Pros

  • Large enough for big goldfish

  • Filtration included

  • Portholes for underwater viewing

  • Various fountain options

Cons

  • Tricky setup

  • Not ideal on indoor carpeting

At just under 100 gallons, the Pennington Aquagarden Pond Kit is an all-in-one system that is great for goldfish, giving them lots of space to play without the hassle of having to dig out a hole in your backyard. This pond setup has fun portholes to give your fish an underwater view of the world around them (or you a view in). Available in a half moon or octagon size, this pond is the ultimate home for larger goldfish needing more room to swim.

Price at time of publish: $580

Materials: Aluminum, acrylic, LED components | Dimensions: 40 x 40 x 24 inches

Final Verdict

Our favorite goldfish tank is the Tetra 55-Gallon glass aquarium, which is a fantastic platform for any variety of aquarium kit. It’s also available in a kit version that comes with its own components.

What to Look For in Goldfish Tanks

Tank Volume

When it comes to goldfish, the more water, the better. Goldfish have low feed-to-mass conversion, meaning that they eat a lot and don’t put on much mass. This means that there is a lot of food wasted in your tank. This can cause lots of issues with your water chemistry, so the larger volume of water to dilute everything out, the easier maintenance will be. Goldfish can grow up to 12 inches long, so although they may start small, plan for your fish to get a lot bigger!

Dimensions

Narrow aquariums may fit your home, but they are not the best choice for goldfish. Being larger fish, you want to make sure your fish can turn around easily whenever they like. If they are forced to turn in tight spaces, you may see spinal disorders. If caught early and moved to a larger system, these can be corrected.

Fancy goldfish in particular are prone to buoyancy disorders. This can be aggravated by a lot of water pressure on top of them from a very deep tank. For fancy goldfish, a tank depth of 18 inches or less is best to manage their buoyancy.

Material

Aquarium tanks come in two materials: glass or acrylic. Glass is more traditional, but can be delicate and heavy. Acrylic is lighter and more durable, but often not as clear as a glass tank. How you clean your aquarium depends significantly on what type of material is present in your tank.

Never use glass cleaning supplies on acrylic since it will scratch the material. This includes any metal algae scrapers.

Additional Equipment

Although these recommendations focus on tanks, there are lots of other components you will need for your goldfish tank. A strong filter is a must, unless you have lots of fancy goldfish that are blown around by a strong current. Goldfish will need a substrate and décor items to complete their tank setup. Goldfish are temperate fishes, so you won’t need a heater unless your home gets very cold.

FAQ
  • How big of a tank does a goldfish need?

    Goldfish need a lot more room than you may have been led to believe. These fish are messy and grow very large and will therefore need at least 20 gallons PER FISH just to start. As they grow bigger, you may need 50 or even 100 gallons for large comet goldfish.

  • Can goldfish be in a tank with other fish?

    The biggest consideration in choosing fish to be in a goldfish tank is their temperate nature. This means the like nontropical temperatures around 65-75 F. Good choices for goldfish companions includes other goldfish, zebrafish, or minnows. Try not to mix long-bodied goldfish, such as comets and shubunkins, with fancy varieties, such as orandas, ranchus, or black moors. Long-bodied goldfish easily outswim and outmaneuver fancy varieties, hogging the swimming space and the food.

  • Can I keep my goldfish in a bowl?

    Absolutely not. Bowls are not a humane choice for any fish. All fish deserve filtered, flowing water.

Why Trust Us

Dr. Jessie Sanders has worked as an aquatics-only, pet fish veterinarian for more than 10 years, and has encountered countless goldfish tank setups. While there are many ways to correctly put together an aquarium tank, when it comes to goldfish, space is key. Extra dilution makes their messy world so much easier to manage. She instructs all her clients to give their goldfish as much space as possible to ensure they live long and healthy lives.