Fish tank ornaments are an eye-catching addition to any tank set-up and they can help aquatic life feel comfortable enough to come out of hiding and swim more freely. Realistic-looking aquarium decorations, such as plants, seaweed and driftwood, encourage fish to display their natural behaviours. There are also many fun and unusual options, from glow-in-the-dark jellyfish to themed Disney and Marvel characters.
So, we've got advice for you as well as a list of ten of the most popular fish tank accessories from Amazon, available to order in the UK. Whether you want fish tank decorations which are large or small, budget-friendly or extra-special, you'll find them here. Moreover, we have partnered with veterinarian Natalia Ramírez for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Quick List - Top Fish Tank Ornaments
Taolele
Cost-Effective Selection of 6 Cheerful Decorations
Uniclife
Colourful, Floating Jellyfish Which Glow Under a Fish Tank Light
Natalia is a veterinarian with 10 years of experience, specialising in topics related to responsible pet ownership, preventive animal health and nutrition issues that she is currently deepening in her master's studies. She also helps new pet parents by delivering all the necessary information from their arrival at home to different stages of their life.
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Natalia is a veterinarian with 10 years of experience, specialising in topics related to responsible pet ownership, preventive animal health and nutrition issues that she is currently deepening in her master's studies. She also helps new pet parents by delivering all the necessary information from their arrival at home to different stages of their life.
Research shows that fish are more likely to display their natural behaviours and lead an active lifestyle if they live in an environment that replicates their ocean habitat. Adding live plants to a tank helps to oxygenate the water and provides a natural filter - they can be costly and require more upkeep, plus there is a risk that fish will eat the beautiful plants, and leave them as ragged stumps.
Plastic tank plants, meanwhile, are affordable, low-maintenance and harmless to fish while still providing a naturalistic living space. They're easy to clean and do not require special lights, CO2 or fertilisers to thrive. Plastic plants add colour and texture to your home aquarium, while rocks and artificial driftwood emulate the ocean floor. Real coral and driftwood can bring parasites into the tank and are often not sustainably sourced, so they're best avoided.
You might want to consider some novelty items - besides looking good, they'll also provide additional stimulation for playful fish to swim around and explore. Pirate-themed fish tank ornaments such as skulls, shipwrecks and sunken treasure are classic choices and create a nostalgic narrative. They can look either rustic or quirky depending on the colours and materials used.
Another popular choice for fish lovers of all ages is to add ornaments shaped like well-known animated characters from Disney, Nickelodeon or even the Marvel franchise. Spongebob famously lived in a pineapple under the sea and now your fish can enjoy just such a hideaway. Tropical fish, in particular, may be stimulated and reassured by brightly coloured tank ornaments that simulate the colourful coral reefs found in their natural habitats.
An over-crowded tank is not only time-consuming to clean and messy to look at, but it is also an unpleasant environment for fish to live in. Likewise, a very empty tank will leave fish feeling stressed as they have nowhere to hide or investigate. Carefully measure your tank and look for a good range of ornaments to enhance it without overcrowding it.
If you have a rounded fish bowl, small, narrow pieces with a width of 10 cm or less are a good choice. Tall, slim ornaments also work well as you'll need to crowd them in the flat central base of your bowl. For larger square fish tanks, decorations measuring 15 cm in width or more can be laid out over gravel to provide an interesting landscape for your fish.
If you'd like to really overhaul your set-up, then check out our recommended best fish tanks.
The best fish tank ornaments are waterproof and durable enough to stay submerged under fresh and saltwater conditions, without disintegrating or releasing toxins into the water. Resin and polyresin ornaments are two examples that are both water-resistant and won't add damaging chemicals to your fish's habitat.
As they are an inert material that does not modify the parameters of the aquarium water. The paints and coatings are tested so that they do not have any effect on the water quality and they do not affect the health of the fish or the plants.
Another benefit of resin fish tank ornaments, apart from their durability and non-toxicity, is that they are extremely easy to clean. Scrub them gently with a soft bristle brush to keep them free from the slime and mineral deposits that can build up over time. Silicone decorations are a good choice too; silicone is used as a sealant in most standard fish tanks, so it is not harmful to fish.
While a tank or aquarium with sufficient ornaments will provide some camouflage to help fish feel protected, a decoration with actual space to hide inside goes one step further! A cavern, house or hollow log could all serve as the perfect hiding spot for when fish need a calm, dark place to escape to.
A tank with no hiding places can make fish become stressed, which can cause their health to deteriorate, weaken their immune systems and even affect their colouring. By adding one or two ornaments with a peaceful, private spot for fish to relax, you'll ensure your pets live longer, more contented lives.
For an ornament that does more than sit and look pretty, consider an aquarium bubbler or air stone (a bubbler made of porous rock or lime wood) for your fish tank. They pump tiny air bubbles into the water, which rise, agitate the surface of the water and allow more oxygen to dissolve into the water as a result. In turn, this improves the living conditions for fish and plants.
Some tank ornaments are designed to sit on top of the flexible tubing through which the air bubbles flow, making it look as though the bubbles are erupting from a volcano, for example. Double-check whether the air pump is included, though, as sellers often show bubbles in their images but the small print reveals the pump must be purchased separately, usually for under £20.
A final special feature that makes an ornament into something more interesting is the addition of glow in the dark or UV-activated colours. Whether it's fake plants, scattered glowing pebbles or a more statement aquarium ornament, the addition of some colour helps your fish tank radiate with life at night.
Colourful, glowing ornaments may require a separate purchase of a tank light, but the final effect is truly hypnotic, as the colours of the tank and the swirling movements of your fish create a gorgeous visual result. There is no evidence to suggest that glowing ornaments or fish tank lights have any adverse effect on fish.
Looking to keep other pets occupied too? Take a look at our best cat toys and the best interactive dog toys.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hygger Aquarium Decoration Tree Trunk | ![]() | The Best Natural-Looking Driftwood Fish Hidey-Hole | |
2 | Taolele Shipwreck, Plants and Luminous Stones Ornament Set | ![]() | Cost-Effective Selection of 6 Cheerful Decorations | |
3 | Uniclife Six Glowing Jellyfish Ornaments | ![]() | Colourful, Floating Jellyfish Which Glow Under a Fish Tank Light | |
4 | Nobby Fish Tank Skull Ornament With Plants | ![]() | A Pirate-Style Skull For the Perfect Hiding Place | |
5 | DOHAOOE Spongebob Aquarium | ![]() | Add Fun to Your Tank With Cartoon Spongebob Architecture | |
6 | Vibury Rockery and Plants Fish Tank Ornament Set | ![]() | 13-Piece Rocks and Foliage Set for a Naturalistic Fish Tank | |
7 | Penn Plax The World of Nemo Crush Turtle Ornament | ![]() | Start Your Disney Pixar Nemo Collection With Crush the Turtle | |
8 | NICREW Aquarium Volcano Bubbler Ornament | ![]() | A Colourful Underwater Bubble Eruption | |
9 | SLOCME Groot Air Bubbler Decoration | ![]() | Cute Cartoon Character With a Natural Aesthetic and Bubbles in His Hair | |
10 | Yakamoz Undersea Treasure Chest Diver Ornament | ![]() | A Great Novelty Pick That's Not Too Gaudy |
This simple and understated fish tank decoration is one of the biggest selling and most highly rated ornaments on Amazon. Over 2,000 people have left customer reviews, the vast majority of which gave five-star ratings. This moss-covered piece of driftwood is actually made of durable, water-resistant resin that won't disintegrate or fade in fresh or saltwater.
This ornament looks totally natural and allows fish to feel at home, but unlike a real piece of driftwood, it doesn't run the risk of introducing parasites or snails into the tank. Fish can swim around and under this rustic log, as well as venturing into the dark hollow space inside for some much-needed calm and tranquillity.
We think this cheerful selection of favourites for under a tenner is a great pick when decorating a home aquarium on a budget. Not only do you get the classic barnacle-smothered shipwreck, but also some brightly coloured plants and glowing pebbles too.
These would suit a smaller fish tank as while the sunken vessel is 15 cm in length and 11.5 cm tall, the plants are a little smaller. The luminous stones can simply be added to the tank floor for a pop of colour, even in the dark.
We adore these kaleidoscopic, magical looking jellyfish ornaments which float in your tank and create an exciting, vibrant tone. You will need a fluorescent blue fish tank light (which most tropical fish owners already have in place), to achieve this cool effect.
As long as you add some texture to the floor of your tank (including places for your fish to hide away when wanting privacy), you may not need to add much else as the colours and shapes of these decorations make such a striking statement.
This skull ornament ticks quite a few boxes. It provides a rugged aesthetic, reminiscent of childhood pirate stories as well as some pretty fronds of pink and green seaweed, to help fish feel like they're in a natural ocean environment.
The skull is also hollow and ideal for hiding, so it could be good for calming stressed fish. The polyresin is durable, easy to clean, non-toxic, and of course, safe for fish too. This item would suit a small-to-medium tank as it measures 13 cm across and 14 cm high, and has lots of positive feedback from reviewers.
This set of Spongebob-themed ornaments is a brilliant way to add some fun architecture and peaceful hiding spots to your home aquarium or tank, as fish can weave in and out or find some calm inside each hollow ornament.
The resin used is hard-wearing and fish-safe, perfectly designed to survive in either freshwater or saltwater. These items are best suited to a medium or large fish tank, as the largest measures 16 cm in length. They might not be a great pick if you have no idea who lives in a pineapple under the sea, but they are great fun if you do!
This 13-piece set is aimed at a medium-to-large fish tank, with a capacity of between five and 15 gallons. You can deck out your entire tank with glorious, flourishing faux-plants that fish can hide behind to feel totally at home and display natural behavioural instincts. Each item has a heavy pedestal at the base to help it stand firm.
The water-resistant silicone they're made from is entirely safe for fish and designed to survive underwater with minimal damage. Do remember to add some real plants to your tank too if possible, for extra happy fish.
If you love the character of Crush the turtle in the Finding Nemo film, you will want to add this model to your tank. The officially licensed ornament is part of a collection, so grab Dory, Marlin and, of course, Nemo to complete the set.
A few shoppers have noted that the paint had begun to fade after the turtle had been submerged for a couple of months, so we've kept this product a little lower in our ranking. It's also a little on the small side at 6.4 cm in both length and height, so it will need to be teamed with other ornaments to fill a tank floor.
This bubbling tank ornament is one we think that you and your fish will both enjoy. It is designed to sit over an air stone (sold separaetely) to create a thrilling pattern of bubbles, but it also comes with LED lights built in for a party time atmosphere!
The resin model is intended to sit over the top, allowing the flurry of bubbles and the gently changing colour display to burst out of the volcano together. Just note that the actual air pump is not included and must be purchased separately, moving this option down the rankings.
For Marvel fans, this friendly resin Groot could be a pleasing addition to your fish's habitat. Air bubbles shoot up out of his leafy hair if you connect him to an air pump (not included). As you'll have to buy a separate air pump, this ornament is further down the rankings.
Groot might not be as much of a household name as some other Marvel characters, but his tree-like appearance does make him more rustic, so he won't clash with plants or more naturalistic wood-look ornaments. Perfect if natural and tasteful is what you're going for with your fish tank design.
For a novelty addition to your fish tank, why not consider this chest of sunken treasure with a resin diver making an exciting discovery? When attached to an air pump (which is not included) the lid of the chest opens and closes and the diver floats up towards the water's surface, appearing to drag the chest open as he goes.
Certified fish safe and non-toxic, this unusual ornament adds movement to your fish tank and a fun narrative too. Certainly more interesting for your fish than the end of a regular air pump, but as the pump isn't included we had to move this one down the rankings.
If you're a pet owner, we have a range of articles for you that'll help you choose products! To deliver the appropriate information, some of our articles are also reviewed/fact-checked by veterinary, so keep browsing!
Written and researched by Annie Hopkins
No. 1: Hygger|Aquarium Decoration Tree Trunk
No. 2: Taolele |Shipwreck, Plants and Luminous Stones Ornament Set
No. 3: Uniclife|Six Glowing Jellyfish Ornaments
No. 4: Nobby|Fish Tank Skull Ornament With Plants
No. 5: DOHAOOE|Spongebob Aquarium
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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