The best fish tank accessories can take a plain fish tank and turn it into a beautiful living environment for your finned friends and an eye-catching talking point for your home. While it can be tempting to excitedly rush out and grab the first fish tank decorations that catch your attention, there are a few things worth considering.
If you own one of the best small fish tanks, then you’ll want to adopt the less is more approach when shopping for accessories. Choose one or two decorations that stand out but still ensure your fish have plenty of room to swim around. The best tropical fish tanks are often much larger and can hold multiple accessories.
When it comes to color choices, choose accessories that compliment your fish. The best fish tank is one with a beautiful and pleasing aesthetic and color plays a big part in this. Brightly colored fish are highlighted to perfection with accessories that are white or pale, while less-vibrant fish will look great with decorations that pack a real color-pop. If you want to showcase your aquarium to full-effect, though, be sure to invest in the best fish tank stand you can afford to make it a stylish visual centre piece in your home.
In terms of the type of accessory you choose, there are several options. Driftwood is a popular choice as it looks great and is the perfect hiding spot for timid fish. Stones and rocks offer a lovely natural look and mimic a fish’s natural environment. Caves, ships, and ruins are a fun addition that will provide your fish with plenty of places to explore.
Whatever you decide, the best fish tank accessories come in every shape, size, and color imaginable, with options to suit every budget. Here are six of our favorites...
PetsRadar's pick of the best fish tank accessories
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This entire set of fish tank accessories is perfect for medium-to-large sized tanks that are in need of a funky makeover. The set features three decorations, including a pineapple house, a cave and a ‘fish restaurant’ that make your fish tank look like a scene from Spongebob Squarepants. The set also comes with two underwater plants, so this set of fish tank accessories is sure to liven up the party for your fish.
All of the accessories are made from environmentally friendly materials and are non-toxic to your fish’s environment. They will not rot or rust, nor will they change the PH of the tank water.
It may seem a little on the pricey side for these items, but when sold separately, they are almost the same price as the set, so it’s great value if you want to kit out your tank in one go. They are designed with a smooth, solid base to make them sturdy, but some buyers have said the ornaments are a little light and can sometimes topple over. This may depend on the depth of your tank – larger tanks may not have this issue.
All in all, we love the designs and think you will too! They’re colourful and bright and will bring life to any tank.
Gravel or pebbles is one of the first fish tank accessories you’ll want to equip your aquarium with and these ones will brighten up any home. These pebbles come in a variety of colours and in bags of 50 or 100 pieces. Made from non-toxic materials they won’t harm your fish or mess with the water and each of the stones has been hand crafted and smoothed out so there are no sharp edges that could be dangerous for your fish.
These stones are great for the environment as they are solar-powered, but this does mean your fish tank will need to be near sunlight in order for you to get the full glowing effect. Initially they will need charging for anywhere between four to eight hours and, after that, regular sunlight should keep them topped up. They are said to glow for around three to six hours.
Buyers love the final effect these stones give to their fish tanks, although some have mentioned they get the odd floater from time to time but these can be pinned down if buried by other stones.
If you need a quick fix on a budget to transform your fish tank, then these are a great option for you.
This erupting volcano ornament is super cool and will really light up your tank. The ornament is connected to LED lights, a tube and an air pump in order to create an eruption effect in the tank.
What’s cool about this fish tank accessory is that not only does it look pretty, but it works to oxygenate the water too, keeping the tank clean and your fish happy and healthy.
The downside is this product doesn’t come with the air pump you need to make it do its cool eruption effect. But this can easily be purchased or you may even have one already. Fish owners found this accessory really easy to set up and find their fishy friends really love it.
For reference, the volcano is about the size of a Coke can, so for smaller tanks it might be a little cramped, particularly if you already have other ornaments in there.
This set of ten underwater LED lights are great for brightening up a fish tank, and come with a remote control that allows you to set them to a variety of different colors depending on your mood. You can also control their brightness and speed from up to 10m away.
The lights are super bright and come with batteries already included (however some have mentioned their lifespan isn’t brilliant, so you may want to invest in some more), and their waterproof design means they can simply be submerged in your aquarium either on their own or with other fish tank accessories.
As far as fish tank accessories go, these are pretty good value for money and can complement other fish tank accessories to finish off the underwater look you want.
This pack of three underwater plants is perfect for any tank to help fish feel more at home. These are fish tank accessories that mimic plants found in the ocean or river, and they are said to look and feel realistic when in the tank.
Some fish owners purchased these plants to help shy or sad fish, and said they worked a treat to get them swimming about happily and healthily. They come up at around 3cm tall, meaning they are suitable for any sized tank and would work well with other fish tank accessories such as rocks or caves.
The plants will require cleaning every once in a while, but are said to be super easy to clean with warm water and a damp cloth. For the price, these three plants are great value and would make great decorations for minimalist tanks and complimentary to already decorated aquariums.
Gravel is one of the first fish tank accessories you’ll need when setting up a new tank. It is not just aesthetically pleasing but it serves an important function in keeping the tank clean. It can stop bacteria from harbouring, meaning you won’t need to clean the tank as much as if you leave the bottom clear.
This gravel is white and stone coloured, giving it a natural feel and leaving small tanks looking light and airy (or, watery!). These stones are also a great addition to a tank with lots of ornaments, as it makes for the perfect ground to bury and secure other fish tank accessories, making plants look much more natural to the fish.
Made with a colourfast resin coating, these small stones wont leak colour and they won’t affect your water’s PH, so they’re a safe addition to any tank. You can use these in cold water, tropical and marine fish tanks to build a safe home for your fish.
How to choose the best fish tank accessories
Choosing fish tank accessories is mostly down to personal preference, but it’s also important to consider a few things before going ahead and making a purchase.
Firstly, what type of fish do you have? Depending on whether you have cold water fish, tropical fish or marine fish, some accessories may not be suitable for the water in the tank. Be sure to check what each accessory is made of and ensure it’s totally non-toxic to the type of fish you have. Most fish tank accessories and ornaments are always safe for all fish, but things like lights may not be.
Secondly, consider the size of your tank. Fish tank accessories are meant to make your fish feel at home, so overcrowding a tank is not ideal. If you only have a small tank, then consider getting two or three items at the most, mixing it up with stones and plants to ensure they get a bit of variety.
If you want to get lights for your tank, then ensure your tank is compatible with the product (such as the LED volcano), and that it has enough space to accommodate them without being too overpowering for your fish.
And finally, consider what your fish might like. While many may not think fish have preferences, as a pet owner, I’m sure you understand that they do. If they’re quite chilled out and shy, then plants can create a chilled vibe. If they’re quite playful and you have different types of fish in one tank, then something a bit more adventurous may encourage them to swim and explore.
