5 Cool Fish Tank Themes You’ll Want to Replicate
Decorating a fish tank can be an incredibly enjoyable part of fishkeeping. Some hobbyists like to keep it simple; others go all out with elaborate themes. How creative you get when decorating your saltwater or freshwater aquarium is up to you.
Here are five cool fish tank themes to help inspire you to create an epic tank that all your friends and family talk about.
1. A Space Tank That’s Out of This World
Shooting for the stars? Then landing on this space-themed tank just might be the inspiration you’ve been looking for all along. It features an astronaut figurine, a glowing planet, aquatic-safe plants, smooth rocks, and dark gravel.
“When I decided to get a fish tank, I knew it had to be space-themed,” says Casey Denham, an aerospace engineering student at Virginia Tech in Hampton, Virginia. “I really wanted it to be deep space and exploration themed, so I went with glow decorations.”
Best advice for taking on a tank theme that’s like nothing on Earth?
“Look for items that will look good when they glow together. The purple and blue look well together, but the orange provides a good contrast,” Denham says.
Get the Look
- Pure Water Pebbles Coated Aquarium Gravel, Jet Black, 5-lb bag
- Sporn Static Cling Classic Black Aquarium Background, Small
- GloFish Aquarium Plant, Pink, Small
2. Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea?
If “SpongeBob SquarePants” was (or still is!) one of your favorite TV shows, then why not bring Bikini Bottom to your very own home — or rather, your fish’s home?
Allyson Piangenti, a fish tank owner living in Middletown, Connecticut, says she saw the Bikini Bottom fish tank décor years ago and always thought it would be fun to put together.
“I finally went ahead and did it [and] it was pretty easy,” Piangenti says. “I used all artificial plants, figurines by FurPetVo, and natural aquarium sand that was safe for both freshwater and saltwater tanks… I also found a picture of a Bikini Bottom backdrop online and had it printed and laminated for the background.”
Get the Look
- FurPetVo SpongeBob Pineapple Home Aquarium Ornament, 6.5-in
- FurPetVo SpongeBob Squidward’s Home Aquarium Ornament, 6.5-in
- FurPetVo SpongeBob Krusty Krab Aquarium Ornament, Medium
3. Finding Nemo and Dory in Your Home
“Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory” are movies that have fish as main characters — so a tank in honor of both films just makes sense.
To create a tank similar to this, you’ll need a coral reef-style background, brightly colored pebbles, Disney-inspired stickers (safe for aquarium use), and aquatic ornaments of Nemo, Dory, Hank, and any other favorite characters from the films.
Get the Look
- FurPetVo Crush Aquarium Ornament
- FurPetVo Nemo & Marlin Aquarium Ornament
- FurPetVo Hank on Sand Aquarium Ornament
4. Underwater Zen
Is creating a zen-like environment in your home important to you? Create a tank that’s equally as relaxing to look at as it is for your fish to swim inside.
To design a tranquil tank, add stone caves, a ceramic Buddha, ancient-looking architectural ornaments, and live plants like marimo moss balls. These elements combine aesthetics with function — offering shelter, filtration support, and visual calm.
“Make sure your fish’s needs are your priority,” explains Florence Gosselin, a fish owner living in Montréal, Québec. “You can buy decorations that are pleasing to the eye, but more importantly, that create a healthy living environment for the fish inside,” says Gosselin.
You can even add a gentle bubbler — like the Aqueon Flexible LED Aquarium Bubble Wand — which is calming to watch and helps oxygenate the water.
Get the Look
- Underwater Galleries Assorted Cichlid Aquarium Stone Caves, 2-count box
- Pure Water Pebbles Natural Aquarium Gravel, Nutty Pebbles, 5-lb bag
- Sporn 6-Piece Corner Column Aquarium Ornament
5. Get Your Glow On
When in doubt, glow your fish tank out! This easy-to-execute theme is sure to make a bold statement in any room.
“It was easy to create,” says Lauren Rawlins, the tank’s owner who lives in Washington, D.C.
Rawlins says she used all the items from a 20-gallon GloFish starter kit — plus a jellyfish ornament, glow-in-the-dark plant and gravel, and a light-up volcano bubbler — to bring her glow tank to life. She also added live plants to give the fish places to hide and explore.
Get the Look
- GloFish Aquarium Starter Kit, 3-gal
- GloFish Aquarium Anemone Ornament, Medium, Yellow
- Sporn Star Polyps Coral Aquarium Decoration, Green/Purple
With all of these cool fish tank themes to choose from—and the right accessories from furpetvo.com to help bring them to life—your aquarium will stand out in no time.
