18 Things From Amazon That’ll Help You Seriously Upgrade Your Aquarium
These ~fintastic~ decorations, plants, and accessories are going to transform your fish's tank into an underwater paradise.
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1. A SpongeBob SquarePants house so your fishy friend can live in a pineapple under the sea, too. Bikini Bottom has arrived in your aquarium.
2. A leaf hammock that allows your betta fish to rest right at the surface of the water, just like they do in nature!
Promising review: "I am an experienced aquarist, but I recently got my first betta, King. He is in a 3.5 gallon tank. Before getting the fish, I read about bettas' liking of 'hammocks', and I thought it sounded silly and unbelievable. But King instantly took a liking to this double-leaf product. He hangs out between the two leaves and builds his bubble nest there. The suction cup works great. I would definitely buy again." –Garlic Fries
Price: $6.48+ (available in one, two, or three pack)
3. A cleaning magnet to get rid of algae that fogs up the fish tank. Now you'll be able to properly admire your fish as they swim around.
Promising review: "Does a fantastic job cleaning the algae — even old stubborn build-up growth — off the inside of my glass aquarium. Works even better than I expected, and the felt pad on the bit that's in contact with the outside of the glass does a decent job cleaning off any water spots and finger/hand-prints. Also, I have degenerative osteoarthritis, peripheral and small-fiber neuropathy, and hEDS (among other issues), all of which make it very difficult for me to do much of anything with my hands. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to use this thingy, but it was a lot less difficult than I thought it would be." —Franklin
Price: $6.99+ (available in three sizes)
4. A bubbler that will become the show-stopping centerpiece of your aquarium. Watch in amazement as the bubble tower hypnotizes your fish into swimming around and around it.
Air pump that causes the bubbles is not included.
Promising review: "My kids love bubbles, and the idea of micro bubbles intrigued me. Decided to give it a try since I have a tank without a bubbler/air stone. I ended up soaking it overnight (my day got busy before I could mess with my tanks), and I finally dropped it in today. The stone is awesome. It is ridiculously HEAVY, so it stays put once you have it where you would like it. It came with suction cups to route the tubing, but I didn’t need to use those (yet). The micro bubbles are quite mesmerizing to watch. But it’s like watching cigar smoke dance through the air the way the bubbles dance on their way up. I may need a second or third stone and use them as decor. Also, make sure the stone is under the water before you turn it on, otherwise you will get a wet surprise! I did soak mine in a dish of tank water before use, not water from the tap." –MamaOf4
Price: $17.99+ (available in two colors)
5. A pack of plastic plants to add a vibrant pop of color to any tank. You'll have fun transforming your aquarium into a rainbow-colored wonderland for your fish!
Promising review: "I have a 20 gallon tank that I wanted some taller plants for. I rinsed them as per usual with new plants. Put them in the tank and I have to say they look beautiful and my gouramis love swimming in and out of them. They have a sturdy bottom on the so they will stay where I put them and I think they will be easy to clean. Super happy with my purchase and will do business with this company again." –Franci
Price: $9.87+ (available in two color sets)
6. A gravel cleaner that sucks up all the nasty stuff in the tank and leaves behind freshly washed, shiny gravel. You can use this on small and large tanks alike thanks to tubes you can either add or remove on the end.
Promising review: "Fantastic product, good suction easy to use, small footprint and love the pistol grip. Gets under decorations between plants and in corners. Easy peasy and clean up is a breeze. I LOVE IT SO MUCH I'm getting another for the fish tank at my Mom's house. This hose would be overkill for 20 gals or less but I have 40 gal tanks.The trigger can be pulled on and off and it shakes the gravel for you. You won't go wrong with this product." –Carrol
Price: $23.99
7. A hollow tree trunk habitat if you're going for more of a natural, rustic vibe in your fish's aquarium. The wide holes in the tree trunk provide ample room for your small fish to swim through.
Promising review: "The quality of this log is outstanding. Not only is the detailing gorgeous but it also doesn’t have jagged edges on any of its entrances, making it safe for long finned fish like bettas to play in. My fish loves his log and uses all of the entrances. Would buy again!" –Mina
Price: $12.99 or Subscribe & Save for $12.34/month
8. A water conditioner to use when you're setting up your aquarium or changing the water because it makes tap water fresh by detoxifying heavy metals and removing chlorine and chloramines. It also repairs your fish's protective coat that could get damaged from handling or fish fighting.
Promising review: "This is THE best stuff ever. My fish LOVE it and it lowers their stress so much so their colors came back and they look so much happier. I have cichlids and color is very important to defining if they are stressed out or not. I have used many pet store recommended (just because they are expensive) water conditioners that aren't even scratching the surface to how much I love this water conditioner." –Cheyenne
Price: $8.08 (available in eight sizes) or Subscribe & Save for $7.68/four months
9. An automatic fish fisher so you don't have to constantly ask your significant other, "Babe, did we feed the fish today?!" It'll be a lifesaver (literally) for your fish.
Promising review: "I have this on a 60-gallon aquarium and so far it's working great! It's easy to program, holds a lot of food, and is easy to adjust how much food you want to dispense. So far I have only used flake food in it, but it's handling it just fine. I can't speak to the battery life because I've only had it on for a few weeks, but so far it still shows full battery life. I decided to use it as the everyday feeder, and not just when I'm out of town. I like to keep consistency with the tank." –Steve - Broadcast Engineer
Price: $22.99
10. A yellow anemone (try saying that three times fast) that gives off a brilliant glow when placed underneath an LED light.
Promising review: "We absolutely love this product! We have been looking for fish tank ornaments that would glow, and some have seemed rather static. This one is made up of a gummy-like material and we have put it in the center of our tank where the filter stream moves its tentacles. I find myself often just sitting and enjoying it’s movement just as I would the movement of the fish." –Allison Reed
Price: $4.28
11. A super quiet filter – it continuously moves water through the tank to prevent debris buildup. A strip on the top will change from white to red whenever you need to change the filter.
Promising review: "I’m really happy with the performance of this filter. It works very well. I’ve had a larger one of these for the last two years and had worked wonderfully in my 54-gallon tank. That’s why I decided on this one for my 20-gallon tank. I noticed a big positive difference in my fish’s behavior and demeanor. My previous filter was pretty sub par and this filter has really perked up my fish." –Piano trying to be a guitar
Price: $12.64+ (available in four sizes)
12. A hobbit house that has a tunnel to swim through so your fish can feel like they're frolicking around the Shire.
13. A set of glowing jellyfish decorations – they float freely and playfully around your tank. If you just have one fish in a big tank, this will make your aquarium look more lively and exciting.
Promising review: "I have had this product for over three months and every day someone walks into my office and asks where did I get my jellyfish and that they are the coolest things ever. Every single one of my office mates have asked if they are real. My fish love them and swim around them all the time and love playing tag through them. Best purchase I have ever made. My fish tank looks killer. Definitely recommend." –Coral Owens
Price: $11.99
14. A bag of river sand that'll make your fish feel right at home because it looks just like their natural environment. It's ph neutral, making it safe for both freshwater and saltwater aquariums.
Promising review: "Don't force yourself to look at a boring bare bottom tank! This is perfect for fish to forage through, especially goldfish, and is really beautiful to look at. Did I mention this brand won’t annoyingly be sucked up by your siphon?" –Jennifer
Price: $10.87+ (available in a one or two pack)
15. An LED aquarium light to make all of your neon-colored decorations glow. There are 16 light options, so you can give your aquarium a different look every day.
Promising review: "What a great addition to my tank without even touching the water! I didn't want to keep my fish bathed in colored light but I like the color changing so this is an awesome alternative. I put it in back of the tank on the table and it makes for an awesome effect. The fish don't seem traumatized by the colored light. It creates a neat effect for the room too. The price was just right. It doesn't get any better!" –Elle B.
Price: $12.98+ (available in five sizes)
16. An artificial green plant that looks so realistic, it'll trick your fish into thinking they're actually swimming around in the lake or the ocean. Buy a few of these and you can create an underwater jungle for them to play hide-and-seek in.
17. An air pump to quietly make your aquarium a healthy environment by increasing the oxygen levels in the water. You'll need one of these if you have any bubbling accessories in your tank.
Promising review: "These are pretty good pumps for the money. They are quiet, and surprisingly powerful. I use this one to drive a double stacked sponge rated for around 100 gallons, and it does really well. I also have a smaller version of this running a small sponge filter on my 10-gallon, and it does a good job. Overall these are inexpensive and work well. I would recommend." –Amazon Customer
Price: $13.98
18. A castle decoration because your fish is the ruler of the house, and we're just their loyal servants. They'll feel swimmingly royal in the aquarium as they float around this.
After you redecorate your aquarium with these fancy new additions, your fish will be so excited. We aren't clown(fish)ing around!
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.