Aquarium ornaments
Aquarium ornaments are decorative pieces like bridges, caves and features that give a tank visual interest, and for many fish they do a second job as well: shelter. A piece like our Classic Fluorescent Bridge works both ways, adding colour under aquarium lighting while giving smaller or shyer fish somewhere to duck under.
Decoration that doubles as shelter
Shy or smaller fish, and fish that naturally live near cover in the wild, do noticeably better in a tank with places to retreat to than in a bare tank with open swimming space and nothing else. A bridge, cave or ornament with a hollow or overhang gives timid fish somewhere to go if they feel harassed by tankmates, which reduces stress across the whole tank, not just for the fish hiding.
This matters more in a community tank with a mix of temperaments than in a tank with a single calm species, since it is the more assertive or boisterous fish that tend to push shyer ones toward hiding in the first place.
Choosing ornaments safely
Only use ornaments made and sold for aquarium use, since some craft or outdoor decorative items are not safe for long-term submersion and can leach substances into the water. Anything with sharp edges or small gaps that could trap a fish is also worth checking before it goes in the tank.
Rinse new ornaments under running water before adding them, the same as gravel, to clear dust and manufacturing residue rather than letting it cloud the tank on day one.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Classic Ornament Spooky Skull
A hand-painted polyresin aquarium skull ornament, roughly 105 x 75 x 85mm, non-toxic finish
£7.54
Supa Condensation Tray
A 48-inch aquarium condensation tray, shielding the hood's electrics from tank water
£11.49
Aquatic Roman Gravel Jet Black
2kg jet black aquarium gravel, inert and colourfast for coldwater, tropical or marine tanks
£3.99
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Natural Lakeland
Natural Lakeland-tone aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical or saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Marina Gravel Cleaner
A Mini gravel cleaner with a gravel guard, for spot-cleaning smaller aquariums during water changes
£11.89
Pettex Aquatic Roman Gravel Blend Mix
Natural blended-colour aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater tanks
From£3.99
Roman Gravel Jet Black
8kg of natural jet black aquarium gravel for coldwater, tropical and saltwater set-ups
£12.49
Marina 125 Cartridge
A 2-pack of replacement power cartridges for the Marina i25 internal aquarium filter
£6.49
Large Aquarium Maintenance Set
A 48-inch condensation tray, a 22-inch glass scraper, a digital thermometer and 250ml of AquaSafe for a big tank.
£32.49
Supa Aquarium Net
Supa aquarium nets in coarse and fine meshes for fish catching and tank maintenance
From£1.65
Common questions
- Do fish actually need ornaments, or is it just decoration for the owner?
- Both — ornaments genuinely improve wellbeing for fish that use them as shelter, particularly shy or smaller species, but there is also nothing wrong with choosing pieces mainly for how the tank looks as long as they are aquarium-safe. The two are not mutually exclusive.
- How many ornaments should I put in a tank?
- Enough that shyer fish have somewhere to retreat to without crowding out swimming space, which usually means a couple of well-placed pieces rather than filling the tank. Leave clear open water as well as sheltered spots so fish can choose.
- Can I use ornaments not specifically made for aquariums?
- It is not recommended, since non-aquarium items may not be safe for constant submersion in water and can release substances that harm fish over time. Stick to pieces sold specifically for aquarium use, even if a craft item looks similar.
- Will an ornament affect my tank's water quality?
- A genuine aquarium-safe ornament, properly rinsed before use, should have no effect on water chemistry. Algae growth on the ornament over time is normal and just needs occasional cleaning as part of your usual tank maintenance.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.