How to Decorate Your Aquarium

Fishes’ surroundings are important to their safety in nature, and to their psychological well-being in captivity. This, and not what you think looks ‘nice’, must be your prime consideration. In the unlikely event that your fish ask you to match the room decor to theirs, then, and only then, will you be justified in asking them to accept blue gravel to match the curtains! The fish are an integral component of your pleasing underwater mini-world, and if they are unwell, unhappy, or dead, then decor that matches yours will be small consolation.

Unless you are reasonably confident in your geological and/or botanical knowledge, you should avoid collecting your own decor, and buy from an aquarium dealer, where you may have some legal redress if it proves unsuitable. Rocks are expensive, however, and you may find it beneficial to learn a little geology.



The aquarium decor is divided into three parts: substrate, background and internal decor’ such as rockwork and plants. Many people don’t regard the substrate as important, and forget about the background entirely – serious errors indeed.