Aquarium Theme Ideas

Designing an aquarium around a central theme not only provides the fish with an interesting habitat, but becomes a showcase for onlookers. Underwater seascapes, such as coral reefs or tropical waters, are commonly seen designs; however, by utilizing additional elements such as decorations, backgrounds and lighting, a simple fish tank can be become a portal to an underwater world.

  1. Deep Cave

    • By placing a black backdrop and a spreading of rocks and pebbles along the bottom and sides, you can create a deep underwater cave. Arrange the lighting from one side as if from the opening of the cave, allowing the fish to be illuminated.

    Empty Lagoon

    • To create a simple blue lagoon, you can place a simple covering of sand or blue rock at the bottom of the tank along with a blue background. The simplicity of the design draws attention to your brightly colored fish.

    Buried Treasure

    • A pirate scene complete with buried treasure is a classic aquarium theme. Objects such as a treasure chest, gold pieces, a wrecked ship, anchor or ship wheel set up the scene, while well-placed foliage cascading in and out of the decorations gives them a "sunken" effect.

    Buried Civilization

    • The lost city of Atlantis plays a dramatic role in an aquarium. You can purchase aquarium-friendly miniature roman statues and columns to create a majestic "forum," and place the plants in and around the architecture to represent the long passage of time spent at the bottom of the ocean.

    Finding Nemo

    • The animated movie "Finding Nemo" is an inspiration for an aquarium theme, especially for clown fish. Brightly colored plants in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, combined with a white sand bottom and a few well-placed rocks provide a nice home for Nemo and his friends.