Instructions
To decorate a kid's fish tank consider the child's interests first. Is your son a pirate fan? For a pirate theme, tank pick up traditional ship wreck and treasure box fish decorations available at any pet store. Choose a bright red gravel or black gravel for interest and contrast and use long leafy plastic plants along the back for hiding places for fish. Use about 3 medium to large size items for an average 10 gallon tank, plus at least 3 plants. Use a variety of heights in your tank furniture to help hide pumps and tubes.
For a little girl who loves fantasy and fairies, your choices require a bit more creativity. Use pink or sand-colored gravel and include some green rock formations or crystal slate rocks for a fanciful environment. Also, large colored glass rocks are available and they can really make your tank look like something from another world. Check out the offerings at online stores (see Resources).
Create a more artistic and historical based tank by using an Atlantis or Egyptian ruin theme. There are many items available for this, including larger back wall pieces that can help hide tubes and filters. Use a sand or light colored gravel to bring the desert to life in your tank. If you can't find what you need at your local pet supply shop, try the PetShop online store (see Resources).
Like the zen-garden look? Pick up a few Buddha-related fish tank decor pieces and place upon either a black or sand colored gravel. Add a few crystal or glass rocks towards the back and some long flowing plants.
Go to the Aquarium Guys website (see Resources) to get your Asian related tank furniture and turn your tank into a Japanese post card. You can get highly decorative pagodas and Ming dynasty tomb pieces that will really make your tank a stand out in the room. The pagoda furniture has plenty of spaces for small fish to hide from larger ones, and some brightly colored fish will bring this theme alive.
How to Create a Fish Tank Theme
Fish tanks are not only the homes of our finned friends, they are also part of the decor of a room. The tranquility of your tank has a lot to do with the items you use to enhance it. You have to consider not only the needs of the fish, such as hiding places and breeding grounds, but also the feel you want to create in that corner or place in the room. Whether big or small, the fish tank is part of your total environment and should speak to something about your own personality and interests. Want to "refurbish" or create a new and spectacular fish tank theme for your pets? Here's how.