1. Decorating your aquarium will make your fish more comfortable, as they are prey animals and feel nervous when exposed. Aim for 50-75% cover so your fish will stay healthy and display their natural behaviors.
2. Place larger aquarium plants and decorations toward the back and the sides of the tank so you can see your fish when they come out of hiding. Tall items can obscure heaters, lift tubes, air lines, and other unattractive yet necessary features of the tank.
3. Do some research on the natural habitat of your fish to choose suitable decorations for your tank. Aquarium Plants provide soft cover for fish from lush, slow-moving rivers, while rocks and logs offer hard cover for fish from faster waters or deep areas.
4. For a more natural look in your tank, use only a few varieties of items and repeat them in groupings throughout the aquascape. Select one or two focal decorations and place them slightly off-center, as a perfectly centered object will look forced.
5. Do a bit of safety research before decorating your tank with found items or personal items. Some rocks will dissolve and add dangerous minerals to the water. Plastic action figures or painted ceramic figurines may leach out toxic chemicals. Even natural shells and driftwood can alter the pH and hardness of your water, which may be a problem for some fish.
6. Live aquarium plants promote a healthy, authentic ecosystem in your fish tank by absorbing toxins, adding oxygen to the water, providing natural hiding places for your fish, and harboring beneficial bacteria. However, plants are living organisms that require care to stay healthy, so you may wish to consider artificial plants to minimize maintenance work.
7. Artificial plants are made of silk and plastic and can be virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. They still provide excellent cover for your fish and create a natural-looking environment. Of course, many fun and obviously fake plants are available if that's more your style; your fish won't know the difference!
8. An aquarium background will completely transform the look of your tank. Whether you choose a pirate poster, an enlarged photo of an underwater reef, or simply a solid color, an aquarium background will make your fish more comfortable and hide unsightly cords, tubes, pipes, and filters.
9. Many high-quality, fish-friendly aquarium decorations are available so you can create the aquascape of your dreams. Achieve a natural look with fish-approved stones, corals, coral skeletons, shells, driftwood, and plants. Or, have fun with caves, castles, treasures, divers, statues, signs, and other novelty ornaments, many of which pull double duty as aerators or heaters.
10. The patient, dedicated, skilled aquarist may enjoy the challenge of maintaining live coral in a saltwater reef tank. Coral grows slowly and is available in a plethora of bright colors and unique shapes. Think of it as underwater gardening, only with more lasting and remarkable rewards.
