Best sunken ship decorations (with dimensions) for shipwreck themes

Sunken ship aquarium decorations are some of the coolest ornaments that you can use for your aquarium. These decorations create a mysterious underwater scene that will impress your friends and family while also creating awesome places for your fish and shrimps to play and hide.

• Best sunken ship aquarium ornaments
• How to choose ship decorations for an aquarium
• How to build a shipwreck aquarium theme
• Frequently asked questions
• Final thoughts

Best sunken ship aquarium ornaments

Penn Plax Battleship Aquarium Fish Tank Decoration

Penn Plax Battleship Aquarium Fish Tank Decoration #ad

Dimensions: 13.5″ L x 2″ W x 5.5″ H

From Penn-Plax, a trusted name in aquarium accessories comes this unique sunken ship ornament. The ship is perfect for both fresh and saltwater tanks. It has two small caves and a swim-through area below that your fish will love.

It is a long, narrow battleship design with a neutral blueish color that will look great in any tank. This ornament has long-lasting colors and will work best in aquariums of 15 gallons or larger.

Warship NAVY Battleship Cave Aquarium Ornament

Warship NAVY Battleship Cave #ad

Dimensions: 19.3″ L x 3.6″ W x 7.7″ H

This warship-style aquarium ornament has great, natural colors that won’t fade over time. It is made from non-toxic plastic that won’t affect your water quality or harm your fish.

This piece is suitable for both fresh and saltwater aquariums and offers loads of great hiding spaces for shy, territorial, and nocturnal animals.

Penn-Plax Striped Sail Shipwreck Aquarium Decoration 2PC

Penn-Plax Striped Sail Shipwreck #ad

Dimensions: 26.5″ L x 9″ W x 19.75″ H

This really cool shipwrecked pirate ship has loads of great detail, like an anchor and rock base. It comes in two parts which are both double-sided, so you can arrange this ornament any way you like in your aquarium.

This aquarium decoration is made from hand-painted resin that is safe for your fish.  It won’t lose its colors in time, so you can enjoy a vibrant underwater world for many years.

SLOCME Aquarium Shipwreck Decoration

SLOCME Aquarium Shipwreck #ad

Dimensions: 9″ L x 2″ W x 4.5″ H

At 9 inches long, this piece by SLOCME is great for smaller aquariums and betta tanks of 10 gallons and more. This beautifully painted ship even has lifelike rust colors around the holes and cracks. These holes make perfect hideaways for small fish and shrimps in your aquarium.

The ornament is made from a non-toxic fish-safe resin that does not smell and has beautiful long-lasting colors that will not fade.

Penn-Plax Air Action Aerating Ornament

Penn-Plax Air Action Aerating Ornament #ad

Dimensions: 9.5″ L x 2.5″ W x 4.7″ H

This beautiful aquarium decoration is designed to be attached to your air pump (sold separately). Once connected, beautiful bubbles will float from the ship, and the mast and lifeboat will sway naturally like they are being moved by a current in the ocean.

You can use this sunken ship decoration as it is though and it will still look great. The piece is split into two halves and can be set up together or spread apart in any way you like. This ship will work best in aquariums of about 10 gallons or more and is hand-painted and made from an aquarium-safe resin.

LIAMTU Aquarium Boat Decoration

LIAMTU Boat Aquarium Decoration #ad

Dimensions: 5.7″ L x 1.9″ W x 5.1″ H

This fun little decoration is perfect for smaller aquariums and betta tanks. It has vivid colors and a great little swim-through cave that very small animals like shrimp will love to hide in.

This sunken ship even comes complete with a pole and sail ropes that your fish will love to swim through. This versatile aquarium decoration can be used in both fresh and saltwater tanks.

Penn Plax Striped Sail Shipwreck Aquarium Decoration

Penn Plax Striped Sail Shipwreck #ad

Dimensions: 14″ L x 5.5″ W x 12″ H

This cool sunken pirate ship with striped sails has some great detail, like its anchor, skull and cross bone flags, and caves that small fish and shrimps will love to hide in. The red, green, and white sails will look amazing in your aquarium.

This is a large ornament that will work best in tanks of about 20 gallons or more. It is made of a durable, fish-safe resin. Add great structure and a hint of mystery to your aquarium with this wonderful sunken ship decoration.

SLOCME Aquarium Pirate Ship Decoration

SLOCME Aquarium Pirate Ship Decoration #ad

Dimensions: 9.8″ L x 2″ W x 3.9″ H

This ancient-looking ship is perfect for fresh or saltwater tanks of 10 gallons or more. It is constructed from a non-fading, non-toxic resin, so you don’t have to worry about the health of your precious pets.

This ornament has great hiding spaces and caves for your shrimp and small fish to hide and play in. It is made to stand stable and has wonderful detail and colors to make your aquarium look great.

Penn Plax Large Pirate Wave Runner Ship

Penn Plax Large Pirate Wave Runner Ship #ad

Dimensions: 17 1/2″ L x 5 1/2″ W x 15″ H

Really colorful sunken ship ornament can be set in either fresh or saltwater fish tanks. The piece is full of fun and lifelike details like its anchor, sails, and masts.

These ships are set on a base that looks like crashing waves, which makes quite a statement in your tank. Your fish will love playing around this pirate ship, and swimming through the holes in its sail.

SLOCME Aquarium Titanic Shipwreck Decoration

SLOCME Aquarium Titanic Shipwreck Decoration #ad

Dimensions: 15″ L x 2″ W x 3.5″ H

Step back in time with this realistic Titanic-style sunken ship. This ornament features great attention to detail, that will add real interest to your tank and will impress anyone who sees it. This ornament is safe for your fish due to its non-toxic resin construction.

This sunken ship fits medium to large aquariums and comes in two parts that you can arrange in your own style. Use this sunken ship ornament in both fresh and saltwater fish tanks and enjoy your new underwater world.

Penn-Plax Disney’s Pirates Of the Caribbean

Disney's Pirates Of the Caribbean #ad

Dimensions: 4″ L x 1.5″ W x 4.25″ H

This great little Pirates Of The Caribbean-themed aquarium ornament is absolutely perfect for small aquariums. It can be used for both fresh and saltwater aquariums where it will create a great atmosphere.

For such a small ornament, this sunken ship has fantastic details and great colors.  Your small fish will love swimming around this ship and it will look really cool with some shrimp exploring the decks.

How to choose ship decorations for an aquarium

The most important thing to consider when choosing a sunken ship decoration for your aquarium is the safety of your fish. For this reason, you should only use ornaments that are specifically designed for use in aquariums.

Think about the kinds of fish and animals you keep as well. Most sunken ship decorations have great caves and holes built into them that shrimp and small fish love to hide in. Try to choose a decoration that has holes large enough for your pets to swim into safely, without getting stuck.

Choose a decoration that fits into your tank with plenty of room to spare, so that your fish will have space to swim and play freely.  Once you’ve bought your new decoration, have a careful look for any sharp edges that could hurt your animals and file them down until they are smooth.

Once you are sure the decoration is safe to use and fits in your tank, it’s time to let your imagination run free and create a mysterious underwater world. You can choose a design that fits your theme, and there are many to choose from, like:

• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Titanic
• Little Mermaid

How to build a shipwreck aquarium theme

Use your creativity to make your aquarium just like you want it to be. After all, there’s nothing better than having your own unique underwater scene.

You can use rocks to create a shipwreck on a reef type of scene and plant small aquarium plants like anubius nana around the ship to look like seaweed. You don’t have to have the ship flat on the ground either, you can get creative and set it on top of some rocks or have it facing straight ahead.

Many sunken ship decorations come in two halves, and growing taller plants like java ferns between the two halves can create a really cool look. You can use a great stick-on background on your tank to add more color and depth to your aquatic world.

One technique that looks really cool is to place an airstone (connected to your airline and air pump) in a hole in your sunken ship decoration for a really interesting effect. You can use natural-looking sand or gravel in your tank or let your imagination run wild with something more colorful.

Frequently asked questions

How do you clean sunken ship decorations?

Over time algae will begin to grow on your aquarium decorations. This can look really cool on a shipwreck ornament but eventually, you will want to clean it off.

Clean your decorations when you’re doing your regular water change to limit the disruption to your fish and use something like a soft brush to avoid damaging the paint job on your sunken ship ornament.

What should you do before putting a new ornament in your fish tank?

Before putting a new ornament in your fish tank, check for any sharp edges and be sure to smooth them out with something like a nail file or sandpaper.  Now it’s time to wash your new sunken boat decoration in warm, but not hot water. To be extra safe, leave your decoration to soak for a few days, changing the water every day.

Can you grow plants on a sunken ship decoration?

You can grow plants on your aquarium decorations and this can create a really unique and attractive look. Before doing this though, remember that cleaning your ornament with a plant attached to it is going to be more difficult.

There are two ways to grow real plants on a sunken ship decoration. You can use a plant like anubias nana or java fern and glue or tie the plant to the decoration using fishing line or an elastic band. The other, easier way is to put the plant in its pot just behind the decoration or in between the two halves of decorations that come in two pieces.

Do bettas like ship decorations?

Bettas love decorations, especially ones with caves and holes that they can explore and hide in. Before putting a new decoration in your betta tank, make sure that the holes are big enough for your fish to swim through without getting trapped, and that there are no sharp edges that could damage its beautiful but fragile fins.

Final thoughts

If you’re looking for a way to create a dramatic and interesting new look in your aquarium, a sunken ship decoration is a great way to. All of the options provided on this page are perfect for the job, so choose your new ornament and have fun creating your own unique aquascape.