Cool and unique action decorations that can move for a lively aquarium

Updated: February 9, 2023 - By: Steve - Categories: Equipment

No one ever said you should go for a natural look with your aquarium. The truth is, before planted tanks became popular, aquarium owners decorated their fish tanks with sunken pirate ships, aquanauts, and even skulls! You can do the same. All it takes is imagination! Here’s a quick review of the top action decorations that will help add life to your aquarium.

Cool And Unique Aquarium Action Decorations
Frequently Asked Questions

Cool And Unique Aquarium Action Decorations

Penn-Plax Deco-Replicas Crystal Cluster

Penn-Plax Deco-Replicas Crystal Cluster #ad

Dimensions: 3.9 inches x 2.8 inches x 4.2 inches.

We all have a fascination for shiny objects, particularly those that we find deep in the ocean waters. The good news is that you can have one right inside your home aquarium. We’re talking about the Penn-Plax Crystal Cluster and Crystal Cave aquarium decoration. This accessory is designed for freshwater and marine water aquariums and can instantly add sparkle to any fish tank.

When placed underwater, this translucent sapphire blue crystal sparkles and provides nice visuals. At about 5 inches tall, it’s perfect for all aquarium sizes, depending on the look you wish to achieve. And with no sharp edges, you can rest assured that this aquarium piece is friendly to long-finned fishes such as bettas and guppies.

Penn-Plax Air Action Aerating Ornament

Penn-Plax Air Action Aerating Ornament #ad

Dimensions: 9.5″ L x 2.5″ D x 4.7″ H

Your home aquarium won’t be complete without a sunken pirate’s ship on it. What better way to add one than to get this Penn-Plax Split Shipwreck with Moving Masts and Lifeboat? Yes, this one comes with a mast that moves along with the rising bubbles produced by your aquarium air pump.

The 9.5-inch boat itself is split in two and comes with masts that can be raised to 7 inches high. With this action aquarium decoration, you can watch the bubbles rise from the shipwreck for as long as you want without getting bored! Indeed, a fantastic and fun way to add life to any fish tank!

Fluorescent Cobblestone Noctilucent Resin Stone

Fluorescent Cobblestone Noctilucent Resin Stone #ad

Have you heard of marine bioluminescence? What if we told you that you could recreate it inside your aquarium? That’s right. All you need is something like photoluminescent pebbles. They aren’t actually bioluminescent, but they glow in the dark and can be cool additions to any aquarium.

These pebbles are durable and can last a long time. Most importantly, they are highly luminous and can provide a bright glow for up to 5 hours after only thirty minutes of exposure to light. So, the longer you expose them to light, the longer they will stay glowing even after you’ve turned on the lights!

Saim Drunken Pirate Skeletons Action Aquarium Ornaments

Saim Drunken Pirate Skeletons aquarium Ornaments #ad

Dimensions: 5.5″ x 3.5″ x 4.3″

Here’s another decoration that will complete your pirate-themed aquarium — the Saim Drunken Pirate Skeleton aquarium decoration. If you’re into live-action aquarium decors, this one should be a perfect fit.

This is a green pirate’s skeleton with an eye patch and a chain on its left hand. Both hands holding a jar labeled ‘rum’ lift as the bubble from the air pump rises, giving the impression that it’s getting drunk while guarding a treasure chest. This model comes with a free pressure control valve so you can adjust the airflow to your preference.

Aqueon Flexible LED Bubble Wand

Aqueon Flexible LED Bubble Wand #ad

Size: 21 inches

Keep your aquarium brightly lit and well-oxygenated with the Aqueon Flexible LED Bubble Wand. This submersible aquarium light functions as an aerator at the same time, so you can improve the look of your fish tank and ensure high oxygen volume inside your aquarium simultaneously.

Do you want the bubbles alone and not the lights? No problem. You can turn on the bubbler but not the lights if that’s what you like. Similarly, you can turn on the lights and leave the bubbler off if that’s what you prefer.

This LED bubble wand is made of aluminum and is both durable and flexible. You can place it anywhere inside the tank, and it will blend well with other decorations since you can hide it behind rocks and other aquarium ornaments with ease. This unit also comes with suction cups so that you can attach it to the aquarium glass as well. That’s the kind of flexibility this bubble wand has to offer!

Current USA Serene Visual and Audio Aquatic Experience Kit

Current USA Serene Visual and Audio Aquatic Experience Kit #ad

Size: 24-36″ (24-72″ available)

For aquarium keepers seeking a unique experience, the Current USA Serene Visual and Audio Aquatic Experience Kit should be a superb choice. Not only is it designed to light up your aquarium, but it’s also made to provide your entire fish room with an awesome nature vibe.

That’s because this lighting kit also plays binaural sounds via a dual speaker set. This will let you enjoy the view of your fish tank while listening to relaxing nature sounds in the background. The kit comes with a wide range of sound files so that you can listen to the sounds of a thunderstorm, ocean waves, forest crickets, and many more.

This model features a full-color spectrum that provides much-needed light for your plants and fish to remain healthy and beautiful. The ultra-bright LEDs will make sure the color of your tank’s inhabitants pops out. In the same manner, the background lighting adds an enchanting effect to your fish tank.

Color changing background #ad

One of the most amazing things about this unit is that the background lights can change depending on the background sound. You can choose from eight different background color presets to make the color of your plants and fish more vivid.

Bestgle Undersea Treasure Chest Diver

Undersea Treasure Chest Diver Live-Action Aerating Decorations #ad

Chain length: 4″

From pirates and pirate ships, let’s move on to sea divers. The Bestgle Undersea Treasure Chest Diver aquarium ornament features a 5.2-inch-tall diver diving toward an underwater chest. The diver is attached to the chest via a black chain. As you turn the air pump on, the bubbles rise from the treasure chest and through the diver.

This decoration provides fun animation. The diver moves up and down along with the bubbles as if trying to open the chest. The chest indeed opens and shuts, revealing pressure pearls inside!

Adwikoso Aquarium Resin Skull

Aquarium Resin Skull Decoration #ad

Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.1 x 3.9 inches

Regardless of how you view skulls in general, there’s no question this resin skull aquarium decoration by Adwikoso will be a great addition to your fish tank. It’s made from premium-quality material and won’t quickly expire, allowing you and your fish to enjoy it for a long time. At 3.9 inches high and 5.5 inches long, it’s the perfect size for aquariums 5 gallons and up in capacity.

This is not simply an ornament, though. This skull is also designed to serve as a hiding place for your pets. Aside from the two eye holes, there’s an opening at the right parietal cap about 2 inches in diameter, making it the perfect hideout for your more timid aquarium inhabitants.

TEEMO Aquarium Groot Air Bubbler Decoration

TEEMO Aquarium Groot Air Bubbler Decorations #ad

Dimensions: 3.9″ H x 1.57″ max diameter of pot mouth

Here’s one for all you Marvel fans out there — the Groot Air Bubbler from TEEMO LIFE. Now, you can have baby Groot sitting inside your aquarium with this air bubble aquarium decor. Aside from baby Groot holding a nest with a cute yellow fledgling, this aquarium decor comes with a 10-foot air tube, one check valve, 1 T-connecter, and one air control valve.

It also comes with two suction cups that let you secure baby Groot in place. The details on this replica are truly amazing so that it doesn’t look cheap despite its budget-friendly price. Made from high-quality resin, this decor is sure to last a long time. It’s also easy to clean and doesn’t require that much maintenance.

Saim Tropical Clam Live-Action Aerating Aquarium Ornament

Saim Tropical Clam Live-Action Aerating Aquarium Ornament #ad

Dimensions: 4.5″x 3″x 3.5″

This one’s an absolute classic! You’ve probably seen one of these as a child. Well, now you can have one in your own aquarium! This live-action clam opens and closes its shell, revealing a pearl inside.

Air bubbles are released to help oxygenate the tank as it does this, making it more than just a piece of decoration for your aquarium. The fun part is that you can control the opening and closing speed of the clam by attaching a pressure control valve!

NICREW Aquarium Volcano Ornament Kit with LED Light

NICREW Aquarium Volcano Ornament Kit with LED Light #ad

Nothing can be more exciting than to see a volcano erupting inside your fish tank – a toy volcano, that is. The NICREW Aquarium Volcano Ornament Kit will surely add excitement to any aquarium with its erupting effect. Just attach an air pump to it, and you’ll see large bubbles seemingly spewing from its crater.

This 6-inch volcano also comes with a small slot at the side where you can clip and hide the cable so that the volcano blends well with the rest of the tank. Finally, it features an LED stone bubbler that changes color gradually, adding some extra vibrance to the aquarium.

Blue Ribbon Exotic Environments Skull

Blue Ribbon Exotic Environments Skull #ad

Dimensions: 4.5″ x 5.5″ x 5.5″

Here’s another skull decor on our list, but this time, it’s from a company called Blue Ribbon. And this time, it’s not just your regular skull. It’s an alien skull! The details on this one are hand-printed, so you can say that this decor is truly realistic.

This decor serves a purpose aside from just being a tank ornament. It comes with three holes, each one about 2 inches in diameter, where your fishes can swim through. And don’t be surprised if some of your fish turn this skull into a hideout!

Penn-Plax RR1207 Dragon Skull Gazer Aquarium Ornament and Decor

Penn-Plax RR1207 Dragon Skull Gazer Aquarium Ornament #ad

Dimensions: 7.5″ L x 4.75″ W x 5″ H

If skull ornaments can add some exotic touch to your aquarium, this Dragon Skull Gazer by Penn-Plax will take your fish tank decoration to another level. The decor itself is remarkably detailed and doesn’t look cheaply made. It has horns and spikes on its head and another horn on its nose. Of course, it has large, sharp teeth.

What makes this decor unique, though, are its Ruby-Jeweled eyes. The fiery red eyes on this dragon are truly piercing and will immediately catch anyone’s attention. This dragon skull comes in two sizes. The smaller one is around 5 inches long, while the large size is 7.5 inches in length. Keep this in mind before purchasing.

FOYO TECH Triceratops Skull Décor

Dinosaur Triceratops Skull Décor #ad

The last unique action aquarium decor on our list is this FOYO TECH Triceratops Skull Décor. This is a 9-inch long replica of a triceratops skull made of eco-friendly resin. The details on this decor are excellent that you would say it’s an actual skull.

This skull has only one opening where your fish can swim through, which is on its nostrils. However, the wide-open mouth can still serve as a resting place for some types of fish. The space behind its frill can also serve the same purpose.

Aquarium Resin Coral Ornament Glowing Effect

Aquarium Resin Coral Ornament Glowing Effect #ad

Size: 2.75″ x 3.5″

This glowing coral ornament glows underwater and creates a beautiful and mysterious effect inside your aquarium. Made from quality plastic and silicone, this decor is soft and rubbery and won’t harm your fish. The product is around 3.5 inches in size and comes with a suction cup at the bottom, allowing you to install it on the walls of your aquarium.

The unique thing about this aquarium decor is that it only glows when exposed to actinic lighting. It looks very natural when it glows, making it a perfect addition to saltwater tanks that house corals. Your fish will definitely love it!

GloFish Dragon Cycle Light Ornament

GloFish Dragon Cycle Light Ornament #ad

Give your freshwater or saltwater aquarium an enchanted feel with this glowing dragon ornament from GloFish. This fierce-looking dragon is around 4 inches tall and can make a fine addition to aquariums up to 20 gallons in capacity. It’s made of high-quality material, too, and won’t harm your fish tank.

This is not a glow-in-the-dark decor, but if you expose the dragon under black light and watch the scales light up to turquoise and the eyes and wings change colors to red. It’s like watching a dragon lurking in the shadows coming out after being hit by some ray of light!

Lovely Floating Diver Fish Tank Decoration

Lovely Floating Diver Fish Tank Decoration #ad

Cute and innovative, this floating diver aquarium decor is definitely one that you don’t often see in fish tanks. It’s a 3-inch-tall diver in a classic diving suit that floats around inside the tank. How it does that is what will amaze you. At the back of the head of this mini diver is a hook where you attach a fishing line that comes with the package.

The other end of the hook is then attached to a small plastic ball filled with water and allowed to float at the surface of the aquarium. As the ball floats on top of the water, so does the cute diver inside the fish tank. Suitable for all kinds of fish tanks, this decor will surely add a unique touch to your aquarium.

4 Pack Glow Plant Silicone Aquarium Decorations

4 Pack Glow Plant Silicone Aquarium Decorations #ad

Give your aquarium an eccentric feel with this set of glow decorations that glow under the right light setting. Out of the box, you get one branch coral, one lotus leaf, one sea anemone, two seaweeds, one jellyfish, and one seahorse.

Each of these items produces its own unique colors when exposed to actinic lighting. The jellyfish, for instance, will show blue and yellow colors, while the seahorse will glow in red, yellow, and green.

These items are made of silicone and won’t harm your fish tank. They also come with suction cups so that you can secure them easily anywhere inside your aquarium.

Environments Ancient Stone Head Ruin Aquarium Ornament

Environments Ancient Stone Head Ruin Aquarium Ornament #ad

Size: 7.9″ L x 8″ H

You can never go wrong with a stone ruin decor for your aquarium. These types of ornaments can give any fish tank a mysterious ancient vibe. This stone head ruins ornament by SLOCME is one of them. Standing 8 inches tall and 8 inches wide, this “stonewall” decor is ideal for any type of aquarium. It’s easy to install and can stand sturdily anywhere inside the fish tank.

This decor is a replica of a stone ruin with a smiling face sculpted within. Covered with “roots” and “mosses,” this decor exhibits great attention to detail and will surely be an awesome addition to your freshwater or saltwater tank.

Large Lion Aquarium Ornament Decorations

Large Lion Aquarium Ornament Decorations #ad

Size: 2.75″ x 3.9″ x 4.7″

Need a couple of beast-guards inside your fish tank? Perhaps you’d like to consider this pair of what seems to be Chinese guardian lions by JOICE GIFT. Each standing 4.7 inches tall, this pair of lion decor is made of high-quality resin and crafted with great attention to detail.

Each of the lions stands on a rectangular platform and is heavy and sturdy enough to sit still at the bottom of the aquarium. With their size, this pair of lion guardians is suitable for aquariums up to 20 gallons in capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make my fish tank more interesting?

There are many ways to make your fish tank more vibrant and attractive. If you haven’t already tried aquascaping, it’s one way to give your aquarium a more natural look. Adding ornaments such as the ones we’ve reviewed here is also a great way to increase the attractiveness of your fish tank.

Can you put Legos in a fish tank?

LEGO blocks are made of high-quality plastic called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which is toxic-free and durable. So, the short answer to the question of whether it’s okay to put LEGO blocks in fish tanks, the answer is yes.

Can fish get stuck in decoration?

Absolutely. While most fish can swim backward, it’s not impossible for them to get trapped and die inside an aquarium decoration. This is why it’s crucial to choose aquarium decorations carefully. Avoid products that have tiny holes that your fish could get stuck on. Be sure to check for sharp edges, too, as they can cause injury to your fish.

Can you overcrowd a fish tank with decorations?

It’s never a good idea to overcrowd a fish tank with decorations. Unlike live plants, aquarium decorations can take up water volume without providing too much benefit to the quality of the water and the health of the fish.

However, fish love a lot of hiding places. The key here is to pick one large piece of decor and two smaller ones in proportion to your tank and arrange them in a way that fish would feel like they are in their natural habitat.

How do bubbler decorations work in fish tanks?

Bubbler decorations have a provision for an air pump. They have openings where the bubble produced by the air pump can escape and oxygenate the aquarium.

Is too many air bubbles bad for fish?

Adding air pumps and bubblers to an aquarium promotes gas exchange and supplies proper aeration and circulation in the water. Too much movement in the water surface and column can stress fish, especially the smaller ones. Keep your bubbles at a minimum just enough to agitate the water surface or just enough that fish can still swim naturally and safely.

How do you hide air tubes in a fish tank?

The best way to hide air tubes in an aquarium is to place them behind plants or decorations. Some decorations also come with a “cable management” feature to make them blend with the natural surroundings.