Dragons fit into legends and folklore of cultures worldwide. Thus, there are a variety of tank themes into which dragon fish tank decorations may fit.
I have included my favorite dragons that will work in tanks with fairy tale themes, Asian themes, glow themes, or other dragon-related themes. I’ve also included dragon stone on my list. While it’s not a dragon, it goes well with dragon-themed aquariums.
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Top 5 Dragon Aquarium Decorations to Choose from
If you’re looking for a dragon to preside over your aquarium, these are my absolute favorite dragon fish tank decorations.
Dragon Skull Gazer
Dinosaur bones and skulls may have inspired ancient tales of dragons. In 2020, archeologists announced the discovery of Wulong bohaiensis in China, a feathered dinosaur which they’ve dubbed the “dancing dragon” for its similarities to Chinese dragon depictions.
You can certainly imagine the beast behind this dinosaur skull. He was wise, crafty, and hoarded jewels. Now, he’s at the bottom of the sea with plenty of places for fish to hide and dart.
My favorite thing to do with the dragon skull grazer is to put him in a tank with very similarly-colored rocks. That way, he blends into the background better. Those who view your tank for the first time may not notice him at first until they see the shimmering jewel in his eye.
Some rocks you might consider include:
- Dragon stone (more about that later)
- Seiryu stone
- Petrified wood
- Mountain stone
- Texas holey rock
Another fun thing to do with the dragon skull is to surround him with multi-colored glass pebbles so that it looks like he was guarding his treasures until the very end.
This listing is for the large dragon skull. It’s 7.5 x 4.75 x 5 inches, so it will take up quite a bit of space in your tank. Of course, you can fit it in almost any tank size, but keep in mind that it’s going to take up nearly the entire bottom of smaller nano tanks.
Oriental Dragon
The earliest depictions of dragons in China were on late Neolithic pottery (4000-2000 BCE). Dragon mythology also exists in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. So, whether you’re doing a dragon theme or a theme related to one of these countries, an oriental dragon will fit well.
This dragon will fiercely guard anything in your tank. His serpentine body belongs in the water, and he rules over the deep.
The curves of this oriental dragon provide places for fish to dart and play. Pair him with other components like pagoda lanterns, Buddhist temples, or sunken Buddha heads to complete the look. Just keep his dimensions in mind so that everything stays in scale.
At 13.75” high, 10 inches long, and 6 inches wide, he’s too tall for some tanks, especially ones under 30 gallons. So you’ll want to measure your tank height before ordering him.
This statue makes me think of Dinosaurs. If that is something you might like check out our list of these Dinosaur Aquarium Decor.
Green Dragon
For a more whimsical tank, consider the green dragon. He’s a flying dragon rather than a sea dragon. His green coloring is more cartoonlike than menacing, so he would make an excellent choice for a kid’s tank.
He’s cute on his own, or you can create a fairy tale setting for him. What’s the story? Are there fairies? How about a castle? Does it take place in a forest or mountains? Let the story guide what you put in the tank with him, whether action figures, a castle aquarium decor.
Your fish will love him because they can hide and dart between his wings, under his belly, and through his tail.
At 7.25 x 3 x 4.5 inches, he’s small enough to fit in most tanks.
Dragon Stone Rock
Dragon stone is one of my absolute favorite aquarium rocks. It’s a sedimentary rock that originates in the waterways of a country famous for its dragon tales: Japan. Some think that the holes look like dragon scales (thus, the name).
There are several reasons that I like to suggest dragon stone in a dragon tank:
- It looks like mountains: If you want mountainous scenery for your dragon, dragon stone is one of the best options.
- It’s relatively lightweight: Thus, it doesn’t add nearly as much weight to your already-heavy tank. Plus, it costs less to ship more.
- It has many nooks and crannies: Smaller fish sometimes use these areas to hide.
- It is a fantastic substrate for moss: As moss grows on your dragon stone, it will create a landscape in your tank that looks more like greenery-covered mountains.
- It’s the easiest rock for affixing plants: You easily can tie java fern and anubias to it in a cichlid tank, and the plants will eventually root in the crevices.
This listing is for about 18 pounds of dragon stone which comes in various sizes, ranging from 8-12 inches.
Glowing Dragon
This dragon doesn’t breathe fire, but he does something almost as cool–he’s a color-changing glow dragon. He’s from the GloFish company, so he looks great in a GloFish tank.
In regular light, he’s grey with a neon green mohawk. He changes color under black or blue LED lights, changing colors with his GloFish Cycle light. He doesn’t glow brightly, but he does make an exciting addition to your tank.
You might consider creating a glow tank environment for him, complete with other glow-in-the-dark aquarium ornaments and blacklights. However, he would look just fine alone or in a regular tank with lots of neon decorations. Give him an appropriately-colored castle or Buddhist temple to guard, and your scene is complete.
His dimensions are 3.57 x 4 x4.25 inches, so he’s relatively small and will fit in almost any tank.
Video: My Asian Dragon Themed Fish Tank
Summary
I’ve provided a variety of dragon styles for different tank aesthetics. However, if you’re looking for dragon fish tank decorations, I suggest using dragon stone for almost any dragon scene you want to create. It’s not only pretty but also functional.
There are many cool things to put in a fish tank with a dragon. Just decide on the story you want your tank to tell about your dragon, choose your favorite dragon, and build the rest of the tank around them.
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