Oh, Amazon. You are the giver of impulsive ideas and the taker of credit card limits. As you well know, Amazon can be the best and worst thing to happen to your budget, especially if you’re prone to Shiny Object Syndrome
This has been the case for me since getting into aquariums, though at least my hobby now involves keeping things alive instead of hoarding massive amounts of yarn, books, vintage decor, you name it.
Amazon has a ridiculous amount of goodies for aquariums, including live pets if you’re so inclined! However, I wanted to skip that part (as YMMV when it comes to getting things delivered alive…and it’s typically best to just go to the breeder’s website instead for better deals. Looking at you, Aquatic Arts shipping rates!) and instead show you the best aquarium purchases I’ve found on Amazon and my recommendations. Let’s dive in! (Get it? I am so sorry)
Natural Slate/Quartz Aquarium Stones – These end up being SO pretty in a tank! The amount of stones you get is incredible and they’re great for stacking.
Premium Indian Almond Leaves – These are optional but great for bettas. They also give the water a dark, tea-stained look which makes for great drama.
ALEGI Aquarium Decoration Rock Caves – These are ceramic and I’ve bought this set twice. I typically split the set into separate tanks. They help give little critters or fish hiding spots, but I’ve seen my bettas cruising through them once or twice.
Aquapapa Corner Filter + Up to 40 Gal ea – So far these are the best filters I’ve found. They’ve got multiple levels of filtration and handle a LOT of gunk. My one complaint is they accrue hair algae quickly and need to have their lids cleaned often. The smaller ones are in my 10-gallons while the larger ones are in anything 20+.
SZELAM 100W/300W/500W/800W Aquarium Heater – My favorite heater! The adjustments are super-easy to make and I love that it comes with sticky strips to attach to a wall (or aquarium if you want)
Geiserailie 15 Pieces Aquarium Filter Bags – If you want to add something like Purigen to your filters, these are great. The zippers are tiny and the mesh is small so your additives stay in place while still working.
Portable Mini USB Aquarium Fish Tank Oxygen Air Pump – I went back and forth on buying this but it’s come in handy for things like moving fish to new tanks or needing to isolate a fish in a quick setup hospital tank.
Lxiyu 7 in 1 Aquarium Aquascaping Tools Kits – If you’ve got any sort of live plants, the scissors are a god send and you’ll be surprised how often the shrimp net comes in handy for critters.
Aquapapa 4X Dual Bio Sponge Filter – I got these when I first moved away from hang-on-back (HOB) filters and they’re great. They don’t have much in the way of biofiltration but are excellent for low-maintenance tanks.
Small Fish Light for Tanks Without Border and NICREW Fish Tank Clip on Light – Both of these are fine, I guess, for nano tanks. I tried both on my 3-gallon rimless, and they fit + lit the tank beautifully. My problem stems from their inability to handle timers. The NICREW one kinda-sorta works on a timer, but there are often times I’ll have to manually turn the light back on.
Aqueon Adjustable Pro Aquarium Heater – This has been way more hassle than it’s worth to keep stable. I’d just buy the fixed-temperature heaters instead.
Inkbird Heating Thermostat Aquarium Reptile Submersible Probe Sensor ITC306T – So, if you have one tank then yes, this thing is really helpful. However, don’t buy it if you plan to use the two outlets on separate aquariums as there’s only one sensor. Could you get away with risking it? Probably. But I just think it’s better to get one of the Szelam heaters above.
Tips for buying aquarium supplies on Amazon
The Sunset Platys that have birthed way too many babies. (Seriously, stop it)
Head to the Outlet or Warehouse Deals– So many things end up getting returned on Amazon that are in great condition. Just be sure to sterilize them first if they’re going in your tank.
Don’t buy small heaters or gravel/sand there – I’ve always found cheaper options at in-person stores like PetCo or Petsmart.
Get chemicals in bulk – I’ll typically find the best prices for Prime and my plant fertilizer there in bulk sizes.
Stay away from the plastic decor bundles – I’ve read reviews of so many people seeing their fish get hurt on the sharp edges. It’s just not worth it.
Megan is a 5x award-winning entrepreneur, small business nerd, and industrial decor lover. Megan's products and writing have been featured in dozens of publications, including the Huffington Post and the New York Times. Hair color subject to change, black clothing...probably not.
