What a shop on Delancey Street sees people get wrong
The same handful of questions come across the counter every week, and they are all avoidable.
Too much decor, too soon
New tanks tend to get furnished all at once. Adding pieces gradually is easier on the fish and on the water.
It also spreads the cost, which people appreciate more than they expect.
Soap
It comes up constantly. Anything that goes in the tank meets warm water only, and the sink it was rinsed in should be clean of detergent.
If in doubt, rinse in dechlorinated water in a bucket.
Buying for the tank instead of the fish
A large ornament in a small tank looks impressive on the shelf and leaves nothing for the fish. Match decor to the volume of open water you can spare.
Bring the tank dimensions with you, or have them to hand when ordering.
Sharp openings on cheap ornaments
Not every ornament sold for aquariums is finished well. Checking edges by hand takes ten seconds and prevents torn fins.
We check what we stock, but the habit is worth keeping wherever you buy.
Expecting artificial plants to need nothing
They still collect algae and still need rinsing at water changes. Low maintenance is not no maintenance.
A plant left untouched for a year looks like one.
Forgetting the fish already in the tank
New decor changes an established territory. Watch behaviour for a day or two after adding anything substantial.
If a fish is being pushed out of its usual spot, moving the ornament a few inches often settles it.
Not asking
We are on Delancey Street and we answer the phone. A two-minute conversation about tank size and stock saves a return that we cannot accept once it is wet.
That is genuinely the most useful thing on this page.
What it costs
Across the 22 items currently listed, prices run from $5.99 to $19.99, with the middle of the range around $9.98. That spread is worth knowing before you start comparing, because the cheapest and dearest options here are usually not the same kind of product at all.
Shipping is a flat $4.49 per order and free once the order reaches $29.00, which is set out in full on the Shipping Policy page.
Questions that come up with this
Is everything aquarium-safe?
Yes. What we list is sold for tank use and is inert in water. Rinse before placing, and never use soap.
How fast do orders go out?
One to two business days to pack, then two to five business days across the United States.
What is the postage?
Flat $3.95 per order, and free once the basket reaches $29.00.
The FAQ page covers the rest.
Four products that show the range
The least expensive way in: Wonfly Pink Floating Diver Aquarium Ornaments, 2-Pack Resin Fish Tank Decoration at $5.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A step up from the basics: EMUTOL 5″ Aquarium Underground Tunnel, Dual-Entrance Fish Tank Cave for Betta & Shrimp at $8.59. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
A middle-of-the-range option: Litewoo Blue Ceramic Shell Hideout for Betta Fish & Small Aquariums at $13.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
The most substantial option: FISHNOSH 1-Count Aquarium Cave Decor, Natural Wood-Like Fish Hideout for Tanks at $19.99. Listed with its own specification table, so the dimensions and what is in the box are on the page rather than in a description.
Where this sits in the shop
Pacific Aquarium & Plant Inc. groups its range into 5 sections, so it is usually quicker to start from the group than to scroll the whole shop. These are the ones with stock on the shelf right now:
- Caves and Hideouts — 11 items
- Shipwrecks and Castles — 7 items
- Ornaments — 2 items
- Artificial Plants — 1 item
- Substrate and Stone — 1 item
If none of those is obviously right, the full shop lists everything on one page.
Coming in instead
Pacific Aquarium & Plant Inc. is at 46 Delancey St, New York, NY 10002, open Mon–Sun: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. If you would rather look at something before buying it, call +1 212-995-5895 and we will put it aside for you.
Anything already ordered can be followed on the order tracking page.
Related reading
Other pieces in this journal that cover neighbouring ground:
- Rinsing new aquarium decor before it goes in the tank
- Choosing a cave or hideout that a betta will actually use
- Silk plants and why they beat plastic in a small tank
- Substrate and river rock: the layer everything else sits on
The full journal index lists everything we have written so far.
In short
The same handful of questions come across the counter every week, and they are all avoidable. If you want to talk it through rather than read about it, +1 212-995-5895 reaches the shop during opening hours, and the contact page has everything else.