App comparison
Aquarium Widgets for iPhone: Fish Tank Apps for Your Home Screen
Compare fish tank widget apps for iPhone, from aquariums you feed and clean to decorative tanks, with sizes, care features and the iOS version each one needs.
To put a fish tank on your iPhone Home Screen, you need an app with an aquarium widget. They split into two kinds: tanks you look after, with feeding and cleaning, and decorative tanks that just swim. Pick by how much care you want, which sizes you need and which iOS version your iPhone runs.
Fish tank widget apps compared
Aquarium Widgets is our app. The details for the others come from their App Store listings.
| App | Style | Care | Requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aquarium Widgets ↗ | Your own tanks with fish from themed packs, plus an optional clock or calendar | Feeding, cleaning and fish happiness | iOS 17 or later |
| Glass Aquarium ↗ | Glass bowls and tanks with decorations | Optional pet mode | iOS 26 or later |
| Companions ↗ | Up to five named fish in four tank styles | None by design | iOS 26 or later |
| Widget Tank ↗ | Any emoji swims, background follows the weather | None | iOS 26.2 or later |
| bigsmall ↗ | Pixel-art tank with cats, fish and ducks, transparent widgets | None listed | iOS 18.6 or later |
All five are free to download, and most sell extras, so check each listing for what is included before you set one up.
If you want to look after your fish
Choose an app with care built in. Aquarium Widgets lets you create several aquariums in different sizes, add fish from themed packs and keep them healthy by feeding and cleaning. Objectives and levels unlock new fish and options over time. The widget shows the tank’s current state, so you see how your fish are doing from the Home Screen. You can also place a digital or analog clock, today’s date or a month calendar behind the fish, and on iOS 27 an extra-large tank holds up to 12 fish.
The app is free to download. Putting an aquarium on the Home Screen requires the premium upgrade, sold as a subscription or a one-time purchase.
Glass Aquarium is a good alternative if you like a glass-bowl look. Its listing describes a decorative mode and a pet mode where you feed your fish.
If you only want something to watch
Companions says it has no feeding and no cleaning: you name your fish and they swim in small, medium or large widgets. Widget Tank turns any emoji into a swimming fish and supports every size up to extra large. bigsmall mixes a pixel-art tank with countdowns, calendars and clock faces.
If what you want is a full-screen aquarium to leave running on a stand, Aquarium Live ↗ plays looping aquarium videos with ocean sounds. It is an app you open, not a Home Screen widget.
Add the tank to your Home Screen
Set up the tank in the app first, then touch and hold the Home Screen, tap Edit, then Add Widget, and choose the app and size, as in Apple’s widget guide ↗. A large or extra-large tank works as the centerpiece of a page. Our widget size guide helps you choose, and the virtual pet widget comparison covers apps with cats, dogs and other animals. To match the tank with your background, see these fish wallpaper ideas.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an aquarium widget for iPhone?
Yes. Several apps put a fish tank on the Home Screen, including Aquarium Widgets, Glass Aquarium, Companions, Widget Tank and bigsmall.
Can I feed the fish in an aquarium widget?
Some apps include care. Aquarium Widgets has feeding, cleaning and fish happiness, and Glass Aquarium has an optional pet mode. Companions is designed with no feeding at all.
Is Aquarium Widgets free?
It is free to download. Showing an aquarium on the Home Screen requires the premium upgrade, sold as a subscription or a one-time purchase.
Can an aquarium widget show the time?
Aquarium Widgets can place a digital or analog clock, today’s date or a month calendar behind the fish. bigsmall also lists clock faces and calendars.