Aquascaping is a big deal and it can be totally overwhelming when you first start. You have to pick the plants and make a nice layout and choose the right fish. All of this can be very confusing and learning from people who’re really good at aquascaping is one of the best ways to feel more confident about aquascaping.
At Bluviva, we’ve picked up our top 5 aquascaping influencers that you should follow if you want to get inspired and obtain practical knowledge. Their works help beginners to explore different aquascaping techniques, experiment with designs, and enjoy the process. It will be quite educational and inspiring to follow their work.
Cornyscapes: Bringing Brazilian Style to Life
A Passion That Started Young
Anastasia Kalinina, better known by the name Cornyscapes, hails from Estonia. She began to discover the world of aquariums when she was just 16. She has been fascinated by the idea that small changes can make a real difference in the tank. However, it was only seven years ago that aquascaping has been a creative journey for me ever since.
The Beauty of Brazilian Style
Her favorite technique involves the Brazilian style, which focuses on dynamic composition and the utilization of vibrant colors. Under the inspiration of Filipe Oliveira, Anastasia prefers the quest to find the best composition with the best species of plants and fish while maintaining the balance of energy and harmony in all her aquariums. For her, Brazilian aquascaping is a dance between chaos and control… Each aquascape is like a miniature story about life, color, and movement.
Signature Touches
Cornyscapes is recognized for vivid plant colors and a focus on Rotala species. She also carefully selects fish like ember tetras, bettas, and gastromyzon. These choices bring energy and life to every aquarium.
Favorite Creations
Anastasia has a special attachment to her nano shrimp tanks, in particular, those with red bee shrimp. She loves that these kinds of works are versatile, low maintenance, and at the same time give her the opportunity to be creative and test out new ideas. She also delights in competition layouts as they offer her the possibility to give her all to each one of the designs.
Why Beginners Should Follow Her
Cornyscapes highlights the fact that aquascaping is a journey of discovery along with a mastery of skills. Her videos inspire newbies to try out new things, make errors, and have fun. Every aquarium is a beautiful proof of how the three virtues that bring out stunning aquascapes are patience, imagination, and keen observation.
Acuarios Rtules: Mastering Nature and Balance
Sharing Knowledge, One Aquarium at a Time
Raúl, the creator behind Acuarios Rtules, brings his love for aquariums to YouTube, where he shares his expertise in an approachable and engaging way. With years of experience in aquaristics, Raúl combines practical advice with personal stories, helping beginners understand aquarium setup, maintenance, fish care, and plant care without feeling overwhelmed.
Nature-Inspired Designs
Raúl is an expert in nature aquariums and forest-style layouts. His designs are the representation of harmony and have the feeling of small natural worlds. He works with wood, stones and plants to make aquascapes that not only look great but also are simple to keep.
Signature Touches
Raúl’s signature piece is the perfect balance between the look and feel of the fish. His aquariums are very neat, well-organized, and easy to follow, which makes it very easy for hobbyists to give these layouts a try. Through simplicity and functionality, he essentially bridges the gap between novices and advanced aquascaping techniques.
Why Beginners Should Follow Him
Raúl’s videos not only instruct new aquascapers on how to design a tank but also on why certain choices work. His videos are a lesson in patience, planning, and observation and at the same time, he proves that having a flourishing, aesthetically pleasing aquarium doesn’t have to be scary. A beginner who wants both inspiration and a practical guide should definitely check out Acuarios Rtules.
Jui Aquariums: Nature-Style Hardscapes & African Cichlids
A Journey Fueled by Curiosity
Jui was 20 when he started his aquascaping, initially almost just out of curiosity. 17 years later, at 37, he is more passionate than ever. He has been a great admirer of fish tanks and his love of them has grown along with a fascination for African cichlids, which he finds handsome not only by their color but also by their behaviors and personalities.
Jui’s goal is not only to share his passion for fishes and plants but also to teach aquascaping for beginners on his Instagram and prove that this hobby becomes much more enjoyable if the knowledge is shared.
Nature-Inspired Aquascapes
Jui specializes in nature-style aquascapes and his main focus is on developing natural, balanced compositions that are vibrant and full of life. What Jui truly excels at are hardscape aquariums, in which he uses rocks and wood to form depth, flow, and visual appeal.
Jui completes these layouts with a perfect fish selection, particularly African cichlids, hence, he creates stunning and very atmospheric aquariums.
Signature Style and Techniques
One of the things that distinguishes Jui from others is his skill in mixing beauty with practicality. His hardscape methods bring out the texture, contrast, and structure, and at the same time, his selection of fish guarantees vibrant, attractive tanks. Novices are given the opportunity to find out how to design layouts, harmonize plants and hardscape elements, and select fish that go well both with the design and the ecosystem.
Why Beginners Should Follow Him
For new aquascapers, following Jui means getting hands-on tips about nature aquariums, aquascaping, and even African cichlid care. His approach is all about trying out ideas, being patient, and helping others learn. View his tutorials and you as a new aquascaper will get the courage to design well-planned aquarium layouts and thus, get the most joy of the hobby.
Lady Discus – Where Elegance Meets Living Ecosystems
Aquascaping with Purpose and Harmony
Kamila, known in the aquascaping world as Lady Discus, is a Polish aquascaping creator who blends artistic vision with deep biological understanding. For years, she has combined aquascaping, education, and modern aquarium keeping to show that an aquarium can be far more than decoration: it can be a thriving, balanced ecosystem.
Her work stands out for its sense of calm and refinement. Each aquarium reflects a thoughtful relationship between fish, plants, and environment, creating spaces that feel alive, stable, and naturally harmonious.
Natural Style Without Artifice
Lady Discus identifies strongly with the natural aquascaping style, taking her cues from the Amazonian rivers, submerged roots, and subtle changes between light and shadow. Instead of having highly “designed” layouts, her tanks come across as little pieces of pristine nature that have been taken inside.
A hallmark of her method is the near-perfect blending of above-tank hydroponics. Through plant growth above the water level, Kamila makes it possible for the aquariums to visually go beyond the aquarium, thus underpinning not only the beauty but also the biological harmony of the set-ups.
Signature Elements
Discus fish are the heart of Kamila’s aquascapes. Demanding yet incredibly elegant, they give her aquariums a dignified and refined character. One of her standout setups features Red Turquoise Discus from the renowned breeding line of Aleksander Piwowski, prized for their intense coloration, health, and exceptional quality.
Her signature look is further defined by lush hydroponic plants growing above the aquarium, including:
- Monstera deliciosa (Variegata and Thai Constellation),
- Epipremnum,
- Philodendrons.
These plants are not just visually striking, they play a vital role in natural filtration, absorbing nitrates and helping stabilize water parameters.
Why Beginners Should Follow Her
Lady Discus shows new hobbyists that balance, patience, and reverence for aquatic life are the foundations of successful aquascaping. Through her Instagram account, which provides insight not only into finished aquariums but also into processes, Lady Discus helps new aquarium hobbyists understand fishing, aquarium biology, and design concepts.
Beginners wanting to create serene and nature-inspired aquariums with a focus on fish well-being and a stable ecosystem will find Lady Discus a very enlightening resource on what harmony between aesthetics and responsibility means in aquascaping.
Urbanscaper: Minimalism, Atmosphere, and Modern Nature
Finding Calm Through Aquascaping
Babis Bloskas, also known as Urbanscaper, is from Greece and is proud to be part of the Aquaflora A-Team. His passion for aquarium arranging and designing is rooted in his appreciation for nature and his wish to transform this sense of natural beauty into highly artistic underwater designs that challenge the beholder to neither focus nor appreciate the beauty of balance in aquariums.
For him, aquascaping seems to be not about the excessive, but the purposeful arrangements of rocks, plants, as well as the spacing in creating an environment that is both contemporary and very naturalistic in look.
Nature Style with a Minimalist Soul
Although Babis’s works are largely influenced by the nature style in aquascaping, the approach is more minimalist. His aquascapes present simplicity in association with vegetation, creating a beautiful balance. Unlike most aquascapers, instead of filling all the corners of the tank with plants, Babis leaves them breathing or “empty.” This creates a relaxed look on the aquascapes.
This makes his tanks appear timeless, accessible, particularly for new players who might find other designs too complicated. Less can certainly be more, as his aquariums demonstrate when balance and harmony take precedence.
Signature Touches
One of the most distinguishing qualities of Urbanscaper’s aquascapes is his use of expressive hardscapes. This is where the aesthetic appeal of carefully crafted stones and woods with distinct textures play an essential role in his designs.
These hardscapes are softened with low- to medium-demand plants, such as:
- Bucephalandra
- Mosses
- Carpeting species
This selection of plants not only adds to the natural and aesthetic look but also makes his layouts more accessible and environmentally friendly. The final look gives off a lush view without requiring too much maintenance, striking the perfect balance between aesthetics and practicality.
Why Beginners Should Follow Him
Urbanscaper is a fantastic example to first-timers who are interested in modern, nature-inspired aquascaping but also want a sensible way. His art shows that to make beautiful aquariums, you don’t necessarily need high-maintenance plants or very intricate designs.
New aquascapers, by following Babis, can figure out how to use textures, space, and plant selection to create aquascapes that are not only atmospheric but also easy to handle and very gratifying. The serene, thoughtful method of him is like a gentle nudge to beginners to concentrate on basics: balance, simplicity, and intention, thus making the hobby of aquascaping appear both doable and satisfying.
Final Thoughts
Starting your aquascaping journey can feel overwhelming, but learning from experienced aquascapers makes all the difference. Their guidance shows that creativity, patience, and careful observation can transform a simple tank into a thriving underwater world, inspiring beginners to experiment, learn, and grow without fear of mistakes.
And from day one of your journey, we’re here to support you: offering guidance, quality products, and inspiration to help every aquarium you create flourish.
