A paper diorama is a fun way to learn about exotic sea creatures. You won’t have to worry about sloshing water. Plus, the animals don’t need any special care. Still, you will get a close-up look at them.
I added some idea starters for a report. Just follow the links to Wikipedia. After you know a little more, you might want to Google any questions you have.
If you like to make things, you will enjoy these projects. You will get to make an aquarium and then decorate it with plants. Finally, you will be able to add the creatures.
You will find instructions and images when you follow the project’s links. If you need a little help along the way, just ask. It’s the way we all learn things.
Tips And Tricks
Read The Instructions First
There are a lot of steps in each of these projects. Also, there are several different kinds of folds and cuts you need to make. Plus, some pieces will require shaping before assembly.
So you need to read and understand all of the instructions before you start.
If you do make a grave mistake, you can always print it again and start over. But why waste time and suffer the aggravation? Just spend a few minutes reading and understanding the instructions before you start.
Tools & Materials
You will need some tools to make your tatebanko. Here is a suggested list that will help make the project easier.
- scissors, utility knife
- glue stick, PVA
- metal ruler, square
- pencil
- scoring tool
- toothpicks
- tweezers
You can print the project on your home computer. But you may find that regular printer paper is not stiff enough. So you may want to switch to matte photo paper (approximately 50# or 190 gsm) for better results. Also, photo paper will help show off the bright colors of your aquarium.
Assembly Tips
- Write the part number lightly in pencil on the back of each part, so that you can keep track of each one.
- Use a metal ruler and scoring tool to score the fold lines. Please, remember to make scoring lines on the front of the piece.
- Fold and shape each piece before gluing. Dry fitting parts before gluing will save you a lot of time and help produce better results.
- If you are using PVA, try using a toothpick to apply a thin coat of adhesive. Too thick a coating may wrinkle the paper.
- Tweezers help with tiny parts.
The 8 Paper Diorama Aquariums
Blue Tang / Fire Shrimp Aquarium
Blue Tang
The blue tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) is a saltwater fish that lives in the coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They have small mouths with a single row of teeth. They eat the algae that grow on the reef.
They have a bright blue body with black stripes and a yellow tail. They are a popular saltwater aquarium fish that grows about 30 cm (12 in) long.
Fire Shrimp
The fire shrimp (Lysmata debelius) is a saltwater cleaner shrimp that lives in coral and rocky reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It grows about 8 cm (3 in) long. They are bright red with white spots feet.
Cleaner shrimp help other fish stay healthy. The fish allow the shrimp to climb all over their bodies eating parasites. It is beneficial for both of them. The fish remain healthy, and the shrimp get a tasty meal.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
Just click on the link to download your copy of the Blue Tang / Fire Shrimp aquarium PDF.
Blue-Green Puller Aquarium
The blue-green puller(Chromis viridis) is a saltwater fish that lives in large schools in the shallow coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
They have iridescent blue-green bodies. They are omnivores that eat algae and plankton. And they grow about 10cm(3.9in) long.
Because they are peaceful, they are a popular coral aquarium fish.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
Follow the link Blue-Green Puller to get your copy of the PDF files so you can start today.
Clownfish Aquarium
The common clownfish(Amphiprion ocellaris) is a saltwater fish that lives in the Eastern Indian and the Western Pacific Oceans. They like to live in shallow water on the outer reef slopes or in sheltered lagoons. They are small fish that grow up to 11 cm (4.3 in) in length.
People also call them anemonefish because they always make their home in a sea anemone. The clownfish protects and cleans the anemone, and the anemone hides the clownfish from predators. But the clownfish don’t pick just any anemone. It will only make its home in three species of anemones.
They live in small groups called queues. The largest female is the head of the queue.
The male makes a nest next to their anemone home. After the female lays her eggs, he cares for them until they hatch. The little clownfish swim to the surface where they live until they are big enough to find their anemones.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
Download your PDF copy of the Clownfish aquarium so you can get started now.
Koran Angelfish / Purple Anthias
Koran Angelfish
The koran angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus) lives in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. They like coastal reefs with heavy coral growth that provides lots of hiding places. It grows up to 38cm (15in) in length.
The koran angelfish is found by itself or in pairs. They eat sponges, tunicates, and algae.
Juvenile fish are blue-black and with narrow white stripes. People thought the lines resembled the Arabic script from the Koran hence its name.
When they grow into adults, they change color. They turn brownish-green with blue speckling over the body and tail.
Purple Anthias
The purple anthias (Pseudanthias Tuka) lives in coral reefs in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. It grows up to 12cm (4.75in) in length.
They are purple with varying highlights of blue, red, and yellow. Purple anthias are peaceful and like to line in small schools. So they are good reef aquarium fish.
The purple anthias eat zooplankton, copepods, and amphipods.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
You can get the Koran Angelfish / Purple Anthias PDF file now.
Moorish Idol Aquarium
Moorish Idol
The Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) is a saltwater fish that lives in lagoons and coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It grows to 23 cm (9.1 in) in length.
It lives alone or in pairs, and it mates for life. Moorish idols eat sponges and corals.
The Moors of Africa believed the fish brings happiness hence its name.
Its flat disk-like body has distinctive contrasting bands of black, white, and yellow. The Moorish Idol has a dramatically elongated dorsal fin that forms a trailing sickle-shaped crest.
Follow the link to the Moorish Idol paper aquarium PDF so that you can get started.
Seahorse Aquarium
Seahorses
Seahorse is the name given to 46 species of small saltwater fish in the genus Hippocampus.
Hippocampus comes from the Greek word hippos, meaning “horse,” and kampos meaning “sea monster.”
The seahorse’s body is covered by segmented bony armor, making it look like a tiny monster. Its head and long neck look a lot like a horse. It swims upright and uses its curled prehensile tail to hold onto things like seaweed.
The male seahorse carries the unborn babies in his pouch for 9 to 45 days. When they grow big enough to be on their own, they leave the pouch.
Seahorses live in shallow tropical and temperate saltwater throughout the world. Since they are not strong swimmers, they remain in sheltered places like seagrass beds, estuaries, coral reefs, or mangroves. Seahorses range in size from 1.5 to 35.5cm (0.6 to 14.0in).
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
You can get the Seahorse aquarium PDF files now.
Bluespotted Boxfish Aquarium
Boxfish
The boxfish is a saltwater fish that lives in coral and rock reefs in the Pacific, Indian, and southeastern Atlantic Oceans.
They have hexagonal or “honeycomb” patterns on their skin. Their plate-like scales make a solid, triangular armor. It makes the fish look like a box which is why they are called boxfish.
Their fins, tail, eyes, and mouth stick out from their box-like shape. Because of their heavy armored scales, boxfish move slowly. Few other fish can eat the adults.
While the adults are square, young boxfish are more rounded and have brighter colors than the adults.
Boxfish usually live alone. If threatened, they secrete poisons from their skin to protect themselves.
Yellow Boxfish
The yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicus) lives in coral and rock reefs found in the Pacific, Indian, and southeastern Atlantic Oceans. It grows up to 49 centimeters (19in) in length.
Bluespotted Boxfish
The bluespotted boxfish (Ostracion immaculatus) lives around the Japanese Islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. It grows up to 25 centimeters (10in) in length.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
Download your Bluespotted Boxfish aquarium PDF file so you can get started today.
Yellow Tang / Royal Gramma Aquarium
Yellow Tang
The yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) lives in shallow coral reefs found in the Pacific Ocean. It grows up to 20cm (7.9in) in length.
The yellow tang is found by itself or in small schools. The yellow tang is mainly herbivorous and eats turf algae as well as other marine plant material.
It provides cleaner services to turtles by removing algae from their shells.
Royal Gramma
The royal gramma (Gramma loreto) lives in coral reefs found in the western Atlantic Ocean. It grows slightly over 8cm (3in) in length.
They have a distinct color pattern. The head is deep violet which fades mid-body into a golden-yellow tail. They are peaceful but defend their territory. So they are good reef aquarium fish.
The royal gramma is also a cleaner fish that removes parasites from other fish. It eats zooplankton and crustaceans.
Difficulty ★★★☆☆
Assembly time 3 hours
Paper Type Matte Photo Paper
Just click on the link Yellow Tang / Royal Gramma to download your PDF file now.
Final Thoughts
Once you finish your school assignment, you might want to make some of the other projects. You could make a giant paper diorama by combining a couple of projects.
You could even make a mobile and have the fish swimming around freely.
Perhaps, you could use them to decorate a wall so it would look like a tropical ocean.
Let your imagination take you to the open sea.
Explore Further
Are you looking for more paper diorama projects? Then you’ll want to look at Aubry’s Guide To Tatebanko: Japanese Paper Diorama Art.