Roku is pulling the plug on its long-running Roku fish tank screensaver. The ambient Aquatic Life animation, which simulates a realistic aquarium, will no longer be available on the platform starting Dec. 1. In its place, Roku will direct users to its signature Roku City screensaver, a purple-hued skyline filled with rotating digital billboards and pop-culture references.
What the Change Means for Users
The shift affects anyone who has relied on the built-in aquarium scene as a passive backdrop for their TV. After the cutoff date, that option will disappear from Roku’s own screensaver lineup. The replacement, Roku City, is a very different visual experience: instead of drifting fish and bubbles, viewers get a stylized urban landscape that doubles as a promotional surface. The billboards within the cityscape carry brand sponsorships, and the scene is peppered with Easter eggs tied to movies, shows, and even a short-spined raccoon named Jimothy from Seattle.
That means the default alternative on Roku’s streaming boxes comes with an advertising component. Users who prefer an aquarium setting are not completely out of luck. Several third-party wallpaper apps available on the Roku platform offer aquarium-themed options, though those fall outside of what Roku itself provides.
Why Roku City Is the Replacement
Ty Pendlebury, a senior editor at CNET who covers home entertainment and streaming hardware, suggested the swap may serve a business purpose. He noted that converting a popular screensaver into the Roku City version could be a way for the company to generate money or at least drive more engagement. Roku did not respond to a request for comment on the decision.
The Roku City screensaver is not new. It has become something of a recognizable fixture on the platform, known for its rotating sponsored billboards and hidden details. For viewers who enjoyed the quiet, ad-free nature of the aquarium, the change represents a move toward a more commercial default.
Where to Find the Fish
Those who specifically want to keep watching Roku’s Aquatic Life animation do have one workaround. A nearly three-minute version of the screensaver is available on YouTube. That video will remain accessible as long as Roku chooses to keep it online, though it is not a permanent substitute for the built-in feature.
Bigger Changes at Roku
The screensaver retirement is a small shift compared with other developments at the company this year. In June, Fox purchased Roku for $22 billion. The deal places the streaming platform under the same ownership umbrella as Fox’s Tubi and Fox One channels. The acquisition is expected to close in 2027.
For now, the Dec. 1 date is the one to mark for anyone attached to the aquarium screensaver. After that, Roku’s own screensaver selection will steer users toward the branded cityscape, while third-party apps and a YouTube clip remain the main ways to keep the fish swimming.
