Marine Saltwater aquariums are one of the most unique, beautiful, and engaging objects to have in your home.
The bright colours of the fish, the corals, the plants – they’re so captivating and entrancing that they draw us to them.
They can help reduce stress, improve the mood, and so much more. Plus, they’re just fun!
But if you’ve not kept one before, it can be a little tricky knowing what kind of fish you should stock in your brand-new marine aquarium or reef tank.
The best reef aquarium fishes and best saltwater fish for beginners may well be one in the same, but they definitely might not. Some fish are harder to care for than others – it’s just a fact.
So, to make your task of choosing the coolest saltwater fish that anyone should be able to care easier, I’ve compiled this list of saltwater aquarium fish along with their basic info and stats for your convenience.
THE MOST POPULAR SPECIES
1. YELLOW TANGS
Other names Yellow Surgeonfish, Yellow Hawaiian Tang
Minimum tank size 55 gallons
Maximum size 8-inches
Temperament Aggressive
Diet Herbivores
Coloring Yellow
Probably one of the most well-known and therefore common saltwater aquarium fish folks keep is the Yellow Tang.
These beautiful, brightly coloured yellow fish have quirky little faces and quirkier personalities.
They’re fairly easy to find at stores, reasonably prices, and easy to care for, generally speaking. They can be aggressive, though, so they must be house properly with fish and other critters they won’t go after.
They’re also not great for coral tanks as they tend to go after coral polyps a bit. They can be stocked with many other fish, but not with other tangs or Surgeonfish, unless they are introduced to the aquarium at the same time.
Despite being a bit aggressive, these beautiful fish are actually herbivores, so they love noshing on algae and other plants. You can find some tasty seaweed wafers, plant-based foods, and other foods they’ll love pretty easily, and even toss in some Nori for a treat now and then.
2. CORAL BEAUTY ANGELFISH
Other names Two spined or Dusky Angelfish
Minimum tank size 70 gallons
Maximum size 4-inches
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Diet Omnivore
Coloring Blue, Orange, Yellow
Common to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, this absolutely gorgeous, vividly coloured Angelfish are the other easiest saltwater aquarium fish in the Angelfish category. They’re semi-aggressive, though, so matching them with tank mates requires more caution than some of the other species on our list. The Coral Beauty makes for one of the best marine aquarium fishes – not reef tanks, though, as they nip and eat corals – because they’re gorgeous but easy to care for. They’re not fussy in their diet – which consists mostly of spirulina, other marine algae, frozen shrimp, and other meaty prepared fish foods and frozen foods.
3. OCELLARIS CLOWNFISH
Other names False Percula Clownfish or Common Clownfish
Minimum tank size 20 gallons
Maximum size 4-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Omnivore
Coloring Orange, black, white
You know him as Nemo – and there’s a reason this little orange and white fish was chosen to star in the now Disney classic. Clownfish are incredibly fun little fish to keep, easy to care for, and have great personalities that mean they get along well with many other saltwater fish for aquariums and creatures Clownfish live in sea anemones, in families, so these guys are best kept in mid-sized to large tanks for the best life possible. You can go as small as 20-gallon fish tanks, however, for just one or two. They get along really well with a wide variety of other fish and critters, as well, including:
• Damselfish
• Tangs
• Wrasses
• Blennies
• Angelfish
• Dartfish
• Puffers
• Soft or Hard Corals
• Gobies
• Marine Invertebrates
They’re slow-moving and relaxed fish that enjoy a symbiotic relationship with those anemones and especially do well in tanks with live rock and aquatic plants. Always aim for captive-bred of the clownfish and others.
4. BICOLOR BLENNY
Other names Two-Colored Blenny, Flametail Blenny
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 4-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Herbivore
Colouring Blue to brown and orange
The Bicolor Blenny is named so because of its unusual “split” colouring. The males of the species are usually larger and experience a succession of Color changes while breeding.
They’re a spunky, friendly little species of fish you’ll enjoy watching as they pop in and out among the crevices and rocks at the bottom of their environment. Be sure to provide them with loads of hiding and perching spots and at least 30-gallons of space.
These little guys are usually pretty peaceful, though they may pick on some of the smaller fish like gobies and dartfish or fleshy coral polyps. They do great in larger spaces – not so much the smaller ones – including reef tanks.They help maintain and control algae – they love eating the stuff! – and make a bright, colourful addition to the aesthetics of your aquarium.
5. ALGAE BLENNY / LAWNMOWER BLENNY
Other names Algae Blenny, Jewelled Rockskipper Blenny, Rock Blenny
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 6-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Herbivore
Coloring Shades of brown speckled on white
Algae Blennies/ Lawnmower Blenny are a fantastic addition to any Marine Saltwater Aquarium though not reef tanks, as they nibble on corals. They’re great starter saltwater fish for people who want help controlling algae – they love eating algae – and need a fairly hardy saltwater fish in their stock.
These medium-sized fish are bottom dwellers that hop from rock to rock, gobbling up algae. They should be kept in larger aquariums – minimum of 30-gallons and kept away from other species that look similar – as well as fellow algae blennies.
6. YELLOW WATCHMAN GOBY
Other names Yellow prawn goby, Yellow shrimp goby
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 4-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Carnivore
Colouring Shades of yellow, with blue spots
The Watchman Goby is a burrower who needs loads of room for swimming. So, despite being a fairly small fish, you need to provide at least a 30-gallon tank for these guys.
They do best with sandy substrate that burrowing characteristic – and they definitely should only be kept in aquariums with tightly fitting hoods, as they are jumpers.
These guys are peaceful with many other fish species, but tend to be aggressive with their own, except with their mates. Because of this, they make some of the best reef aquarium fish, especially because they’re really easy to care for.
7. ROYAL GRAMMA
Other names N/A
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 3-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Carnivore
Colouring Purple, yellow
For another stunning but small saltwater fish that can live together with other saltwater fish, you’ve got the Royal Gramma Basslet. These purple and yellow fish are vividly colorful, interesting, entertaining, and generally peaceful and compatible with fish of a similar temperament.
These fish are great for Nano reef tanks which means they’re also great for beginners who are learning the ropes of marine tanks and nano tanks.
They like to hide among the rocks, so be sure to provide plenty of those, and they do best with at least 30-gallons – or 55+ gallons for schools of them – on a meaty diet of brine shrimp, Mysis shrimp, and any quality meaty carnivore frozen preparations.
8. BANGAI CARDINALFISH
Other names Highfin Cardinal, Kaudern’s Cardinalfish
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 3-inches
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Diet Carnivore
Coloring Black stripes on white, orange or silver
The Bangi Cardinalfish is a great option for beginners. They thrive in peaceful reef tank settings and love small caves, subdued lighting, and generally quiet homes. They’re especially great for Nano aquariums, thanks to their relaxed nature and size.
Bangai Cardinalfish are mouthbrooder and the males can actually hold up to 25 fry in their mouth four up to five weeks. This makes it one of the easiest fish to breed at home, as well.
These little guys need to be fed slowly – but should never be overfed. Give them time to take it in. They’re not fast movers in regular motions like other fish, but rather dart in and out in precise, short bursts when they’re ready to snatch a bite.
They’re not going to mess with your other fish, which is a big positive, and they leave inverts alone. And though you’ll see them in large schools at pet shops, they actually do best in pairs instead.
Interestingly enough, these little guys make friends with some other fun creatures like sea urchins and anemones. This can make a really fun pairing in the home aquarium as well. When the Bangai gets disturbed, it will actually rush “home” to the side of the sea urchin it has bonded with or go and hide in a safe spot.
And while they are not aggressive in general, if they’re faced with other Bangais of the same gender, they’ll flair their fins at each other as a sort of warning of, “hey! Stay away!” This leads to fighting because they can’t exactly swim to another part of the ocean to avoid each other. If you ever notice this happening, it’s best to separate them into different tanks.
9. SWISSGUARD BASSLET
Other names Swales Swiss guard Basslet, Peppermint Basslet, or Pacific Candy Basslet
Minimum tank size 10 gallons
Maximum size 3-inches
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Diet Carnivore
Coloring Black, Blue, Orange, Purple, White
When you look at these adorable little fish, you know why they’ve been nick-named the Peppermint Basslet. The colourful red stripes running lengthwise along their bodies give them a distinctive look that add a lot of value to your saltwater fish tank ideas of colourful reefs and interesting contrasts. They’re long and elegant and work well in nano reef tanks down to 10-gallons in size.
The Swissguard Basslet generally make for great reef tank fish as they leave corals and live rocks alone. They do, however, love to munch on smaller crustaceans, so you’ll want to avoid tiny crabs, shrimp, et cetera.
They’re carnivores, so they do best on finely chopped fresh and frozen marine fish, squid, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp.
These guys do tend to be a more moderate care level than super easy and typically cost more than many other fish, so be sure to think through thoroughly how much time and money you can invest in these little beauties.
10. FIREFISH
Other names Firefish goby, fire goby, magnificent dartfish, or fire dartfish
Minimum tank size 20 gallons
Maximum size 3-inches
Temperament Peaceful
Diet Omnivore
Colouring Multi-coloured variations
Firefish are gorgeous little ornamental saltwater fish that work seriously are some of the best fish for reef tank owners, especially beginner aquarists. The bright colors pop against any background and their spunky little personalities and habits just make them fun to watch. They dart
around, hiding and playing, flitting by and then diving for cover, seemingly for no reason at all.
These little guys usually hang around the bottom of their tanks, facing whatever current they’ve got, and wait for their prey – small invertebrates. So that does mean you’ve got to watch out for the kinds of critters you keep with them, though they rarely bother other fish, corals and invertebrates large enough to notice.They can get a little territorial if they’re kept in aquariums that are overcrowded or too small, but generally, they’re pretty chill. Avoid keeping them with trigger fish, lionfish, and large angels, however.
11. LONGNOSE HAWKFISH
Other names N/A
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 5-inches
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Diet Carnivore
Coloring Red, white
For larger tanks – a minimum of 30 gallons, but ideally these are saltwater fish for 55 gallon tanks or larger – you may want to consider getting yourself some Longnose Hawkfish. The name isn’t all that appealing, but the fish itself is a unique, colorful, and fun mid-sized fish that adds a lot to the right aquarium setup.
Be sure to keep a tight-fitting lid on your aquarium – these guys are escape artists – and they can be a little aggressive towards other long-bodied fish. Otherwise, they’re pretty chill, easy to feed, and very fun little guys to watch darting around the aquarium.
12. PAJAMA CARDINAL FISH
Other names N/A
Minimum tank size 30 gallons
Maximum size 3-inches
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Diet Carnivore
Colouring Variated browns, yellows, tans, off-whites, creams, et cetera/Mutli-patterned
These strange little fish have been so named Pajama Cardinalfish for their unique patterns. They kind of look like they’re wearing a set of polka dotted or checked pajamas.
They have yellow and green faces, a black band around their middle, and then bright polka dots on their tails – sometimes looking a little like checked patterns.
They need to be kept in 20+ gallon size tanks, or 30+ for schooling. They’re a little on the shy side and keep to themselves, but they’re active at night and feed then. They hide during the day, especially among live plants and rocks.
Apart from their intriguing looks, these guys are some of the best saltwater aquarium for beginners because they’re really easy to care for – they have great temperaments and easy to work with feeding needs.
They ignore invertebrates – which is huge for Nano tanks in particular – and generally get along with most fish small enough not to eat them.
WHERE TO PURCHASE ONLINE MARINE WORLD AQUATICS
