List of marine aquarium fish species

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The following is a list of marine aquarium fish species commonly available in the aquarium trade. It is not a completely comprehensive list; certain rare specimens may sometimes be available commercially yet not be listed here. A brief section on each, with additional links is provided.

[edit] Angelfish (Large)

These big beauties are wonderfully, cooly, pretty coloured but not for the faint hearted aquarist. They need huge aquariums and should not be kept in groups. Two angels might be kept in the same aquarium provided it is a large aquarium, they are properly acclimated as juveniles, and they are have very different colouring and body shape. However, because all Angelfish have essentially the same diet, mixing them is a feat that should be left to only advanced keepers. None are reef safe, and a potential owner should be aware that they need to have plenty of vegetable matter in their diet. They undergo major changes in colouration while maturing, and unless specified given descriptions are for adult specimens.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care level	Description	Max size
Bellus Angelfish	Genicanthus bellus	Yes	Moderate	Light blue all over. Exhibits strong sexual dimorphism- females have wide black bands, males' bands are orange.	18 cm (7 in)
Blue Angelfish	Holacanthus bermudensis	No	Moderate	Blue Angelfish has an overall aqua hue with a yellow shimmer and yellow edges on the fins and scales. The Blue Angelfish does not have the striking blue crown or other blue highlights of the Queen Angelfish.	45 cm (18 in)
Cortez Angelfish	Pomacanthus zonipectus	No	Moderate	Darkly hued with yellow stripes.	46 cm (18 in)
Emperor Angelfish	Pomacanthus imperator	No	Moderate	Juveniles are black with blue-white spiraling; Adults are blue with yellow stripes, accented with white and black and a blue mask.	40 cm (16 in)
French Angelfish	Pomacanthus paru	No	Difficult	Juveniles are black with 3 yellow vertically running stripes, may also display blue on pelvic fins. Adults lard black with white vertical stripes.	41 cm (16 in)
Gray Angelfish	Pomacanthus arcuatus	No	Easy to Moderate	Light grey with dark spots and bluish/grey mask over face. Closely related to French Angelfish.	60 cm (26 in)
Half-Moon Angelfish	Pomacanthus maculosus	No	Easy	Blue with yellow splotch-like marking on side.	50 cm (20 in)
Koran Angelfish	Pomacanthus semicirculatus	No	Moderate	Grey towards the face, becoming a navy blue towards the caudal fin with striking irridescent blue accents throughout.	40 cm (15 in)
Majestic Angelfish	Pomacanthus navarchus	No	Difficult	Yellow sides and back, transitioning to blue towards the base of the caudal fin and face, with a bright blue streak across the chin.	28 cm (11 in)
Passer (King) Angelfish	Holacanthus passer	No	Moderate	Very dark blue with yellow caudal fin and distinctive white stripe.	36 cm (14 in)
Queen Angelfish	Holacanthus ciliaris	No	Moderate	Tan coloured with bright orange caudal fin and neon blue outlined fins.	45 cm (17 in)
Royal Angelfish	Pygoplites diacanthus	No	Expert	Orange and blue striped with dark blue dorsal fin and lemon yellow caudal fin.	25 cm (10 in)
Japanese Swallow Angelfish	Genicanthus semifasciatus	Yes	Moderate	Black and tan striped back with yellow blaze beginning at the mouth and tapering off towards the centre of the side, with light blueish grey underside. Has distinctively shaped tail resembling that of a swallow.	21 cm (8 in)

[edit] Angelfish (Dwarf)

Although Dwarf Angelfish are smaller and generally more manageable than their larger counterparts, they still have some specific care requirements. They are omnivores, but plenty of vegetable matter, preferably in the form of macroalgae, should be provided for their grazing pleasure. Their suitability for reef tanks is hotly debated, so add at your own risk. The only possible exception to this is the Flame Angelfish, which is generally considered safe. However, for obvious reasons it should not be put into tanks with expensive decorative macroalgae.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care level	Description	Max size
Coral beauty Angelfish	Centropyge bispinosus	With caution	Easy to Moderate	Reddish body with blue back and orange fins. A shy fish that prefers multiple hiding locations.	10 cm (4 in)
Eibli Angelfish	Centropyge eibli	With caution	Moderate	Tan coloured body with vertical brown stripes and large distinctive black splotch covering the back of the fish, including the caudal fin.	15 cm (6 in)
Flame Angelfish	Centropyge loricula	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Vivid orange-red with vertical black stripes and blue patches toward the end of the dorsal and anal fins.	15 cm (6 in).
Orange-back Angelfish	Centropyge acanthops	With caution	Moderate	Dark blue with golden yellow blaze running from the face down the dorsal fin, with a colourless caudal fin.	8 cm (3 in)
Half-black Angelfish	Centropyge vroliki	With caution	Difficult	Anterior is gray to pearly white with orange accent around eye, posterior is deep black.	12 cm (4 in)
Herald's Angelfish	Centropyge heraldi	With caution	Moderate	Completely lemon yellow, with a brown marking around the eye.	10 cm (4 in)
Lemonpeel Angelfish	Centropyge flavissima	With caution	Difficult	Bright yellow with distinctive dark semicircle by operculum.	14 cm (5 in)
Barred Angelfish	Centropyge multifasciata	With caution	Difficult	White fish with vertical black stripes. (Or is it a black fish with vertical white stripes?)	12 cm (4 in)
Potter's Angelfish	Centropyge potteri	With caution	Difficult	Similarly coloured to the Coral Beauty, but with a blue body and reddish fins.	10 cm (4 in)
Pygmy (Cherub) Angelfish	Centropyge argi	With caution	Easy To Moderate	Blue colored body with an orange yellow head.	8 cm (3 in)
Rusty Angelfish	Centropyge ferrugata	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Tan coloured body with dark spots and a reddish tint around the anal fin.	10 cm (4 in)

[edit] Anthias

Although Anthias resemble damsels in shape and size, the two should never be confused. Where damsels are the goats of the Saltwater world, Anthias (also called "Fairy Basslets in) are finicky and many starve to death in captivity. In the wild, they eat zooplankton, and will not accept anything but in the aquarium. They also need to be fed nearly constantly, three times a day at least. The best way to ensure the health and longevity of an Anthias is to attach a refugium where you can grow copepods to "drip" into the display tank. Unlike many other saltwater aquarium inhabitants, they can be kept in groups.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max Size
Bartlett's anthias	Pseudanthias bartlettorum	Yes	Difficult	Back and face light yellow, underside pink with a swallowtail-shaped caudal fin.	9 cm (3 in)
Bicolor Anthias	Pseudanthias bicolor	Yes	Difficult	Similarly shaped and coloured to Bartlett's Anthias, but with a slightly more rounded back.	13 cm (5 in)
Cooper's Anthias	Pseudanthias cooperi	Yes	Difficult	Orange back and finnage with white patch below the mouth running down toward the anal fin with pink sides.	14 cm (5 in)
Diadem Anthias	Pseudanthias parvirostris	Yes	Difficult	Pink fish with yellow streak on top of head running along the lateral line. Caudal fin is red with yellow tips.	7 cm (2 in)
Orangehead Anthias	Pseudanthias heemstrai	Yes	Difficult	Pink underside with orange back and mask, dark red splotch on caudal fin, along with iridescent blue anal and pelvic fins.	13 cm (5 in)
Redbar Anthias	Pseudanthias rubrizonatus	Yes	Difficult	Tannish-pink with a single vertical red stripe and a dorsal fin with the skin between the rays pulled back like on a lionfish.	12 cm (4 in)
Lyretail Anthias	Pseudanthias squamipinnis	Yes	Difficult	Also known as Sea Goldie. Orange with lyre-shaped caudal fin.	15 cm (6 in)
Squareback anthias	Pseudanthias pleurotaenia	Yes	Difficult	Red back and pink underside with distinctive blue square shaped marking and blue fins.	20 cm (7 in)
Stocky Anthias	Pseudanthias hypselosoma	Yes	Difficult	Orange back with cream colored underside. As its name suggests, slightly stockier than other Anthias.	19 cm (7 in)
Threadfin Anthias	Pseudanthias huchtii	Yes	Difficult	Olive green with black caudal fin and red stripe running from the eye to the pectoral fin.	12 cm (4 in)

[edit] Bass & Groupers

In this exceedingly large group of fish, few are considered proper aquarium inhabitants, for various reasons including diet and size. Be aware that Basses vary greatly from species to species, and do appropriate research before purchasing a specimen. Many unsuspecting hobbyists bring home cute little specimens of popular aquarium fish such as the Lyretail Grouper, only to realize several months later that they don't have the resources to care for a meter-long that may cost hundreds of dollars a month to feed.

Painted Comber

Blue Dot Grouper

Lyretail Grouper

[edit] Basslets & Assessors

Basslets and Assessors are small, long bodied fish strongly resembling Anthias. Their care requirements, however, are closer to those of damsels. They should be kept individually, and generally not with other fish of similar shape and colour. Feeding is easy: they will generally eat any meaty foods offered. Good water quality should be maintained at all times.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max Size
Black Cap Gramma	Gramma melacara	Yes	Moderate	Purple with a black mask beginning at the mouth and ending at the base of the dorsal fin.	6 cm (2 in)
Blue Assesor	Assessor macneilli	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Entirely navy blue with white edging of the dorsal fin.	7 cm (3 in)
Royal Gramma	Gramma loreto	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Purple head and anterior, abruptly changing to yellow about halfway down the body. Has black marking through eye and another on the dorsal fin. Do not confuse with the Brazilian Gramma or the Bicolor Dottyback.	5 cm (2 in)
Brazilian Gramma	Gramma brasiliensis	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Very similar to the royal gramma, however the change from purple to yellow occurs farther down the body and the black markings are absent.	6 cm (2 in)
Yellow Assessor	Assessor flavissimus	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Bright lemon yellow with peach fringing of the dorsal fin and around the eye.	7 cm (3 in)

[edit] Batfish

Young Dusky Batfish

Batfish are gorgeous and striking fish that are not common in aquaria for one major reason: they get huge. A two or three hundred gallon tank is needed for one, minimum, and larger is better. They start out as tiny, manageable-looking cuties, which often fools aquarists into purchasing them for their small aquariums. However they quickly grow to gargantuan proportions, and require large amounts of food as well as space, so beware. They are not reef safe and should be fed plenty of large meaty foods. Batfish change greatly as they grow, however the potential aquarist is most likely to see them in their juvenile form, so that is the description of the colouration here. They all have generally the same body shape: disk-like with tall dorsal and anal fins, similar to a Freshwater Angelfish.

[edit] Blennies

Blennies are popular aquarium fish, and for good reason. They are peaceful, colorful, and many are downright helpful. For example, the aptly named Lawnmower Blenny will keep your green algae well trimmed and presentable. With the exception of Fang Blennies, Blennies are totally reef safe- in fact a reef environment is really best for them because they can be shy and the intricate rockwork of a reef provides ample hiding spaces. They are omnivores and should be fed a varied diet of frozen or live foods and plant matter. Blennies don't have teeth or functional jaw, so food must be big enough for them to swallow whole.
Blennies are often confused with Gobies, but there is an easy way to tell the difference. Gobies have two distinct dorsal fins, Blennies have a single dorsal fin that runs the length of their body. Also, Gobies' pelvic fins are fused to form a sucker, similar to Remoras.

Lawnmower Blenny

Pictus Blenny

Tube Worm Blenny

[edit] Boxfish & Pufferfish

Members of the family Tetraodontidae, Boxfish, Puffers and their cousins Cowfishes and Porcupinefishes can be very personable and quirky pets, for the prepared.
They are not thought of as an ordinary aquarium tank mate, but are quickly gaining popularity. They do pose a hazard in the community tank however. They are capable of releasing a very powerful toxin which can kill other fish and in some cases, the boxfish itself. They generally only use it when threatened or dying, but can become disturbed easily with aggressive tank mates or overcrowded aquarium. Generally they are reef safe, though they will pick at invertebrates if not fed well enough.
Many people think puffed up Pufferfish, like in the picture, are cute, but an owner should never subject their pet to this as they are often unable to expel the air should they be out of the water. To prevent this, never remove a puffer from the water.

Smooth Trunkfish

Puffed up D. holocanthus.

O. cubicus

[edit] Butterflyfish

Butterflyfish, when properly cared for, can make beautiful and distinctive additions to fish only marine aquariums. Often large and usually not suited for those with smaller aquariums, nor those of the faint of heart. Nevertheless, when fed a varied diet and kept in pristine conditions, Butterflyfish will usually thrive. That is, if you choose the right species. With Butterflyfish, usually a fish is going to survive, or it's not. Many species simply cannot be kept in captivity, and potential keepers must take care to only purchase those species that have a fighting chance. Also, be very picky about which specimen you choose- any sign of mishandling should be taken as a red flag.
The following species are relatively hardy and an experienced aquarist should have no trouble with them, so long as they are diligent.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max Size
Copperbanded Butterflyfish	Chelmon rostratus	Caution	Difficult	Silver with black edged gold stripes, a long nose, and a black eyespot on the dorsal fin.	20 cm (7.9 in)
Bannerfish	Heniochus diphreutes	No	Moderate	Sometimes referred to as the "Poor Man's Moorish Idol" because of the resemblance. White and black striped with yellow caudal fin and a dorsal fin that forms a long, thin banner.	21 cm (8.3 in)
Longnose Butterflyfish	Forcipiger flavissimus	No	Moderate	From the pectoral fins forward, black above the eye and silver below, with an exceptionally mouth. Past the pectoral fins, bright yellow with an eyespot on the anal fin.	22 cm (8.7 in)
Raccoon Butterflyfish	Chaetodon lunula	No	Moderate	Very distinctive and complexly colored. Is mostly yellow with a darker saddle and a black and white mask.	20 cm (7.9 in)
Redback Butterflyfish	Chaetodon paucifasciatus	No	Moderate	White with black stripes that form chevrons on the side and a bright red patch on the posterior.	14 cm (5.5 in)
Merten's Butterflyfish	Chaetodon mertensii	No	Moderate	White with fuzzy black stripes and a yellow posterior. Also has a black line through the eye.	12.5 cm (5 in)
Teardrop Butterflyfish	Chaetodon unimaculatus	No	Moderate	Completely yellow with the exception of black stripes at the base of the caudal fin and through the eye, and an eyespot directly below the dorsal fin.	20 cm (7.8 in)
Latticed Butterflyfish	Chaetodon rafflesii	No	Moderate	Very similar to C. unimaculatus, but with scales that are brighter than the body, forming a lattice-like pattern, and lacking the eyespot.	18 cm (7.1 in)
Pacific Double Saddle Butterflyfish	Chaetodon ulietensis	No	Moderate	Silver with two dark saddles over the body (plus a dark mask) and yellow dorsal and caudal fins.	15 cm (5.9 in)
Sickle Butterflyfish	Chaetodon falcula	No	Moderate	Often confused with C. ulietensis, but easily distinguished. The saddles are wedge shaped rather than stripes and don't reach the underside. Overall more yellow coloring.	20 cm (7.9 in)
Threadfin Butterflyfish	Chaetodon auriga	No	Moderate	White anterior with thin black stripes at 45 and 120 degree angles from the head. Posterior is yellow, but with a black wedge shape where the stripes meet the yellow coloring.	23 cm (9.1 in)
Tinker's Butterflyfish	Chaetodon tinkeri	No	Moderate	White with small black spots, a yellow mask, and a black dorsal fin.	15 cm (5.9 in)
Masked Butterflyfish	Chaetodon semilarvatus	No	Moderate	Bright lemon yellow with subtle vertical orange stripes and a black splotch behind the eye.	23 cm (9.1 in)

[edit] Cardinalfish

One of the few groups of shoaling fish commonly available to marine aquarists, Cardinalfish are nocturnal and tend to be quite shy. They require meaty foods and will often not take prepared foods such as flakes and tablets. For the best chance of success, keep a wide variety of frozen foods on hand. In the event of a hunger strike, they will almost always take adult brine shrimp. As far as other care requirements they are similar to damsels: not picky. So long as they are properly acclimated, they tolerate a wide range of parameters. Watch the ammonia/nitrite, as they are particularly sensitive to these chemicals.

A shoal of P. Kauderni

A. aureus

[edit] Chromis

Chromis are perhaps the ultimate reef fish. Generally peaceful, most species are easy to take care of and quite colorful. Like anthias, they will school, but in many cases this tendency disappears as they age. They are, nevertheless, at least ambivalent with their own species, as well as completely reef safe. Like Damsels and Anemonefish, their close cousins, Chromis are omnivores and will accept most foods offered. A flake staple is usually sufficient, but for best color and health supplement with frozen and live foods when possible.

A pair of C. chromis

School of C. viridis

[edit] Clownfish

Clownfish, more technically known as Anemonefish, are the classic aquarium fish. Both hardy and attractive, they are perhaps best known for their symbiotic relationship with Sea Anemones, a relative of coral. In the wild, Anemonefish are always found with a host, leading many potential keepers to believe that an anemone is necessary to keep them. Anemonefish are easy to keep, but their cnidarian counterparts are inordinately finicky and need high light levels, and luckily Anemonefish will thrive without them. Aquarists often find that Anemonefish will host in other things, from corals and Feather Duster Worms to powerheads and other equipment. Anemonefish care is identical to that of Damselfish, as they are actually very closely related.

A. percula.

A. clarkii

P. biaculeatus

[edit] Damsels

All Damselfish can be considered reef-safe, sometimes excluding larger, more aggressive Dascyllus varieties. Some Damselfish will host in anemones like clownfish. Most Damselfish are aggressive and difficult to catch once you put them in an aquarium.

Damselfish change gender as they grow larger and older. Small damselfish are ungendered. Eventually, they become males if no males prevent them from doing so. 1 or sometimes 2 males live with a female and guard over the eggs. Females are the largest fish and dominant over the males and juveniles. They will not allow other females into an area they have claimed as their territory without a fight. They may not allow new males or juveniles, either. Aggression increases with each change.

[edit] Dragonets

Dragonets are often mis-categorized as gobies or blennies by fish sellers. They are bottom-dwelling fish that constantly hunt tiny invertebrates for food. Most starve to death in a marine aquarium unless you provide a refugium or place for the invertebrates to reproduce safely without any fish being able to reach them.

[edit] Eels

[edit] Filefish

[edit] Foxface

See Rabbitfish

[edit] Gobies

[edit] Hawkfish

Attractive and relatively small, Hawkfish make excellent additions to fish only or FOWLR aquariums. With extreme caution taken, they could be kept in reef aquariums, but because of their propensity to eat small ornamental shrimps and other mobile invertabrates (usually leaving sessile invertabrates alone) they are not considered reef safe. Lacking a swim bladder, Hawkfish can often be found resting in crevices of rocks or among the branches of corals or gregonians. Hawkfish are easy to care for and not picky at all about water quality. A varied diet, including spirulina and small meaty foods like Mysis is recommended.

O. typus.

C. aprinus.

[edit] Hogfish

[edit] Jawfish

Jawfish are burrowers and require a sandy substrate of sufficient depth.

[edit] Lionfish

Lionfish have venomous spines and should be treated With caution.

[edit] Pseudochromis

[edit] Rabbitfish

[edit] Rays

All rays have a poisonous spine near the base of the tail. Care must be taken to avoid this animal when performing tank maintenance and during capture.

[edit] Seahorse

It takes a special aquarist to maintain these delicate beauties. A potential keeper must be dedicated and willing to throw artistic creativity to the winds- as what seahorses need isn't always beautiful. They require taller tanks, live/frozen food, and many hitching posts, as well as very peaceful tankmates. In fact, beginners would be well-advised not to mix seahorses with any other species until they have more experience.
Seahorses found in stores are generally Captive Bred, but occasionally one might find a Wild Caught specimen. WC Seahorses should only be purchased by Seahorse experts who are going to breed them, as they tend to be finicky and most are endangered in the wild.
One of the main upshots of Seahorses is that many species stay small and can (in fact, some should) be kept in smaller tanks, making them idea for aquarists who are pressed for space or money.
Seahorses are among the few popular marine aquarium species that can be temperate. Species vary in their temperature requirement, so here an extra category has been added.
TR=Tropical ST=Sub-Tropical TM=Temperate

[edit] Squirrelfish

[edit] Sharks

May outgrow most home aquariums.

[edit] Tangs

Tangs generally feed on algae, though there are a few carnivorous species. Most tangs will not tolerate other fish the same color and/or shape as them. They have a spine on their tails that can cut open other fish and unprotected hands. All tangs should be given plenty of swimming room; try to have at least a 4' tank. Contrary to popular belief they will tolerate smaller (4' to 5') tanks just fine but tend to live better in larger tanks, over 5'.

[edit] Tilefish

Though often categorized as Gobies, Tilefish are a separate species.

[edit] Triggerfish

While they are generally considered monsters that will chomp invertebrates, many will actually make great reef fish.

[edit] Wrasse

Some wrasse species are aggressive towards small fish and invertebrates.

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[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Marine aquarium fishes

• List of fish common names
• List of freshwater aquarium fish species
• List of brackish aquarium fish species

[edit] External links

[edit] Seahorses

• Aquatic Community
• [1]
• Aquarticles

[edit] Triggerfish

• Reefkeeping.com
• Wet Web Media

[edit] Picasso Triggerfish

• Saltaquarium.About.com
• Fishbase

[edit] Crosshatch Triggerfish

• Advanced Aquarist
• Fishbase

[edit] Bluethroat Triggerfish

• Aquatic Community
• Fishbase

[edit] References