Marine Aquarium Fish

In this section of the articles library you will find general information about saltwater fish keeping, as well as detailed articles about the keeping and breeding of particular saltwater fish species. We also recommend you to take a look in one of our other library sections: “Marine Aquariums”. In that section you will find information that is not only valid for marine aquarium fish keeping, but for the keeping of all marine species, including anemones and other invertebrates. In “Marine Aquariums” you will also find information about how to set up a marine aquarium.

Saltwater fish is found in all of the three basic types of saltwater aquariums: Fish Only saltwater aquariums (FO), Fish Only with Live Rock saltwater aquariums (ROWLR) and Reef Aquariums. The first types of saltwater aquariums were however not fish aquariums. The Romans liked to place beautiful anemones from the ocean in glass jars as decoration. The life of an anemone in a simple glass jar is however extremely short. Keeping fish in saltwater aquariums didn’t become popular until the 1950s, even though a handful of scientists and saltwater enthusiasts attempted to keep saltwater species earlier.

Keeping saltwater aquarium fish will typically involve more work, time and equipment compared to the standard freshwater aquarium. There are naturally exceptions to this rule. Some freshwater fish species are very delicate and can be extremely tricky to keep in captivity, especially if you want to breed them. There are also saltwater fish species that are quite sturdy and once you have understood how to correctly maintain your saltwater aquarium and established a routine they will not require a lot of additional pampering to do well.

The immense size of the ocean makes rapid changes in water quality, temperature etcetera unusual and saltwater species are therefore less resilient to rapid changes. Creating a stable environment in your saltwater aquarium is therefore one of the key factors behind successful marine fish keeping. If you purchase a large tank for your saltwater aquarium it will be easier for you to keep the environment stable, since there will be more water to dilute any potentially harmful compounds. The larger surface space will also make the aeration of the water better, since there will be more room for gas exchange between the water and the air.  

One of the main advantage of a saltwater aquarium is that you will be able to keep a vide range of extraordinary beautiful fishes that can not be kept in freshwater aquariums. Examples of popular saltwater fish are Damsels, Lionfish, Clownfish, Triggerfish, Blennies, Butterfly fish and marine Angelfish. When you set up your first saltwater aquarium it is advisable to begin with some of the sturdier marine fish species. Damsels are good beginner fishes since they are tougher than many other marine fish species. They are also comparatively inexpensive. Damsels are frequently used as cycling fish by experienced saltwater aquarists when setting up a new aquarium. You should however keep in mind that Damsel fish are quite aggressive and unsuitable tank mates for a wide range of other saltwater species.

Marine aquarium fish

Bowfin fish - An introduction to living fossils know as Bowfin fish
Boxfish- Information about Boxfish
Crocodile needlefish - An introduction to Crocodile needlefish
Mandarin Goby - An Introduction to the Mandarin goby
Marine Betta - Information about Marine Betta (Calloplesiops altivelis)
Saltwater aquarium fish - An introduction to marine aquarium. fish for beginners.

Clownfish:
Black Clownfish - Information about Black clown fish
Breeding Clownfish - A very brief describtion on how to breed clownfish
Cinnamon Clownfish - Information about Cinnamon Clownfish
Clarkii Clownfish - Information about Clarkii Clownfish
Maroon Clownfish - Information about Maroon Clownfish
Ocellaris Clownfish - Information about Ocellaris Clownfish
Percula Clownfish - An article about how to keep and breed Percula breeding.
Pink Skunk Clownfish - Information about Pink Skunk Clownfish
Saddleback Clownfish - Information about Saddleback Clownfish
Tomato Clownfish - An in deepth article about tomato clownfish.

Anthias:
Threadfin Anthias – Care for this popular anthias, Nemanthias carberryi
Bartlett's Anthias – Information on how to keep Pseudanthias bartlettorum
Bicolor Anthias – A guide to Pseudanthias bicolor
Lyertail Anthias – How to keep and care for Pseudanthias squamipinnis

Basses
Harlequin Bass – Serranus tigrinus
Chalk Bass – Serranus tortugarum

Batfish:
Oribiculate Batfish – Platax orbicularis
Redfin Batfish – Platax pinnatus
Longfin Batfish – Platax teira

Blennies:
Highfin Blenny – A guide to caring for Atrosalarias fuscus
Bicolor Blenny – A guide to caring for Ecsenius bicolor
Midas Blenny – A guide to caring for Ecsenius midas
Redspotted Rockskipper – A guide to caring for Istiblennius chrysospilos
Redlip Blenny – A guide to caring for Ophioblennius atlanticus
Lawnmower Blenny – A guide to caring for Salarias fasciatus

Butterflyfish:
Copperbanded Butterflyfish – Chelmon rostratus
Golden Butterflyfish – Chaetodon semilarvatus
Klien's Butterflyfish – Chaetodon kleinii
Lined Butterflyfish – Chaetodon lineolatus
Longfin Bannerfish – Heniochus acuminatus
Raccoon Butterflyfish – Chaetodon lunula
Saddleback Butterflyfish – Chaetodon falcula
Schooling Bannerfish – Heniochus diphreutes
Threadfin Butterflyfish – Chaetodon auriga
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish – Forcipiger flavissimus

Cardinalfish:
Pajama Cardinalfish – Sphaeramia nemotoptera
Bangaii Cardinalfish – Pterapogon kauderni

Damsels:
Green Chromis
Blue Green Chromis
Blue Devil
Blue Velvet Damsel
Yellowtail Damsel
Fiji Blue Devil
Striped Damsel
Blacktail Damsel
Domino Damsel

Filefish:
Saddled Filefish – Paraluteres prionurus

Goatfish:
Dash-and-Dot Goatfish – Information on how to keep this species (Parupeneus barberinoides).

Gobies:
Orangespotted Shrimp Goby – Amblyeleotris guttata
Pinkspotted Shrimp Goby – Cryptocentrus leptocephalus
Randall's Shrimp Goby – Amblyeleotris randalli
Yellow Clown Goby – Gobiodon okinawae
Yellow Watchman Goby – Cyrptocentrus cinctus

Gramma
Brazilian Gramma – Gramma brasiliensis
Royal Gramma – Gramma loreto
Blackcap Gramma – Gramma melacara

Grouper
Panther Grouper – Cromileptes altivelis
Peppermint Basslet – Liopropoma rubre

Grunts:
Porkfish – Anisotremus virginicus

Hawkfish:
Flame Hawkfish – Neocirrhites armatus
Longnose Hawkfish – Oxycirrhites typus
Arc-eye Hawkfish – Parachirrhites arcatus

Jawfish:
Yellowhead Jawfish – Opistognathus aurifrons

Lionfish:
Lionfish - An introduction to lionfish.
Fu Manchu Lionfish – Information in how to care for Dendrochirus biocellatus
Dwarf Lionfish – Learn to care for Dendrochirus brachypterus
Zebra Lionfish – A guide to keeping Dendrochirus zebra
Antennata Lionfish – Keeping Pterois antennata
Radiata Lionfish – Learn to care for Pterois radiata
Red Volitans Lionfish – How to keep and breed Pterois russelli
Volatins Lionfish – How to keep, care for and breed Pterois volitans

Marine angelfish:
African Flameback Angelfish – Centropyge acanthops
Asfur Angelfish – Pomacanthus asfur
Bicolor Angelfish – Centropyge bicolor
Blueface Angelfish – Pomacanthus xanthometopon
Cherub Angelfish – Centropyge argi
Coral Beauty – Centropyge bispinosa
Emperor Angelfish – Pomacanthus imperator
Flame Angelfish – Centropyge loricula
French Angelfish – Pomacanthus paru
Herald's Angelfish – Centropyge heraldi
Koran Angelfish – Pomacanthus semicirculatus
Lamarck's Angelfish – Genicanthus lamarack
Potter's Angelfish – Centropyge potteri
Queen Angelfish – Holacanthus ciliaris
Regal Angelfish – Pygoplites diacanthus
Rock Beauty Angelfish – Holacanthus tricolor
Rusty Angelfish – Centropyge ferrugata
Watanabe's Angelfish – Genicanthus watanabe

Marine catfish:
Striped Eel Catfish – Plotosus lineatus

Moray Eels:
Moray eels- An article about how to keep moray eels in aquariums.
Dragon Moray eel- Learn how to keep and care for the dragon moray eel.
Snowflake Moray eel-A guide to keeping Snowflake eels.
Zebra Moray eel- How to keep Zebra moray eels.

Pufferfish:
Black Dogface Puffer - Information about Black Dogface Puffer.
Dogface puffer - Information about Dogface puffer.
Immaculate Puffer – How to care for Arothron immaculatus.
Saddled Toby – Information on keeping Canthigaster valentini

Rabbitfish:
Bicolor Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus uspi)
Coral Rabbitfish (Siganus corallinus)
Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus)
Magnificent Rabbitfish (Siganus magnifica)
Onespot Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus unimaculatus)
Virgate Rabbitfish (Siganus virgatus)

Scorpionfish:
Leaf Scorpionfish – How to keep the leaf scorpionfish (Taenianotus triacanthus) in aquariums

Seahorses:
Sea horses in Aquarium - An article about how to keep sea horses in aquariums.
Lined Seahorse – A guide to keeping Hippocampus erectus
Common Seahorse – A guide to keeping Hippocampus kuda
Long Snout Seahorse – A guide to keeping Hippocampus reidi 

Snappers:
Bluelined Snapper – Lutjanus kasmira

Squirellfish:
Crown Squirellfish – Sargocentron diadema
Red Coat Squirellfish – Sargocentron rubrum
Hawaiian Squirellfish – Sargocentron xantherythrum

Surgeonfish / tangs:
Achilles Surgeonfish – Acanthurus achilles
Atlantic Blue Tang – Acanthurus coeruleus
Blue Hippo Tang – Paracanthurus hepatus
Chevron Tang – Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis
Clown Surgeonfish – Acanthurus lineatus
Convict Surgeonfish – Acanthurus triostegus
Desjardinii Tang – Zebrasoma desjardinii
Kole Tang – Ctenochaetus strigosus
Mimic Surgeonfish – Acanthurus pyroferus
Naso Tang – Naso lituratus
Orangeshoulder Surgeonfish – Acanthurus olivaceus
Powder Blue Tang – Acanthurus leucosternon
Powder Brown Tang – Acanthurus japonica
Purple Tang – Zebrasoma xanthurum
Sailfin Tang – Zebrasoma veliferum
Scopas Tang – Zebrasoma scopas
Whitecheek Surgeonfish – Acanthurus nigricans
Yellow Tang – Zebrasoma flavescens

Triggerfish:
Arabian Picasso Triggerfish – Rhinecanthus assasi
Clown Trigger – Balistoides conspicillum
Niger Triggerfish – Odonus niger
Picasso Triggerfish – Rhinecanthus aculeatus

Pipefish:
Banded pipefish - How to keep and care for the banded pipefish

Wrasse:
Bird Wrasse – Gomphosus varius
Dragon Wrasse  - Novaculichthys taeniourus
Harliquin Tuskfish – Coerodon fasciatus
Hogfish - Information about Hogfish
Lunare Wrasse – Thalassoma lunare
Neon Wrasse – Halichoeres melanurus
Ornate Wrasse – Halichoeres ornatissimus
Queen Coris – Coris frerei
Radient Wrasse – Halichoeres iridis
Rainbow Wrasse – Thalassoma lucasanum
Spanish Hogfish – Bodianus rufus
Striated Wrasse – Pseudocheilinus evanidus
Yellow Coris – Halichoeres chrysus

Line Wrasses:
Fourline Wrasse – Pseudocheilinus tetrataenia
Sixline Wrasse – Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Eightline Wrasse – Pseudocheilinus octotaenia

Fairy Wrasses:
Exquisite Fairy Wrasse – Cirrhilabrus exquisitus
Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse – Cirrhilabrus lubbocki
Scott's Fairy Wrasse – Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Solar Fairy Wrasse – Cirrhilabrus solorensis

Flasher Wrasses:
Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse – Paracheilinus carpenteri
Dot-and-Dash Flasher Wrasse – Paracheilinus lineopunctatus
Filamented Flasher Wrasse – Paracheilinus filamentosus
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse – Paracheilinus mccoskeri