Bringing the feel of marine life into your home is easier than you would imagine. You might go through a lot in selecting the best saltwater fish species for your tank. Here you go, this article will take you through it all. A little extra love and patience at the start will go a long way toward preventing chaos and keeping a healthy and happy aquarium for years to come.
How Many Species Of Saltwater Fish Are There?
There are over 15,000 distinct varieties of marine fish which account for 58% of all known types. However, this figure changes each year as scientists find new breeds. More than 2000 of these fish have made it into the aquatic display hobby. New to setting up a sealife tank? Here is a list of the most popular and great options for the species of saltwater fish.
1. Wrasses
These fish stand out as some of the most vibrant medium-sized saltwater species you can add to a reef tank. Most wrasse types swim around and stay busy, bringing life and beauty to reef setups or calm fish-only environments.
Beyond looking good and staying active, wrasses play a major part in controlling pests. They eat common tank nuisances like flatworms, bristle worms, and parasites, which help keep the ecosystem healthy and in balance. Wrasses can adapt to many different tank environments making them a good pick for beginners and pros. These fish are tough and don't need much fuss so they're easy to look after in an aquarium.
2. Blue And Green Chromis
We can’t imagine any marine biologist not being fascinated by this stunning Blue Green Chromis. These incredibly peaceful damselfish look spectacular when kept in small shoals, as their metallic blue-green bodies glow as they swim.
The Blue Green Chromis get along well with their mates and coral neighbours. They are hardy and adaptable to a wide range of water conditions as long as the tanks are stable, making them ideal for beginners and experienced aquarists.
3. Blue Tang
The Blue Tang is a member of the Surgeonfish family, called after the rough spines on the sides of its caudal fin. It sticks out due to its vivid blue and brilliant yellow colours.
However, this fish's colour changes several times throughout its existence. They become fully yellow as juveniles before gradually transitioning to a grey and blue-banded look. It's better to add one Tang per tank. but if you have a community tank, they may coexist with Clownfish, Green Chromis, and some types of damselfish.
4. Blennies and Gobies
Gobies are found in a variety of shades, and the majority are small. They require pearl sand and pebbles and are a striking addition to any aquatic habitat. Gobies are joyful and love bonding with shrimps, forming a unique friendship.
Blennies are bottom-dwelling species that live on or near sand and rocks. They are genuine funny characters. Their thrilling, often comic actions give a lot of energy to any tank. It is preferable to have only one type of Blenny per tank, as they will protect their area against other Blennies.
5. Yellow Tang
Besides blue tang, yellow tang is also popular. However, the two species are remarkably different. They resemble a butterfly fish, with a box-shaped body and fan-shaped wings. During the day, it turns a vibrant bright red. At night, it fades to a pastel colour that matches low light.
Yellow tang loves to munch on mud and algae. That is also great for cleaning your tank! They are mostly chill but manage to get a little regional with other tangs.
6. Hawkfish
The Hawkfish comes in several types and has a unique visual appeal that adds fun to any saltwater display. It is also a sturdy fish, making it an excellent option for newbies. These fish are known to sneak out so make sure the tank lid is in place.
Hawkfish are aggressive and may attack tiny, calm fish as well as most of the other fish added later. Its tank buddies should be larger than it, semi-aggressive, live with caution, and be compatible in a reef setting.
7. Foxface Rabbitfish
The Foxface Rabbitfish brings beauty and usefulness to any saltwater aquarium. Its bright yellow and black patterns grab attention and give your tank a burst of colour. These fish love to eat algae, which helps keep your aquarium clean by getting rid of unwanted growth.
Foxface Rabbitfish species are calm so they get along with most other fish in a saltwater tank. They also have a cool way to protect themselves—spines that contain venom. This allows them to stay safe even in tanks with different types of fish. These fish are tough and easy to look after.
8. Coral Beauty Angelfish
Want to keep angelfish but prefer to avoid putting up a huge tank? Go with this amazing coral beauty angel! This miniature animal is just approximately 4" long but has a striking orange belly on a purplish-blue body.
Coral beauty angelfish thrive in fish-only saltwater aquariums of 150 litres or more. A somewhat smaller one, such as a 110-litre tank, would also work well, although tank mates should be kept to a minimum to avoid the coral beauty from getting territorial.
9. Clown Goby
The clown goby is one of the small saltwater fish species that only needs a 40-litre tank to thrive. As a carnivore, it eats meaty foods like salt shrimp. Clown Goby is frequently spotted perched on live rock or coral and would make an excellent addition to any reef habitat with polyp coral colonies. However, if you set it alongside SPS corals, the Clown Goby may bite at the tiny polyps. Although it gets along with other fish, they will fight among themselves, therefore it is preferable to keep it with a more calm species.
10. Clownfish
These small fish are known for their beautiful, flashy colour eyes in bright orange, white, and black bold patterns that really stand out in any tank. They don't require much in the way of maintenance, so they're excellent for beginners and pros alike.
Clownfish also share that neat relationship with anemones that forms a fun symbiotic relationship as they swim in and out of their hosts. Plus, they're pretty rugged and can survive multiple water conditions, so you won't have to worry much. Clownfish give a saltwater tank personality, colour, and healthy energy!
What Are Saltwater Fish Requirements?
Ever heard that saltwater aquariums are harder to maintain than freshwater aquariums? You got that right! Keeping the aquatic tank clear and the water balanced requires a bit more effort and devotion. However, you may make things easy for yourself by selecting the best marine water fish with the proper equipment.
Tank & Stands: Tank sizes range from about 40 litres to 400 litres, with styles varying from rectangle, square, hexagon, and oblong. The stand should be strong enough to support the weight of the "filled" tank and all of its accessories.
Substrate: It serves as a key element of the biological filter base and also houses small sand-dwelling animals in reef tanks. Amphipods, copepods, and sea worms are among the tiny creatures that live in the substrate.
Filtration System: Canister filters are compatible with any system. Wet/dry trickle filters offer the benefit of being adaptable for almost any requirement. Power filters are often hanging on the tank and are simple to operate.
Protein Skimmer: They remove dissolved organic compounds from fish water before the biological filter digests them.
Heater: The closest potential location for non-submersible clip-on heaters is to stand vertically in the tank. Submersible heaters should be set up as close as feasible to the filter's intake.
Backup Power Supply: The tank may go days without lights, but filters, corals, animals, and inverts will die within a few hours if there is no oxygen, water movement, or the right temperature.
Lightning: The lighting affects fish colour, the time of reproductive cycles, nutritional food needs, and algae formation. The temperature of the habitat is also controlled by lights.
Saltwater or Sea Salt Mix: What defines a saltwater or marine tank is the presence of sea salts. The reef salts we stock include Red Sea Coral Pro, Fauna Marin Professional Sea Salt and Mantis Reef Salt.
Conclusion
It's much easier to maintain your first aquarium if you find the best saltwater fish species for your tank, like the ones on our list. Even yet, there is a lot more to keeping such tanks than most people assume. Let's make it better together! If you don’t have the time or experience to select fish types, install, and upkeep an aquatic display, let EasternMarine Aquariums do it for you.
What makes a good beginner saltwater fish?
- Hardy: tolerant of small swings in water quality.
- Peaceful or semi-aggressive: unlikely to harass tankmates.
- Easy to feed: accepts frozen and prepared foods.
- Suited to your tank size: tangs need long, large tanks, while gobies, blennies and clownfish suit smaller systems.
- Reef safe if you keep corals and invertebrates.
Fish to research carefully before buying
- Large tangs need plenty of swimming room and can be territorial with each other.
- Triggerfish and pufferfish often eat invertebrates and may nip corals.
- Mandarin dragonets need a mature tank with plenty of live pods.
- Lionfish and groupers will eat smaller fish and shrimp.
A simple stocking plan
- Start with a clean-up crew once the tank has cycled.
- Add the most peaceful fish first, such as a pair of clownfish or a goby.
- Add semi-aggressive or territorial fish last, so they don't claim the whole tank.
- Wait a couple of weeks between additions, and test ammonia and nitrite after each one.
Always acclimate new arrivals carefully. Read our fish acclimation guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the hardiest saltwater fish for beginners?
Clownfish, chromis, many gobies and blennies are among the hardiest and most beginner-friendly reef fish.
How many fish can I keep in my saltwater tank?
It depends on tank size, filtration and the adult size of the fish. Stock lightly and slowly. A lightly stocked tank is far more stable.
Find your next fish
Browse our in-stock marine fish, clownfish, nano fish and frozen fish food. All livestock is quarantined in-house at our Wiri, Auckland facility and shipped NZ-wide.
Related guides: How to acclimate saltwater fish
