The following list of marine aquarium fish species commonly available in the aquarium trade is not a completely comprehensive list; certain rare specimens may be available commercially but not yet listed here. A brief section on each, with a link to the page about the particular species is provided along with references for further information.

Reef-safe fish do not consume corals or invertebrates, while fish categorized as not safe do. Fish labelled as "with caution" may have individuals within the species that could potentially eat invertebrates or cause damage to corals.

These large fish are considered to be quite hardy, but because of their size may present a significant challenge to the keeper. They need huge aquariums, up to 180 gallons to house one for its entire lifespan.^[1] Two angels might be kept in the same aquarium provided it is a large aquarium, they are properly acclimated as juveniles, and they have very different colouring and body shape.^[2] However, because all Angelfish have essentially the same diet, mixing them is a feat that should be left to only advanced keepers. Most are not 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.^[3][4][5]

More information Common name, Image ...

Common name	Image	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Description	Max size
Blue ring angelfish, annularis angelfish		Pomacanthus annularis	No		30 cm (11.8 in)
Arabian angelfish, Asfur angelfish		Pomacanthus asfur	No		40 cm (15.7 in)
Bellus angelfish		Genicanthus bellus	Yes	Light blue all over. Exhibits strong sexual dimorphism: females have wide black bands, males' bands are orange.	18 cm (7.1 in)[6]
Blue angelfish		Holacanthus bermudensis	No	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. This species has been known to reproduce with the Queen Angelfish, making a half breed that looks like a mixture between the two species.	45 cm (17.7 in)[7]
Bluespotted angelfish		Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus	No		21 cm (8.3 in)
Blueface angelfish		Pomacanthus xanthometopon	With Caution		40 cm (15.7 in)
Cortez angelfish		Pomacanthus zonipectus	No	Darkly hued with yellow stripes.	46 cm (18.1 in)[8]
Emperor angelfish		Pomacanthus imperator	No	Juveniles are black with blue-white spiraling; adults are blue with yellow stripes, accented with white and black and a blue mask. Will easily be the dominant angelfish if housed with other angels.	40 cm (15.7 in)[9]
French angelfish		Pomacanthus paru	No	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 (16.1 in)[10]
Gray angelfish		Pomacanthus arcuatus	No	Light grey with dark spots and bluish/grey mask over face. Closely related to French Angelfish.	60 cm (23.6 in)[11]
Griffis angelfish		Apolemichthys griffisi	No	An ashen white angel with thick black bands and spots, it is a rare find within the aquarium trade.	25 cm (9.8 in)
Half-moon angelfish, Yellow bar angelfish		Pomacanthus maculosus	No	Blue with yellow splotch-like marking on side.	50 cm (19.7 in)[12]
Koran angelfish		Pomacanthus semicirculatus	No	Grey towards the face, becoming a navy blue towards the caudal fin with striking iridescent blue accents throughout.	40 cm (15.7 in)[13]
Majestic angelfish or blue girdled angelfish		Pomacanthus navarchus	No	Yellow dorsal and caudal fins connecting to "saddal" with dark blue dots. Dark blue underside and anal fin. Electric blue separating yellow and dark blue.	30 cm (11.8 in)[14]
Passer angelfish or King angelfish		Holacanthus passer	No	Very dark blue with yellow caudal fin and distinctive white stripe.	36 cm (14.2 in)[15]
Personifer angelfish or Queensland yellowtail angelfish		Chaetodontoplus meridithii	No		37 cm (14.6 in)
Queen angelfish		Holacanthus ciliaris	No	Tan coloured with yellow caudal fin and neon blue outlined fins. This species has been known to reproduce with the Blue Angelfish, making a half breed that looks like a mixture between the two species.	45 cm (17.7 in)[16]
Rock beauty		Holacanthus tricolor	No		25 cm (9.8 in)
Royal angelfish		Pygoplites diacanthus	No	Orange and blue striped with dark blue dorsal fin and lemon yellow caudal fin.	25 cm (9.8 in)[17]
Scribbled angelfish		Chaetodontoplus duboulayi	No		25 cm (9.8 in)
Japanese swallow angelfish		Genicanthus semifasciatus	Yes	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 (8.3 in)[18]
Yellowtail angelfish		Apolemichthys xanthurus	No		15 cm (5.9 in)[19]

Close

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.^[20] Their suitability for reef tanks is hotly debated,^[2] so add at your own risk. Specimens that have been successfully maintained in reef aquaria include the Flame and Coral Beauty angels. However, for obvious reasons they should not be put into tanks with expensive decorative macroalgae.^[21][22]

Although Anthias resemble damsels in shape and size, the two should never be confused. Anthias (also known as "fairy basslets") are finicky and many starve to death in captivity. In the wild, they eat zooplankton, and will not accept anything else 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 copepods can be grown to "drip" into the display tank. Unlike many other saltwater aquarium inhabitants, they can be kept in groups.^[35]

In this exceedingly large group of fish, few are considered proper aquarium inhabitants, for various reasons including diet and size. Basses vary greatly from species to species. Appropriate research should be done 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 do not have the resources to care for a meter-long that may cost hundreds of dollars a month to feed.^{[36][37][38][39][40]}

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.^[43]

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.

Blennies are popular aquarium fish, and for good reason. Most of them are peaceful to other fish, while very aggressive to other blennies which has a similar shape. Some blennies are 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 do not have teeth or functional jaw, so food must be small 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.^[45]

The engineer goby is a close relative of cichlids and leaf fishes, the juvenile can often be found in aquarium trade, while the adult is rare.

Members of the family Tetraodontidae, Boxfish, Blowfish or Pufferfish 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.^[46]

When properly cared for, Butterflyfish can make beautiful and distinctive additions to fish only marine aquariums. Specimens often grow to large sizes and are not well suited to smaller aquariums. Butterflyfish can be fussy and overparticular, but when fed a varied diet and kept in pristine conditions they will usually thrive. Some species in this family do not do well in captivity, and potential keepers must take care to purchase only those species that have a fighting chance. When selecting Butterflyfish especially, specimens presenting any sign or signs of mishandling are to be avoided.

The following species are relatively hardy and experienced aquarists should have no trouble with them, so long as they are diligent.^[47]

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. A marine aquarist should watch the ammonia/nitrite levels of the environment, as cardinalfish are particularly sensitive to these chemicals.^[48]

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.^[50]

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.^[51][52]

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. One or sometimes two 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.^[51][53][54]

Most should be kept as pairs or small groups where all individuals are added at once.^[55][56]

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.^[57][58]

Most eels are easily kept in a large aquarium, although several species such as the blue ribbon eel should usually be avoided. With any moray eel care must be taken to secure the lid as one of the most common causes of death is escaping from the tank, and onto the floor.^[60][61]

Less often kept than their relatives the triggerfish and puffers, there are many filefish that make good aquarium residents, and a few that require specialized diets, making it hard to sustain them in an aquarium.^[63][64]

A type of Anglerfish, Frogfish are ambush predators with huge mouths. They are capable of eating fish up to twice their length so care should be taken in choosing tank mates.^[65]

While not as common a choice for aquariums as many other species, they are typically hardy and brightly colored^[66]

Are typically hardy and do not harm invertebrates which makes them a good choice of fish for a reef tank.^[67][68]

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 invertebrates (usually leaving sessile invertebrates 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 gorgonians. 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.^[69]

Jawfish are burrowers and require a sandy substrate of sufficient depth.^[73]