
Popular Saltwater Fish Species for your Aquarium
Here are some of the most popular saltwater fish species that are commonly kept in aquariums, each with unique characteristics and care requirements.
A common rule of thumb for how many marine fish you can keep in an aquarium is to allow 1 inch of fish per gallon of water; however, this can vary depending on the specific fish species and their size, with reef tanks generally requiring even more space per fish due to their larger waste output and need for swimming room.
Yellow Tang
Sargassum Triggerfish
Starry Dragonet
Spotted Mandarin
Twin-Spot Goby
Barhead Spinefoot
Tobacco Basslet
Two-Line Monocle Bream
Redcoat Squirrelfish
Rectangle Triggerfish
Regal Angelfish
Scissortail Dartfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific, commonly inhabiting reef slopes, lagoons, and sandy rubble areas. Recognizable by its slender body, pale bluish-grey coloration, and distinct black fins. Peaceful and shy nature, often observed hovering in open water above reefs or...
Bicolor Dottyback
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly found inhabiting coral reefs and rocky crevices. Distinctive two-tone coloration with a vibrant purple front half and bright yellow rear half. Popular aquarium species for its bright colors, active nature, and...
Sunrise Dottyback
Overview Native to the Red Sea, typically found inhabiting coral reefs and rocky areas. Distinctive bright coloration featuring a vibrant blue body with a striking yellow-orange head and dorsal region. Known for its bold personality and territorial behavior, ideal for...
Sixbar Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-West Pacific, commonly found around coral-rich reefs and lagoons. Recognizable by its distinctive body marked with vertical black bars over a pale background, and vibrant blue highlights on fins. Known for a bold, territorial personality,...
Yellowbar Angelfish
Overview Native to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and northwestern Indian Ocean, typically found around coral reefs and rocky outcrops. Distinguished by its deep blue body, vibrant yellow vertical bar in the center, and blue-margined fins and tail. Juveniles display black...
Yellowhead Jawfish
Overview Found in the western Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea. Known for their bright yellow head and elongated body. They have a large mouth and are often seen hovering near their burrows. Yellowhead jawfish are peaceful and have a distinctive behavior of...
Azure Damselfish
Shortnose Unicornfish
Smith’s Fangblenny
Fourline Wrasse
Saddled Basslet
Purple Tilefish
Marcos’ Wrasse
Rock Beauty
Queen Angelfish
Spiny Seahorse
Singular Bannerfish
Red Sea bannerfish
Sixline Soapfish
Brazilian Basslet
Sharknose Goby
Yellow Clown Goby
Watanabe’s Angelfish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Red Sea Mimic Blenny
Three-Spot Damselfish
Reticulated Damselfish
Yellow Watchman Goby
Yellowtail Coris Wrasse
Solar Fairy Wrasse
Redfin Fairy Wrasse
Fiji Blue Devil Damselfish
Talbot’s Damselfish
Yellowtail Blue Damselfish
Vermiculated Angelfish
Scribbled Angelfish
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Vagabond Butterflyfish
Teardrop Butterflyfish
Tinker’s Butterflyfish
Mirror Butterflyfish
Rainford’s Butterflyfish
Spotband Butterflyfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Threadfin Butterflyfish
Whitetail Pygmy Angelfish
Rusty Angelfish
Valentini Puffer
Caribbean Sharpnose Puffer
Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby
Spanish Hogfish
Spotfin Hogfish
Queen Triggerfish
Starry Pufferfish
White-Spotted Pufferfish
Wheeler’s Shrimp Goby
Steinitz’s Shrimp Goby
Randall’s Shrimp Goby
Wide-Banded Shrimp Goby
Sohal Tang
Whitecheek Tang
Purple Tang
Moorish Idol
Peacock Wrasse
Blue Throat Triggerfish
Sixbar Wrasse
Mandarin Dragonet
Blackray Shrimp Goby
Orbiculate Cardinalfish
Pajama Cardinalfish
Orange-Spotted Spinefoot
Chalk Bass
Fathead Sunburst Anthias
Princess Parrotfish
Hawaiian Squirrelfish
Crown Squirrelfish
Arabian Picasso Triggerfish
Blue Gudgeon
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, frequently found over sand and rubble substrates near reefs. Distinctive slender body with a pale blue-green coloration and iridescent blue highlights along its sides. Known for peaceful and timid behavior, typically...
Magenta Dottyback
Overview Native to the Western Pacific, commonly found inhabiting coral reefs and rocky crevices. Recognized by its striking magenta-purple coloration that can vary slightly in intensity. Known for its bold and territorial behavior, suitable for aquarists with some...
Orchid Dottyback
Overview Native to the Red Sea, often found in coral reefs and rocky crevices. Known for its vibrant, deep purple or orchid coloration, making it popular among marine aquarists. Displays bold, inquisitive behavior while being less aggressive compared to other...
Diadem Dottyback
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, typically inhabiting coral reefs and rocky crevices. Distinctive coloration featuring a vivid purple body with a yellow dorsal stripe running from head to tail. Known for its bold and territorial nature, suitable for...
Princess Damselfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific, commonly found in coral-rich lagoons and outer reef slopes. Small, vibrant fish with a striking combination of electric blue and purple hues, often with subtle spots or lines on the body. Hardy and active, making it a popular...
Lemon Damselfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific, commonly found in coral reefs and shallow lagoons. Easily identifiable by its vibrant yellow body and occasionally subtle blue markings around its face and fins. Known for being hardy, active, and moderately territorial; suitable...
Goldbelly Damselfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific, frequently found in shallow lagoons and coral-rich reefs. Characterized by its striking metallic blue body with a bright golden-yellow belly. Known for being hardy, active, and somewhat territorial; popular among marine hobbyists....
Allen’s Damselfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific, often found in coral reefs and shallow lagoons. Distinctively bright metallic blue body with vibrant yellow anal and tail fins. Known for its active, playful behavior and striking appearance. Hardy and suitable for beginner and...
Cortez Angelfish
Overview Native to the Eastern Pacific, primarily found along rocky reefs from the Gulf of California to Peru. Notable for its striking coloration, including a dark blue body with vertical yellow stripes and blue highlights on fins. Known for its bold and inquisitive...
Blueface Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, typically found in coral-rich lagoons and reef slopes. Distinctive appearance featuring a yellow face with a vibrant blue mask, a pale body with blue scales, and blue highlights on fins and tail. Known for its bold,...
Koran Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly found around coral reefs and lagoon environments. Known for its vibrant blue-green body with distinctive semicircular patterns and intricate blue markings on the fins. Juveniles have bold blue, black, and white...
French Angelfish
Overview Native to the Western Atlantic, found in coral reefs from Florida, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Recognized for its dark body with golden-yellow scale edges, giving it a distinctive net-like appearance. Juveniles exhibit black bodies with vibrant yellow vertical...
Majestic Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly inhabiting coral reefs, lagoons, and reef slopes. Known as the Majestic Angelfish, recognized for its striking blue and yellow-orange coloration with intricate patterns. Juveniles have distinct black bodies with...
Emperor Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly found in coral-rich lagoons and seaward reefs. Famous for its striking coloration; juveniles have distinct blue, white, and black circular patterns, adults develop vivid yellow and blue stripes with a distinctive...
Arabian Angelfish
Overview Native to the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean, commonly inhabiting coral reefs and rocky reef slopes. Recognizable by its striking coloration: a deep blue-black body with a bold vertical yellow band and yellow tail fin. Juveniles display a unique coloration...
Gray Angelfish
Overview Native to the Western Atlantic, commonly found near coral reefs and rocky outcroppings in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Large angelfish with a dark gray body covered in lighter scale markings and a broad, crescent-shaped tail fin. Juveniles feature a...
Blue Ring Angelfish
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly found around coral-rich reefs and rocky structures. Identifiable by its beautiful blue-ringed pattern on a tan or yellowish body, with vibrant blue highlights around the fins and face. Adults and juveniles differ...
Jewel Damselfish
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region, especially around coral reefs, lagoons, and reef flats. Displays an iridescent blue body with jewel-like spots, which become more pronounced under reef lighting. Territorial and bold, especially as it matures, making it...
Filamented Flasher Wrasse
Overview Native to the Western Pacific Ocean. Known for the elongated filaments on the dorsal fin of males, used in their flashing displays. Small and slender-bodied, with vibrant coloration that intensifies during courtship. Peaceful and active, preferring reef...
Multi-barred Angelfish
Blue Tang
Longnose Filefish
Longnose Hawkfish
Yellow Boxfish
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their box-like shape and distinctive coloration, which is often bright yellow with black spots in juveniles, turning to a more subdued color in adults. They have a rigid, bony carapace that covers their body. Smooth...
Goldspecs Jawfish
Overview Found in various marine environments worldwide. Known for their characteristic large mouths and burrowing behavior. They have elongated bodies and are often colorful. Jawfish are peaceful and have a distinctive behavior of building and inhabiting burrows....
Rosenblatt’s Jawfish
Flame Hawkfish
Firefish Goby
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their striking appearance with elongated dorsal and caudal fin rays, and vibrant coloration, typically red, white, and yellow. They have a slender body and a peaceful demeanor. Magnificent dartfish are often seen...
Helfrich’s Firefish
Decorated Dartfish
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their elegant appearance with elongated dorsal fin rays and vibrant coloration, often including shades of purple, red, and white. They have a slender body and a peaceful demeanor. Decorated dartfish are often seen...
Bluespine Unicorn Tang
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their distinctive long horn-like protrusion on their forehead, which develops with age. They have a laterally compressed body and a lunate tail. Unicorn tangs are active swimmers and often seen grazing on algae....
Naso Tang
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their distinctive appearance, including a prominent nose horn (more developed in males) and vibrant coloration. They have a laterally compressed body and a lunate tail. Naso tangs are active swimmers and often seen...
Darkfin Soldierfish
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their reddish coloration and deep body shape, typical of soldierfish. They have large eyes, adapted for nocturnal activity. Shadowfin soldierfish are often found in caves or under ledges. Feeding They are nocturnal...
Allen’s Wrasse
Indigo Basslet
Blue Hamlet
Stark’s Tilefish
Flashing Tilefish
King Angelfish
Blue Angelfish
Yellow Seahorse
Overview Found in the Indo-Pacific region. Known for their ability to change color and their prehensile tail. They have a distinctive equine profile with a curved body and a long snout. Yellow seahorses are slow-moving and have a unique upright swimming posture....