
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.
Tobacco Basslet
Smith’s Fangblenny
Schooling Bannerfish
Speckled Blue Grouper
Fu Manchu Lionfish
Tinker’s Butterflyfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Lawnmower Blenny
Convict Blenny
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, typically inhabiting coral reefs and rocky crevices. Distinctive eel-like body with striking black and white horizontal stripes, resembling a "convict" pattern. Known for its unique burrowing and schooling behavior, often...
Horned Bannerfish
Midas Blenny
Copperband Butterflyfish
Latticed Butterflyfish
Meyer’s Butterflyfish
Lined Butterflyfish
Collare Butterflyfish
Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish
Coral Grouper
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Red Lionfish
Goldspot Blenny
Pyramid Butterflyfish
Red Sea Mimic Blenny
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Mirror Butterflyfish
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Radiata Lionfish
Longnose Filefish
Pennant Bannerfish
Bicolor Blenny
Pacific Double-Saddle Butterflyfish
Fourspot Butterflyfish
Merten’s Butterflyfish
Orangeface Butterflyfish
Four-Eyed Butterflyfish
Blacktail Butterflyfish
Peacock Grouper
Lyretail Hogfish
Russell’s Lionfish
Singular Bannerfish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Zebra Lionfish
Vagabond Butterflyfish
Rainford’s Butterflyfish
Threadfin Butterflyfish
Mombasa Lionfish
Stark’s Tilefish
Big Longnose Butterflyfish
Humpback Grouper
Melon Butterflyfish
Ornate Butterflyfish
Blackback Butterflyfish
Klein’s Butterflyfish
Burgess’ Butterflyfish
Atlantic Spadefish
Half Black Angelfish
Antennata Lionfish
Red Sea bannerfish
White-streaked Grouper
Dwarf Lionfish
Teardrop Butterflyfish
Spotband Butterflyfish
Lyretail Grouper
Bluestriped Fangblenny
Overview Native to the Indo-Pacific region, commonly found near coral reefs and lagoon habitats. Distinctive slender body with alternating bright blue and black horizontal stripes. Known for its unique behavior of mimicking cleaner wrasses to approach other fish and...