
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
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...
Pyramid Butterflyfish
Long-Spined Pufferfish
Pearlscale Butterflyfish
Mirror Butterflyfish
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby
Radiata Lionfish
Rosenblatt’s Jawfish
Pennant Bannerfish
Pacific Double-Saddle Butterflyfish
Fourspot Butterflyfish
Merten’s Butterflyfish
Orangeface Butterflyfish
Four-Eyed Butterflyfish
Blacktail Butterflyfish
Crowned Toby
Black-Spotted Pufferfish
Narrow-Lined Pufferfish
Red Lionfish
Singular Bannerfish
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Zebra Lionfish
Vagabond Butterflyfish
Rainford’s Butterflyfish
Threadfin Butterflyfish
Starry Pufferfish
Mombasa Lionfish
Stark’s Tilefish
Big Longnose Butterflyfish
Melon Butterflyfish
Ornate Butterflyfish
Blackback Butterflyfish
Klein’s Butterflyfish
Burgess’ Butterflyfish
Bluelined Hind
Compressed Toby
Guineafowl Pufferfish
Masked Pufferfish
Russell’s Lionfish
Red Sea bannerfish
White-streaked Grouper
Dwarf Lionfish
Teardrop Butterflyfish
Spotband Butterflyfish
Valentini Puffer
White-Spotted Pufferfish
Longnose Filefish
Flashing Tilefish
Humpback Grouper
Golden Butterflyfish
Eightband Butterflyfish
Oval Butterflyfish
Saddleback Butterflyfish
Bennett’s Butterflyfish
Coral Grouper
Ambon Puffer
Map Pufferfish
Antennata Lionfish
Schooling Bannerfish
Speckled Blue Grouper
Fu Manchu Lionfish
Tinker’s Butterflyfish
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Caribbean Sharpnose Puffer
Lyretail Grouper
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....