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Copepods ARTICLE

Copepods

Copepods are foundational micro-crustaceans that support biodiversity and provide natural live food in reef tanks. They thrive in stable systems with structure, food, and...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Copepods
Gracilaria ARTICLE

Gracilaria

Gracilaria is a reef-friendly macroalgae that provides steady nutrient export, pod habitat, and natural food for herbivores without becoming invasive. It grows best with...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Gracilaria
Asterina Starfish ARTICLE

Asterina Starfish

Asterina starfish are common hitchhikers that usually act as harmless algae and biofilm grazers. In balanced tanks they stay in low numbers and do...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Asterina Starfish
Fromia Starfish ARTICLE

Fromia Starfish

Fromia starfish are beautiful but demanding invertebrates that rely on mature reef surfaces for food. They require large, well-established tanks with abundant biofilm and...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Fromia Starfish
Sand-Sifting Starfish ARTICLE

Sand-Sifting Starfish

Sand-sifting starfish clean sand by consuming the life within it, which makes them one of the most common slow-failure inverts in reef tanks. While...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Sand-Sifting Starfish
Serpent Star ARTICLE

Serpent Star

Serpent stars are hardy, reef-safe scavengers that live in rockwork and clean up leftover food before it becomes a nutrient issue. They’re mostly nocturnal...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Serpent Star
Brittle Star ARTICLE

Brittle Star

Brittle stars are reef-safe scavengers that live in rockwork and help clean up leftover food before it becomes a nutrient problem. They’re mostly hidden...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Brittle Star
Squamosa Clam ARTICLE

Squamosa Clam

Squamosa clams are one of the more forgiving giant clams, but they still require a stable, mature reef with consistent lighting and chemistry. They...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Squamosa Clam
Crocea Clam ARTICLE

Crocea Clam

Crocea clams are high-light, rock-dwelling giant clams that demand stable chemistry and strong, consistent lighting. They’re sensitive to alkalinity swings, poor placement, and system...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Crocea Clam
Maxima Clam ARTICLE

Maxima Clam

Maxima clams are high-light, light-driven clams that do best in mature, stable reef systems. They need strong, consistent lighting, steady alkalinity and calcium, and...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Maxima Clam
Derasa Clam ARTICLE

Derasa Clam

Derasa clams are one of the more forgiving giant clams, but they still require a stable, mature reef with consistent lighting and chemistry. They...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Derasa Clam
Collector Urchin ARTICLE

Collector Urchin

Collector urchins are effective algae grazers with a lot of personality, but they’re mechanically disruptive by nature. They’re reef safe biologically, yet will pick...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Collector Urchin
Pencil Urchin ARTICLE

Pencil Urchin

Pencil urchins are strong, opportunistic algae grazers that work best in rugged, well-secured systems. They’re reef safe with caution, not because they eat corals,...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Pencil Urchin
Longspine Urchin ARTICLE

Longspine Urchin

Longspine urchins are powerful algae grazers best suited for large, well-secured reef tanks. They’re reef safe biologically, but their size, spines, and strength make...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Longspine Urchin
Tuxedo Urchin ARTICLE

Tuxedo Urchin

Tuxedo urchins are small, reef-friendly algae grazers that excel at controlling film algae and biofilm in mixed reefs. They’re generally gentle, but will move...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Tuxedo Urchin
Pincushion Urchin ARTICLE

Pincushion Urchin

Pincushion urchins are small, reef-friendly algae grazers that work well in mixed reefs when given enough food. They’re generally gentle but can knock over...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Pincushion Urchin
Anemone Crab ARTICLE

Anemone Crab

Anemone crabs are specialized, symbiotic crabs that depend on a healthy host anemone to thrive. They do best in stable, established tanks where food...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Anemone Crab
Emerald Crab ARTICLE

Emerald Crab

Emerald crabs are opportunistic algae grazers that can be very effective when algae is present, especially bubble algae. They’re reef safe with conditions, but...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Emerald Crab
Porcelain Crab ARTICLE

Porcelain Crab

Porcelain crabs are peaceful filter feeders that rely on moderate flow and suspended food rather than scavenging. They do best in established reefs with...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Porcelain Crab
Blue-Leg Hermit Crab ARTICLE

Blue-Leg Hermit Crab

Blue-leg hermits are active, hardy scavengers that help with algae and leftover food, but they’re more aggressive than scarlet hermits. Their biggest downside is...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Blue-Leg Hermit Crab
Scarlet Hermit Crab ARTICLE

Scarlet Hermit Crab

Scarlet hermit crabs are one of the most reef-friendly hermits available, known for grazing algae and biofilm without causing much trouble. They do best...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Scarlet Hermit Crab
Astraea Snail ARTICLE

Astraea Snail

Astraea snails are reef-safe algae grazers that clean film algae and biofilm from rock and glass. Their main downside is that many can’t flip...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Astraea Snail
Cerith Snail ARTICLE

Cerith Snail

Cerith snails are versatile, reef-safe grazers that work across rock, glass, and sandbed edges, making them one of the most useful cleanup crew snails...

Reefapedia 3 min read
Cerith Snail
Turbo Snail ARTICLE

Turbo Snail

Turbo snails are powerful algae grazers best used as a targeted response when algae needs to be knocked back quickly. They’re reef safe biologically,...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Turbo Snail
Nassarius Snail ARTICLE

Nassarius Snail

Nassarius snails are sandbed scavengers that specialize in cleaning up leftover meaty food, not algae. They live buried in the sand and rely on...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Nassarius Snail
Trochus Snail ARTICLE

Trochus Snail

Trochus snails are reliable, reef-safe algae grazers that work on both glass and rock without needing constant attention. They’re especially valued for their ability...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Trochus Snail
Pistol Shrimp ARTICLE

Pistol Shrimp

Pistol shrimp are burrowing engineers that reshape the sandbed, move rubble, and make their presence known with characteristic snapping. They aren’t cleanup crew and...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Pistol Shrimp
Fire Shrimp ARTICLE

Fire Shrimp

Fire (Blood) shrimp are peaceful, reef-safe cleaner shrimp with a more reserved personality than skunk cleaners. They’re naturally shy, often more active in the...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Fire Shrimp
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp ARTICLE

Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Skunk cleaner shrimp are hardy, reef-safe scavengers that also happen to clean fish when given the chance. They’re active, visible, and beginner-friendly in stable...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
Peppermint Shrimp ARTICLE

Peppermint Shrimp

Peppermint shrimp are hardy, opportunistic scavengers that fit well into many reef tanks when expectations are set correctly. They’re mostly nocturnal, tend to stay...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Peppermint Shrimp
Banggai Cardinalfish ARTICLE

Banggai Cardinalfish

A peaceful, reef-safe cardinalfish with bold striping and a calm hovering behavior. Great for community reefs, especially smaller tanks, as long as it isn’t...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Banggai Cardinalfish
Pajama Cardinalfish ARTICLE

Pajama Cardinalfish

A peaceful, reef-safe cardinalfish with a quirky spotted pattern and calm hovering behavior. Easy to feed, beginner-friendly, and often suitable for pairs or small...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Pajama Cardinalfish
Tailspot Blenny ARTICLE

Tailspot Blenny

A tiny, reef-safe fish packed with personality. Best kept singly with plenty of rockwork and perches. Easy to feed and may graze lightly, but...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Tailspot Blenny
Lawnmower Blenny ARTICLE

Lawnmower Blenny

A classic algae-grazing blenny with big personality. Best in 40+ gallon tanks with mature rockwork and steady grazing opportunities. Supplement with algae-based foods so...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Lawnmower Blenny
Six-Line Wrasse ARTICLE

Six-Line Wrasse

A colorful, energetic wrasse that patrols rockwork all day and is usually easy to feed. Reef safe, but temperament can become aggressive over time—especially...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Six-Line Wrasse
Yellow Tang ARTICLE

Yellow Tang

An iconic reef-safe grazer that adds constant movement and bright color. Best kept in 75+ gallons with plenty of swimming space and daily algae-based...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Yellow Tang
Kole Tang ARTICLE

Kole Tang

A reef-safe bristletooth tang known for excellent film algae and biofilm grazing. Best kept in 70–75+ gallons with strong filtration, stable conditions, and daily...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Kole Tang
Coral Beauty Angelfish ARTICLE

Coral Beauty Angelfish

A colorful, active dwarf angelfish that can be a reef tank centerpiece. Best kept in 55+ gallons with mature rockwork and a varied omnivore...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Flame Angelfish ARTICLE

Flame Angelfish

A vibrant dwarf angelfish with big personality and strong reef presence. Best kept in 55+ gallons (75+ preferred) with mature rockwork and a varied...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Flame Angelfish
Midas Blenny ARTICLE

Midas Blenny

A reef-safe blenny with big personality that often swims in the open like a small schooling fish. Easy to feed and generally community-friendly, but...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Midas Blenny
Diamond Watchman Goby ARTICLE

Diamond Watchman Goby

A reef-safe sand-sifting goby that turns over the sand bed and adds constant bottom activity. Best in 40+ gallons with a mature sand bed,...

Reefapedia 5 min read
Diamond Watchman Goby
Neon Goby ARTICLE

Neon Goby

A small, peaceful, reef-safe goby known for occasional cleaner behavior. Great for beginners and community tanks, as long as it isn’t housed with fish...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Neon Goby
Foxface Rabbitfish ARTICLE

Foxface Rabbitfish

A larger, reef-compatible herbivore known for algae grazing and calm cruising behavior. Best in 125+ gallons with strong filtration and daily algae-based feeding. Usually...

Reefapedia 4 min read
Foxface Rabbitfish
Ocellaris Clownfish ARTICLE

Ocellaris Clownfish

A hardy, reef-safe clownfish that adapts well to home aquariums, the Ocellaris Clownfish is an excellent choice for beginners and experienced reef keepers alike....

Reefapedia 5 min read
Ocellaris Clownfish
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