Fish

Angelfish

Angler

Ambush predators with a built-in lure—incredible to watch, but best without bite-sized tankmates.

Anthias

Schooling planktivores in sunset colors—frequent small feedings and oxygen-rich water keep them glowing.

Basslets and Grammas

Compact gems like Royal Grammas—peaceful, hardy, and perfect for rockwork hideouts.

Batfish

Graceful juveniles that grow huge—striking but suited to very large, specialized systems.

Blennies

Perching algae-pickers with big personality—great for grazing and comic relief.

Butterflies

Elegant feeders that often nip corals—research species carefully before mixing with reefs.

Cardinalfish

Calm, nocturnal charmers like Banggais—easygoing and perfect for peaceful communities.

Clownfish

Hardy, iconic, and endlessly endearing—often the first stars of a new reef.

Damsels

Rugged and colorful—but choose carefully, as many become territorial with age.

Dottybacks

Electric colors in small packages—smart scapers keep lines of sight broken to temper attitude.

Dragonets

Mandarins and friends—copepod hunters that thrive in mature, pod-rich reefs.

Eels

Escape artists with epic personalities—secure lids and careful tankmate choices are a must.

Filefish

Quirky swimmers; some specialize in aiptasia control but may sample corals.

Firefish

Frogfish

Masters of disguise with vacuum strikes—best in species tanks without snack-sized neighbors.

Gobies

Tiny legends that perch, sift, and sometimes buddy up with pistol shrimp.

Groupers

Bold predators that quickly outgrow small systems—built for big-water displays.

Hawkfish

Rock-perchers that watch everything—may snack on small shrimp but full of charm.

Hogfish

Active foragers with big appetites—some species will sample invertebrates.

Jawfish

Expressive burrowers that guard their homes—secure lids and deep, mixed-grain sand.

Lionfish

Iconic fins and venomous spines—stately predators best kept away from bite-sized tankmates.

Other Fish

Puffer fish

Curious, toothy characters—many nip corals or snails; research species before adding.

Rabbitfish

Herbivorous workhorses (including foxfaces) that mow down problem algae.

Seahorses

Graceful and specialized—prefer low flow, frequent feeding, and dedicated systems.

Sharks and Stingrays

Showstoppers that require massive footprints—admirable, but far beyond typical reef sizes.

Squirrelfish

Nocturnal, big-eyed reef dwellers—dramatic under moonlights, shy by day.

Sweetlips

Beautiful but notoriously delicate—best left to experts with species experience.

Tangs

Active herbivores that keep algae in check—room to swim and varied greens keep them thriving.

Triggers

Powerful jaws and big brains—many are not reef-safe, but some species can work with care.

Wrasses

Flashy pest hunters and show fish—tight lids required; many sleep in sand.