Bu maddenin içeriğinin Türkçeleştirilmesi veya Türkçe dilbilgisi ve kuralları doğrultusunda düzeltilmesi gerek

Bu liste, deniz akvaryumu balık türleri listesidir. Listede akvaryum ticaretinde yaygın bir şekilde bakımı yapılan balıklar bulunur. Bazı ender bulunan tuzlu su akvaryumu canlıları ise bu listede bulunmuyor olabilir. Her türün altında kısa açıklamalar verilmiş ve türle ilgili bilgi edinilmesi sağlanmaya çalışılmıştır.

Melekbalığı (Büyük)

Bu tür büyüklüğü ile göz doldurur ve oldukça dayanıklı bir balık türü olarak kabul edilir. Ancak boyutları önemli bir sorundur. Çünkü en az 180 galon yani 681 litre civarında büyük tanklar gerektirir. Bu tür büyük tanklarda ömrünü rahatça geçirebilir. İki büyük melekbalığı aynı akvaryum içerisinde beslenebilir. Büyük bir akvaryumda bakılmaları şartıyla ve gerekli ortam sıcaklığı sağlandığında farklı renk ve vücut şekilleri rahatlıkla görülebilir. Ancak asıl önemli olan melekbalıklarının bakımında sebze diyetleri önemli bir yer tutar. Akvaryumlarında gerektiğinde saklabilecekleri büyük kayalar ve bitkiler olması gerekmektedir. Oldukça korkak olan bu balık türü için bu tür yerler hem olgunlaşmaları hem de yavrulama zamanlarında büyük önem taşırlar. Balıklar gelişmeye devam ettiği süre içerisinde de önemli renk değişikliklerini uğrarlar.

Yaygın adı	Reef uyumu	Bakım seviyesi	Tanım	Maksimum boyut
Mavi halkalı Melek balığı, Annularis Melek balığı, Bluering Melek balığı	Uyumsuz	Orta seviye	En az 500 litre tanklarda iyi bakımla yaklaşık 15-20 yıl yaşar.	30 cm (11,8 in)
Arap Melek balığı, Asfur Melek balığı	Uyumsuz	Kolay		40 cm (15,7 in)
Bellus Melek balığı	Evet	Orta seviye	Her yanında açık mavi tonları hakimdir. Seksüel dimorfizm: dişilerde geniş siyah bantlar, erkeklerde ise turuncu bantlar bulunur.	18 cm (7,1 in)
Mavi Melek balığı, Atlantik Blue	Uyumsuz	Orta seviye	Balığın yüzgeçlerinde bulunan pulların sarı kenarları sayesinde yüzerken suya sarı bir ışıltı yayar. Blue Angelfish has an overall aqua hue with a yellow shimmer and yellow edges on the and scales. The Blue Angelfish does not have the striking blue crown or other blue highlights of the . This species has been known to reproduce with the , making a half breed that looks like a mixture between the two species.	45 cm (17,7 in)
Bluespotted angelfish	No	Difficult		21 cm (8,3 in)
Blueface angelfish	No	Moderate		40 cm (15,7 in)
Cortez angelfish	No	Moderate	Darkly hued with yellow stripes.	46 cm (18,1 in)
Emperor angelfish	No	Moderate	are black with blue-white spiraling; are blue with yellow stripes, accented with white and black and a blue mask. Will easily be the dominate angelfish if housed with other angels.	40 cm (15,7 in)
French angelfish	No	Difficult	are black with 3 yellow vertically running stripes, may also display blue on . Adults lard black with white vertical stripes.	41 cm (16,1 in)
Gray angelfish	No	Easy to Moderate	Light grey with dark spots and bluish/grey mask over face. Closely related to French Angelfish.	60 cm (23,6 in)
Griffis angelfish	No	Moderate		25 cm (9,8 in)
Half-moon angelfish	No	Easy	Blue with yellow splotch-like marking on side.	50 cm (19,7 in)
Koran angelfish	No	Moderate	Grey towards the face, becoming a navy blue towards the with striking blue accents throughout.	40 cm (15,7 in)
Majestic angelfish or blue girdled angelfish	No	Moderate	Yellow and connecting to "saddal" with dark blue dots. Dark blue underside and . Electric blue separating yellow and dark blue.	30 cm (11,8 in)
Passer angelfish or King angelfish	No	Moderate	Very dark blue with yellow and distinctive white stripe.	36 cm (14,2 in)
Personifer angelfish	No	Moderate		37 cm (14,6 in)
Queen angelfish	No	Moderate	Tan coloured with yellow and neon blue outlined . This species has been known to reproduce with the , making a half breed that looks like a mixture between the two species.	45 cm (17,7 in)
Royal angelfish	No	Expert	Orange and blue striped with dark blue and lemon yellow .	25 cm (9,8 in)
Scribbled angelfish	No	Moderate		25 cm (9,8 in)
Japanese swallow angelfish	Yes	Moderate	Black and tan striped back with yellow blaze beginning at the mouth and tapering off towards the centre of the side, with light blueish grey underside. Has distinctively shaped tail resembling that of a swallow.	21 cm (8,3 in)
Sarı Kuyruklu Hint Melek Balığı - Krema Melek Balığı	Hayır	Kolay		20 cm (7,9 in)

(Dwarf)

Although Dwarf Angelfish are smaller and generally more manageable than their larger counterparts, they still have some specific care requirements. They are , but plenty of vegetable matter, preferably in the form of , should be provided for their grazing pleasure. Their suitability for is hotly debated, so add at your own risk. Specimens that have been successfully maintained in include the and . However, for obvious reasons they should not be put into tanks with expensive decorative .

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Barred angelfish	With caution	Difficult	White fish with vertical black stripes that change to yellow at the belly	12 cm (4,7 in)
Bicolor angelfish	With caution	Moderate		15 cm (5,9 in)
Brazilian flameback angelfish	With caution	Moderate		8 cm (3,1 in)
Coral beauty angelfish	With caution	Easy to Moderate	Reddish body with blue back and orange . A shy fish that prefers multiple hiding locations.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Cherubfish or Pygmy angelfish	With caution	Easy To Moderate	Blue colored body with an orange yellow head.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Eibli angelfish	With caution	Moderate	Tan coloured body with vertical brown stripes and large distinctive black splotch covering the back of the fish, including the .	15 cm (5,9 in)
Flame angelfish	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Vivid orange-red with vertical black stripes and blue patches toward the end of the and .	15 cm (5,9 in)
Half-black angelfish	With caution	Difficult	Anterior is gray to pearly white with orange accent around eye, posterior is deep black.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Herald's angelfish	With caution	Moderate	Completely lemon yellow, with a brown marking around the eye.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Keyhole angelfish	No	Easy	Centropyge . Overall black with an elongate vertical black blotch on the middle of the upper sides. When small, mainly black with a white bar. and with submarginal blue line; most of the and the anterior portion of the yellow. with submarginal blue .	19 cm (7,5 in)
Lemonpeel angelfish	With caution	Moderate	Bright yellow with distinctive dark by .	14 cm (5,5 in)
Multicolor angelfish	With caution	Moderate		9 cm (3,5 in)
Orange-back angelfish	With caution	Moderate	Dark blue with golden yellow blaze running from the face down the , with a colourless .	8 cm (3,1 in)
Pacific pygmy angelfish	With caution	Moderate		8 cm (3,1 in)
Potter's angelfish	With caution	Difficult	Similarly coloured to the , but with a blue body and reddish .	10 cm (3,9 in)
Rusty angelfish	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Tan coloured body with dark spots and a reddish tint around the anal fin.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Venustus angelfish	With caution	Moderate

Anthias

Although Anthias resemble damsels in shape and size, the two should never be confused. Where damsels are the goats of the Saltwater world, Anthias (also called "Fairy Basslets in) are finicky and many starve to death in captivity. In the wild, they eat zooplankton, and will not accept anything but in the aquarium. They also need to be fed nearly constantly, three times a day at least. The best way to ensure the health and longevity of an Anthias is to attach a refugium where you can grow copepods to "drip" into the display tank. Unlike many other saltwater aquarium inhabitants, they can be kept in groups.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Bartlett's anthias	Yes	Moderate	Back and face light yellow, underside pink with a swallowtail-shaped caudal fin.	9 cm (3,5 in)
Bicolor anthias	Yes	Difficult	Similarly shaped and coloured to Bartlett's Anthias, but with a slightly more rounded back.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Cooper's anthias	Yes	Difficult	Orange back and finnage with white patch below the mouth running down toward the anal fin with pink sides.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Diadem anthias	Yes	Difficult	Pink fish with yellow streak on top of head running along the lateral line. Caudal fin is red with yellow tips.	7 cm (2,8 in)
Orangehead anthias	Yes	Difficult	Pink underside with orange back and mask, dark red splotch on caudal fin, along with iridescent blue anal and pelvic fins.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Redbar anthias	Yes	Difficult	Tannish-pink with a single vertical red stripe and a dorsal fin with the skin between the rays pulled back like on a lionfish.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Lyretail anthias, Sea Goldie	Yes	Difficult	Females are orange with lyre-shaped caudal fin. Males are fuchsia with red markings on fins	15 cm (5,9 in)
Squareback anthias	Yes	Difficult	Red back and pink underside with distinctive blue square shaped marking and blue fins.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Stocky anthias	Yes	Difficult	Orange back with cream colored underside. As its name suggests, slightly stockier than other Anthias.	19 cm (7,5 in)
Threadfin anthias	Yes	Difficult	Olive green with black caudal fin and red stripe running from the eye to the pectoral fin.	12 cm (4,7 in)

and

In this exceedingly large group of fish, few are considered proper aquarium inhabitants, for various reasons including diet and size. vary greatly from species to species. Appropriate research should be done before purchasing a specimen. Many unsuspecting hobbyists bring home cute little specimens of popular aquarium fish such as the , only to realize several months later that they do not have the resources to care for a meter-long that may cost hundreds of dollars a month to feed.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
African grouper	No	Easy		69 cm (27,2 in)
Vermillion seabass				40 cm (15,7 in)
Blacktip grouper	No	easy	The tips of the spines of the dorsal fin are black, and it may have a dark red cap above the eyes. There is a variant with a uniformly pale body except for the frontal part.	40 cm (15,7 in)
Blue and Yellow grouper	No	Moderate		90,0 cm (35,4 in)
Blue dot grouper	No	Moderate	Deep black to tan fish with blue spots throughout.	50 cm (19,7 in)
Blue line grouper	No	Moderate	Dark tan with horizontal blue stripes that are not particularly straight. The caudal fin has more of these stripes, and they radiate from the base of the fin out to the tips.	34 cm (13,4 in)
Chalk bass	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Blue iridescent body with distinctive black topside that is interrupted by small vertical blue stripes.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Coney grouper	No	Moderate		41 cm (16,1 in)
Golden grouper	No	Moderate		86 cm (33,9 in)
Golden stripe soapfish	No	Moderate	Chocolate brown with light yellow horizontal stripes. Similar in patterning to C. argus (with exception to the coloration).	30 cm (11,8 in)
Harlequin bass	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Very striking black and white checkerboard pattern all over, with very long tapering nose.	29 cm (11,4 in)
Leaflip grouper	No	Moderate	Sports a large, hinged mouth and is tan with little spots. Has brown triangle shaped markings down the spine.	35 cm (13,8 in)
Marine beta	Yes	Easy		15 cm (5,9 in)
Miniatus grouper or Vermillion seabass	No	Moderate	Orange to red with large blue spots throughout.	45 cm (17,7 in)
Orange spot grouper	No	Easy		30 cm (11,8 in)
Panther grouper	No	Difficult	Gorgeous pure white fish with black spots and a distinctive "hump" on the head, leading to a popular common name, "Humpback Grouper".	75 cm (29,5 in)
Painted comber	No	Easy to Moderate	Large fish with classic Bass body, Silvery in colour with vertical tan stripes and a blue underside.	36 cm (14,2 in)
Polleni grouper	No	Moderate		43 cm (16,9 in)
Red flag grouper	No	Moderate	Very similar to C. miniatus, but the caudal fin is dark.	28 cm (11,0 in)
Lyretail grouper	No	Moderate	Silver back changing to red around the underside, darkening toward the caudal fin, which is lyre-shaped with neon green edging.	80 cm (31,5 in)
Saddle grouper	No	Easy		125 cm (49,2 in)
Spotted grouper	No	Moderate	Dark black fish with many light green spots all over body, increasing in number toward the posterior.	52 cm (20,5 in)
Strawberry grouper	No	Moderate		30 cm (11,8 in)
V tail grouper	No	Easy-Moderate		28 cm (11,0 in)

& Assessors

Basslets and Assessors are small, long bodied fish strongly resembling Anthias. Their care requirements, however, are closer to those of damsels. They should be kept individually, and generally not with other fish of similar shape and colour. Feeding is easy: they will generally eat any meaty foods offered. Good water quality should be maintained at all times.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Black cap gramma	Yes	Moderate	Purple with a black mask beginning at the mouth and ending at the base of the dorsal fin.	6 cm (2,4 in)
Blue assesor	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Entirely navy blue with white edging of the dorsal fin.	7 cm (2,8 in)
Royal gramma	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Purple head and anterior, abruptly changing to yellow about halfway down the body. Has black marking through eye and another on the dorsal fin. Do not confuse with the Brazilian Gramma or the Bicolor Dottyback.	5 cm (2,0 in)
Brazilian gramma	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Very similar to the royal gramma, however the change from purple to yellow occurs farther down the body and the black markings are absent.	6 cm (2,4 in)
Yellow assessor	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Bright lemon yellow with peach fringing of the dorsal fin and around the eye.	7 cm (2,8 in)

Batfish

Batfish are gorgeous and striking fish that are not common in aquaria for one major reason: they get huge. A two or three hundred gallon tank is needed for one, minimum, and larger is better. They start out as tiny, manageable-looking cuties, which often fools aquarists into purchasing them for their small aquariums. However they quickly grow to gargantuan proportions, and require large amounts of food as well as space, so beware. They are not safe and should be fed plenty of large meaty foods. Batfish change greatly as they grow, however the potential aquarist is most likely to see them in their form, so that is the description of the colouration here. They all have generally the same body shape: disk-like with tall dorsal and anal fins, similar to a Freshwater Angelfish.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Orbiculate batfish	No	Difficult	Brown with generally random black markings resembling a rotting leaf.	50 cm (19,7 in)
Dusky batfish	No	Difficult	Dark black body completely edged by distinctive yellow and orange.	45 cm (17,7 in)
Teira batfish	No	Difficult	Silver with black fins and a black stripe across the face.	70 cm (27,6 in)

are popular aquarium fish, and for good reason. They are peaceful, colorful, and many are downright helpful. For example, the aptly named Lawnmower Blenny will keep your green algae well trimmed and presentable. With the exception of Fang Blennies, Blennies are totally safe- in fact a reef environment is really best for them because they can be shy and the intricate rockwork of a reef provides ample hiding spaces. They are omnivores and should be fed a varied diet of frozen or live foods and plant matter. Blennies do not have teeth or functional jaw, so food must be small enough for them to swallow whole.
Blennies are often confused with , but there is an easy way to tell the difference. Gobies have two distinct dorsal fins, Blennies have a single dorsal fin that runs the length of their body. Also, ' pelvic fins are fused to form a sucker, similar to Remoras.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Spinyhead blenny	Yes	Moderate	Brown checkered body with distinctive yellow frills on head.	2 cm (0,8 in)
Bicolor blenny	Yes	Easy to moderate	Characterized by the striking contrast of a blue head and upper torso followed by a yellow orange lower torso.	11 cm (4,3 in)
Black combtooth blenny	Yes	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Blackline fang blenny	No	Easy to moderate	Yellow bodied with bright blue mask and dark black line running from the eye to the caudal fin.	9 cm (3,5 in)
Black sailfin blenny	Yes	Moderate		10 cm (3,9 in)
Blue & gold blenny	Yes	Easy		5 cm (2,0 in)
Bundoon blenny	No	Easy to moderate	Black with lighter patch over caudal fin. Very distinctive swallowtail caudal fin.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Canary fang blenny	No	Easy to moderate	Similarly shaped to M. bundoon, but canary yellow.	5 cm (2,0 in)
Diamond blenny	Yes	Moderate	Gray with black splotches, and a yellow mask. Shaped more like hawkfish than a blenny.	6,5 cm (2,6 in)
Ember blenny	No	Moderate		12 cm (4,7 in)
Lawnmower blenny	Yes	Moderate to difficult	Tan and brown striped and spotted with iridescence. Requires Mature Tank.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Linear blenny	No	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Midas blenny	Yes	Easy to moderate	Although often seen yellow, this fish has the ability to change its color to match the surroundings. It has a very distinctive swallowtail shaped caudal fin.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Molly Miller blenny	Yes	Easy to moderate	Mottled tan, white, and black covering the body and fins.	12 cm (4,7 in)
One spot blenny	No	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Red lip blenny	Yes	Easy to moderate	Black to grayish yellow with red patch over mouth.	19 cm (7,5 in)
Red Sea mimic blenny		Moderate	Sky blue anterior fading to yellow towards the tail, with a black stripe running the eye to the base of the caudal fin.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Sailfin blenny	Yes	Moderate	Very similar to but slightly darker and with a much larger dorsal fin.	5 cm (2,0 in)
Segmented sailfin blenny	Yes	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Starry blenny	Yes	Easy		14 cm (5,5 in)
Striped blenny	Yes	Moderate		12 cm (4,7 in)
Tail spot blenny	Yes	Moderate	Drab tan all over with dark spot at the base of the caudal fin and a light yellow line through eye.	6 cm (2,4 in)
Two-spot blenny	Yes	Moderate	The top half of this fish is black towards the front and fades to white closer to the tail. The bottom half is white with two distinctive black spots right under the pectoral fins.	4,5 cm (1,8 in)
Convict blenny	Yes	Moderate	Not actually a blenny but from closely related family Pholidichthys. Juvenile has black eel-shaped body with a distinctive white stripe running down the body. Adults are yellow and black striped.	34 cm (13,4 in)

& Blowfish

Members of the family Tetraodontidae, Boxfish, Blowfish or Pufferfish and their cousins Cowfishes and Porcupinefishes can be very personable and quirky pets, for the prepared.
They are not thought of as an ordinary aquarium tank mate, but are quickly gaining popularity. They do pose a hazard in the community tank however. They are capable of releasing a very powerful toxin which can kill other fish and in some cases, the boxfish itself. They generally only use it when threatened or dying, but can become disturbed easily with aggressive tank mates or overcrowded aquarium. Generally they are safe, though they will pick at invertebrates if not fed well enough.
Many people think puffed up Pufferfish, like in the picture, are cute, but an owner should never subject their pet to this as they are often unable to expel the air should they be out of the water. To prevent this, never remove a puffer from the water.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Golden puffer	No	Easy		48 cm (18,9 in)
Hawaiian blue puffer	No	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Hawaiian saddle puffer	No	Easy		14,0 cm (5,5 in)
Hawaiian spotted puffer	No	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Helmet cowfish	Caution	Expert	Tan with dark speckles and brown spots at the base of the caudal fin.	30 cm (11,8 in)
Immaculate puffer	No	Moderate		28 cm (11,0 in)
Longhorn cowfish	Caution	Expert	Grayish tan with very distinctive "horns" near the eyes and under the caudal fin.	46 cm (18,1 in)
Scribbled boxfish	Caution	Moderate	Dark navy blue with iridescent "scribbling" and spots.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Dogface pufferfish	Caution	Moderate	Tan with a brown mask over eyes and other over mouth. Also has yellow markings on the pectoral and dorsal fins.	33 cm (13,0 in)
Map puffer	No	Moderate		65 cm (25,6 in)
Porcupine pufferfish	No	Moderate	Tan with slightly darker spots throughout and very conspicuous spines that lay flat against the body. When puffed up, the spikes stand up and make the fish completely inedible.	50 cm (19,7 in)
Spotfin porcupinefish	No	Moderate	White and covered in small black spots.	91 cm (35,8 in)
Sharpnose pufferfish	Caution	Difficult	Cream, with reddish purple topside and underside, and yellow on the caudal fin.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Star puffer	No	Easy		120 cm (47,2 in)
Stars and stripes puffer	No	Moderate		50 cm (19,7 in)
Striped dogface puffer	No	Moderate		31 cm (12,2 in)
Valentini pufferfish	Caution	Moderate	Tan with giraffe-like spots and dark brown markings that resemble saddles over the back. Has distinctive bright green eyes.	11 cm (4,3 in)
Whitebelly puffer	No	Moderate		10 cm (3,9 in)
Yellow boxfish	Caution	Expert	Usually seen as a , bright yellow with little black spots. When it reaches maturity it is gray with yellow lines and pink lips.	45 cm (17,7 in)

Butterflyfish, when properly cared for, can make beautiful and distinctive additions to fish only marine aquariums. Often large and usually not suited for those with smaller aquariums, nor those of the faint of heart. Nevertheless, when fed a varied diet and kept in pristine conditions, Butterflyfish will usually thrive. That is, if you choose the right species. With Butterflyfish, usually a fish is going to survive, or it's not. Many species simply cannot be kept in captivity, and potential keepers must take care to only purchase those species that have a fighting chance. Also, be very picky about which specimen you choose- any sign of mishandling should be taken as a red flag.
The following species are relatively hardy and an experienced aquarist should have no trouble with them, so long as they are diligent.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Copperbanded butterflyfish	Caution	Difficult	Silver with black edged gold stripes, a long nose, and a black eyespot on the dorsal fin.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Schooling bannerfish	No	Moderate	Sometimes referred to as the "Poor Man's Moorish Idol" because of the resemblance. White and black striped with yellow caudal fin and a dorsal fin that forms a long, thin banner.	21 cm (8,3 in)
Longnose butterflyfish	No	Moderate	From the pectoral fins forward, black above the eye and silver below, with an exceptionally mouth. Past the pectoral fins, bright yellow with an eyespot on the anal fin.	22 cm (8,7 in)
Raccoon butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Very distinctive and complexly colored. Is mostly yellow with a darker saddle and a black and white mask.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Redback butterflyfish	No	Moderate	White with black stripes that form on the side and a bright red patch on the posterior.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Merten's butterflyfish	No	Moderate	White with fuzzy black stripes and a yellow posterior. Also has a black line through the eye.	12,5 cm (4,9 in)
Teardrop butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Completely yellow with the exception of black stripes at the base of the caudal fin and through the eye, and an eyespot directly below the dorsal fin.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Latticed butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Very similar to , but with scales that are brighter than the body, forming a lattice-like pattern, and lacking the eyespot.	18 cm (7,1 in)
Pacific double saddle butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Silver with two dark saddles over the body (plus a dark mask) and yellow dorsal and caudal fins.	15 cm (5,9 in)
Sickle butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Often confused with , but easily distinguished. The saddles are wedge shaped rather than stripes and do not reach the underside. Overall more yellow coloring.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Threadfin butterflyfish	No	Moderate	White anterior with thin black stripes at 45 and 120 degree angles from the head. Posterior is yellow, but with a black wedge shape where the stripes meet the yellow coloring.	23 cm (9,1 in)
Tinker's butterflyfish	No	Moderate	White with small black spots, a yellow mask, and a black dorsal fin.	15 cm (5,9 in)
Masked butterflyfish	No	Moderate	Bright lemon yellow with subtle vertical orange stripes and a black splotch behind the eye.	23 cm (9,1 in)

One of the few groups of shoaling fish commonly available to marine aquarists, Cardinalfish are nocturnal and tend to be quite shy. They require meaty foods and will often not take prepared foods such as flakes and tablets. For the best chance of success, keep a wide variety of frozen foods on hand. In the event of a hunger strike, they will almost always take adult brine shrimp. As far as other care requirements they are similar to damsels: not picky. So long as they are properly acclimated, they tolerate a wide range of parameters. A marine aqaurist should watch the ammonia/nitrite levels of the environment, as cardinalfish are particularly sensitive to these chemicals.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Fragile cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		5 cm (2,0 in)
Banggai cardinal	Yes	Moderate	Black and silver striped with very tall fins and many white spots. Wild populations have been decimated, consider captive bred specimens.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Blackstripe cardinalfish	Yes	Moderate	Body completely covered in horizontal yellow and black stripes, with red fins.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Bluebarred cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		5 cm (2,0 in)
Bluestreak cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		6,5 cm (2,6 in)
Flamefish	Yes	Moderate	Bright red with black spots at the base of the caudal fin, under the second dorsal fin, and on the operculum.	11 cm (4,3 in)
Frostfin cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		5 cm (2,0 in)
Gilbert's cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		5 cm (2,0 in)
Girdled cardinalfish	Yes^:133	Moderate^:133		8 cm (3,1 in)
Orange-striped cardinalfish	Yes	Moderate	A thin, dark vertical 'waistband' with scattered dark spots toward the tail.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Orbic cardinalfish	Yes	Easy	Light yellow with iridescent yellow horizontal stripes.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Pajama cardinalfish	Yes, caution with small ^:132	Easy^:132	This fish displays three distinct color bands: the first, stretching from the nose to base of the first dorsal fin, is a tannish peach. The second, a thin band which runs down the center of the fish, is chocolate brown, and the posterior of the fish is white with brown spots.	8,5 cm (3,3 in)
Ochre-striped cardinalfish	Yes	Moderate	Almost identical to , but with blue eyes.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Ringtailed cardinalfish	Yes	Moderate	Yellow body with a black stripe (ring) at the base of the caudal fin and iridescent blue streaks across the eye.	14,5 cm (5,7 in)

Chromis

Chromis are perhaps the ultimate fish. Generally peaceful, most species are easy to take care of and quite colorful. Like anthias, they will school, but in many cases this tendency disappears as they age. They are, nevertheless, at least ambivalent with their own species, as well as completely reef safe. Like Damsels and Anemonefish, their close cousins, Chromis are omnivores and will accept most foods offered. A flake staple is usually sufficient, but for best color and health supplement with frozen and live foods when possible.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Ambon chromis		Yes^:192	Moderate^:192		8 cm (3,1 in)
Barrier reef chromis		Yes	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Black and gold chromis		Yes	Difficult	Mostly silver, but with a large patch of yellow around the caudal fin and a distinct black line on the operculum.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Half and half chromis		Yes^:190	Moderate^:190	Completely black from the middle of the dorsal fin to the nose, completely white from the middle of the dorsal fin to the end of the caudal fin.	9 cm (3,5 in)
Black bar chromis		Yes^:191	Easy^:191	Yellowish with bright blue iridescent pelvic fins and a distinct black bar at the base of the caudal fin.	5 cm (2,0 in).
Blue chromis		Yes^:188	Moderate^:188	Bright blue all over, although lighter toward the front.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Damselfish	Chromis chromis	Yes	Easy	Completely black. Despite the name, this is actually a chromis, in fact, it is the chromis.	25 cm (9,8 in)
Green chromis		Yes	Easy	Generally bluish green, but some specimens may be spring green.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Limbaughi chromis		Yes	Moderate	Dark navy blue with bright yellow spot that covers the dorsal fin and much of the posterior.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Lined chromis		Yes^:192	Moderate^:192		5 cm (2,0 in)
Paletail chromis		Yes^:192	Moderate^:192		15 cm (5,9 in)
Black-axil chromis		Yes	Easy
Spiny chromis		Yes	Easy	Dark chocolate brown, slightly lighter around the pectoral fins.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Sunshine chromis		Yes^:189	Moderate^:189	Rather drab tannish-orange throughout.	16 cm (6,3 in)
Yellowspotted chromis		Yes^:192	Moderate^:192		15 cm (5,9 in)

Clownfish, more technically known as Anemonefish, are the classic aquarium fish. Both hardy and attractive, they are perhaps best known for their symbiotic relationship with , a relative of . In the wild, Anemonefish are always found with a host, leading many potential keepers to believe that an anemone is necessary to keep them. Anemonefish are easy to keep, but their counterparts are inordinately finicky and need high light levels, and luckily Anemonefish will thrive without them. Aquarists often find that Anemonefish will host in other things, from corals and Feather Duster Worms to powerheads and other equipment. Anemonefish care is identical to that of , as they are actually very closely related.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Cinnamon anemonefish	Yes	Easy to moderate	Dark orange body becoming black towards the caudal fin, with a bright white stripe running from the front of the dorsal fin to the pectoral fins and golden colored fins.	12 cm (4,7 in)
Clarkii anemonefish	Yes	Easy to moderate	Black or dark brown with bright yellow finnage and two thick white stripes running perpendicular to the body.	15 cm (5,9 in)
Ocellaris	Yes	Easy	Bright orange or yellow body with white stripes. Fins are orange, rimmed with black. A. ocellaris from northern Australia are black.	11 cm (4,3 in)
Maroon clownfish	Yes but aggressive	Easy	Maroon to bright red with three very thin white stripes.	17 cm (6,7 in)
True Percula	Yes	Easy	Nearly identical to , but the white stripes are edged with black.	11 cm (4,3 in)
Pink skunk anemonefish	Yes	Moderate	Pink to orange body with one white stripe over the operculum and another running from the tip of the snout, along the back to the dorsal fin. All fins are white.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Tomato clownfish	Yes	Easy	Bright red with a single white stripe running from the front of the dorsal fin to the bottom of the head.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Saddleback anemonefish	Yes	Moderate	Similar to and , but the second stripe does not extend the full with of the body and instead resembles a saddle.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Sebae anemonefish	Yes	Moderate	Black or dark brown body from above the pectoral fin, yellow below. Has two white stripes, the second resembling that of .	16 cm (6,3 in)

All can be considered -safe, sometimes excluding larger, more aggressive Dascyllus varieties. Some Damselfish will host in like . Most Damselfish are aggressive and difficult to catch once you put them in an aquarium.

Damselfish as they grow larger and older. Small damselfish are ungendered. Eventually, they become males if no males prevent them from doing so. One or sometimes two males live with a and guard over the eggs. Females are the largest fish and dominant over the males and . They will not allow other females into an area they have claimed as their without a fight. They may not allow new males or , either. Aggression increases with each change.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Ambon damsel	Yes^:216	Easy^:216		10 cm (3,9 in)
Azure damsel	Yes	Easy	A beautiful fish with neon blue on its body and a gold underside and caudal fin. Easy to care for and does best on a good diet. Fairly aggressive so choose tankmates carefully.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Black and gold damsel	Yes	Easy		13 cm (5,1 in)
Blackmargined damsel	Yes^:216	Easy^:216		9 cm (3,5 in)
Blue damsel, Orangetail damsel	Yes	Easy	An orange tail indicates breeding success. The males have orange on their tails while the females do not. This fish is hardy and aggressive.	8,5 cm (3,3 in)
Blue and gold damsel	Yes^:215	Easy^:215		9 cm (3,5 in)
Blue velvet damsel	Yes			15 cm (5,9 in)
Blueback damsel	Yes^:216	Easy^:216		9 cm (3,5 in)
Blueline demoiselle, Yellowfin demoiselle	Yes^:202	Easy^:202		6 cm (2,4 in)
Bluefin damsel	Yes	Easy		18 cm (7,1 in)
Caerulean damsel	Yes^:215	Easy^:215		8 cm (3,1 in)
Canary deep water damsel	Yes	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Cloudy damsel	Yes	Easy		7 cm (2,8 in)
Cross' damsel	Yes^:202	Easy^:202		13 cm (5,1 in)
Domino damsel	Yes	Easy	also known as the three spot damsel, this fish is easy to care for, but is also very aggressive. The fish is black except for three distinct white spots that fade as the fish ages.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Fiji blue devil damsel	Yes	Easy	This striking blue damsel is one of the most popular beginner fish. Like other damsels, it is very hardy, and very aggressive when mature.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Four stripe damsel	Yes	Easy	The four stripe damsel is a perfect beginner marine fish as it is very hardy. This fish is highly territorial and is best suited for a semi-aggressive to aggressive tank.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Garibaldi damsel	Yes	Easy to Moderate	These are temperate fish and require cooler water. They are much larger than most other damsels.	30 cm (11,8 in)
Honey head damsel	Yes	Difficult		17 cm (6,7 in)
Hawaiian Dascyllus	Yes	Easy		12,5 cm (4,9 in)
Jewel damsel	Yes	Easy	Among the largest and most aggressive Damsels	20 cm (7,9 in)
King demoiselle	Yes^:198	Easy^:198		7 cm (2,8 in)
Lemon damsel	Yes	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Longfin gregory	Caution^:216	Easy^:216	Turns brown, and becomes highly territorial as it ages	12,5 cm (4,9 in)
Marginated damsel	Yes	Easy	The marginated damsel is noted for blue fins as well as the yellow head and white body. This fish is hardy like most damsels and is also highly aggressive when mature.	6 cm (2,4 in)
Neon damsel	Yes			6 cm (2,4 in)
Ocellate damsel	Yes	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Pavo damsel	Yes^:215	Easy^:215		11 cm (4,3 in)
Pink Smith damsel	Yes	Easy		7 cm (2,8 in)
Rolland's demoiselle	Yes^:202	Easy^:202		6 cm (2,4 in)
Sergeant major damsel	Yes	Easy		15 cm (5,9 in)
Speckled damsel	Yes^:216	Easy^:216		9 cm (3,5 in)
Springer's damsel	Yes	Easy		5,5 cm (2,2 in)
Stark's damsel	Yes	Easy		7 cm (2,8 in)
Talbots damsel	Yes	Moderate	This damselfish is somewhat a little more delicate than other. It does best in small groups in large tanks with good water quality and an SG of 1.026. Feed on a good diet for best results. Fairly peaceful.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Three stripe damsel	Yes	Easy	Highly aggressive and territorial. Will harass fish many times its size. Best kept in an aggressive/semi-aggressive tank.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Three Spot damsel	Yes	Easy		13 cm (5,1 in)
Tuxedo damsel	Yes			6 cm (2,4 in)
Two stripe damsel	Yes	Easy	the two stripe damsel is a very hardy fish. This fish is perfect for the beginner marine aquarist, as it can tolerate substandard water quality. This fish is highly aggressive, and requires many hiding places.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Yellow damsel	Yes			13 cm (5,1 in)
Yellow threespot Dascyllus	Yes^:205	Easy^:205		14,5 cm (5,7 in)
Yellowbelly damsel	Yes	Easy		5,5 cm (2,2 in)
Yellowtail Dascyllus	Yes			12 cm (4,7 in)
Yellowtail damsel	Yes	Easy	The yellowtail damsel possess an all blue body with a striking yellow tail. This damsel is a good beginner fish as it is very hardy and can tolerate substandard water quality. This damsel is also less aggressive than some other damsel species.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Yellowtail demoiselle	Yes	Easy		7,5 cm (3,0 in)

Most should be kept as pairs or small groups where all individuals are added at once.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Blue gudgeon dartfish	Yes	Easy	13 cm (5,1 in)
Fire fish	Yes	Easy	9 cm (3,5 in)
Purple fire fish	Yes	Easy	9 cm (3,5 in)
Scissortail dartfish	Yes	Easy	14 cm (5,5 in)
Zebra barred dartfish	Yes	Easy	10 cm (3,9 in)

Dragonets are often mis-categorized as gobies or blennies by fish sellers. They are bottom-dwelling fish that constantly hunt tiny invertebrates for food. Most starve to death in a marine aquarium unless you provide a or place for the invertebrates to reproduce safely without any fish being able to reach them.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Mandarinfish	Synchiropus splendidus	Yes	Difficult; attach a refugium to the tank	A brightly colored member of the dragonet family. Eats only and will die in captivity without an adequate supply, which can only be had in very large, well established	6 cm (2,4 in)
Starry Dragonet		Yes	Moderate; attach a refugium to the tank	Also known as Red Scooter Blenny though not a true . Will often only eat live and .	12 cm (4,7 in)
Ocellated Dragonet		Yes	Moderate; attach a refugium to the tank	Also known as Scooter Blenny though not a true . Will often only eat live and .	8 cm (3,1 in)
Spotted mandarin		Yes	Difficult; attach a refugium to the tank	Often only eats live copepods and amphipods.	10 cm (3,9 in)

Most eels are easily kept in a large aquarium, although several species such as the should usually be avoided. With any moray eel care must be taken to secure the lid as one of the most common causes of death is escaping from the tank, and onto the floor.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Banded snake eel		No	Easy		97 cm (38,2 in)
Banded eel		No	Intermediate		69 cm (27,2 in)
Black edge moray eel		No	Moderate		60 cm (23,6 in)
Blue ribbon eel, black ribbon eel		No	Difficult		130 cm (51,2 in)
Chainlink moray eel		No	Easy	Can be kept with fish too small to swallow	165 cm (65,0 in)
Dragon moray eel		No	Easy	A fish eater that will eat anything it can fit in its mouth. When available is typically quite expensive	92 cm (36,2 in)
Golden dwarf eel		Yes	Moderate	Rarely available, among the smallest of the moray eels	26 cm (10,2 in)
Golden moray eel		May eat fish and shrimp	Easy to moderate	These fish should only be kept in fish-only tanks as any small invertebrates will be looked on as food. Keep with fish large enough not to be eaten. Feed on a diet of whitefish, cockles, cod roe, haddock and frozen foods.	70,0 cm (27,6 in)
Green moray eel		No	Difficult	Requires a 180 gallon tank with tight fitting lid. Compatible with rays, sharks, and other large fish.	250 cm (98,4 in)
Jeweled moray eel	Muraena lentiginosa	No	Easy		61 cm (24,0 in)
Kidako moray eel		No	Easy		91 cm (35,8 in)
Peppered moray		No	Moderate		135 cm (53,1 in)
Snowflake eel		May eat shrimp if underfed	Easy	A pebble-tooth moray that generally eats crustaceans and similar. Safer in than other species but be prepared to remove it in case it starts to eat desired invertebrates.	100 cm (39,4 in)
Spotted garden-eel		With Caution	Difficult	Rarely available, best avoided by inexperienced aquarists	40 cm (15,7 in)
Spotted Snake eel		No	Moderate	Requires at least six in of substrate	100 cm (39,4 in)
Tessalata eel, or laced moray		No	Easy		300 cm (118,1 in)
Yellowhead moray eel		No	Easy		80 cm (31,5 in)
Yellow mouth moray eel		No	Intermediate		178 cm (70,1 in)
Whitemouth moray eel		With Caution	Intermediate		120 cm (47,2 in)
Carpet eel-blenny		No	Easy	Actually a Dottyback, but has the body shape of an eel.	45 cm (17,7 in)
Zebra moray		No	Easy	One of the easier moray eels to keep, is usually safe with most fish but will eat most invertebrates.	150 cm (59,1 in)

Less often kept than their relatives the and there are many filefish that make good aquarium residents, and a few that require specialized diets making it hard to sustain them in an aquarium.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Clown filefish	Caution	Easy	38 cm (15,0 in)
Colored filefish	Caution	Easy	15 cm (5,9 in)
Fantail orange filefish	No	Easy	18 cm (7,1 in)
Horseshoe filefish	No	Intermediate	51 cm (20,1 in)
Jade filefish	No	Intermediate	13 cm (5,1 in)
Mimic filefish	No	Intermediate	11 cm (4,3 in)
Orangespotted filefish	No	Expert	13 cm (5,1 in)
Tassle filefish	Caution	Easy	30 cm (11,8 in)

See

Common name	Image	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Peacock flounder			No	Moderate		46 cm (18,1 in)
Banded sole			Will eat shrimp and other invertebrates, will not harm coral^:413	Moderate^:413		18 cm (7,1 in)

A type of , are ambush predators with huge mouths. They are capable of eating fish up to twice their length so care should be taken in choosing tank mates.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Longlure frogfish		No	Difficult
Giant anglerfish		No	Intermediate		38 cm (15,0 in)
Sargassum frogfish		No	Difficult		20 cm (7,9 in)
Striated frogfish	Antennarius striatus	No	Moderate		15 cm (5,9 in)
Wartskin frogfish		No	Moderate	Has the ability to change color to match its surrounding.	10 cm (3,9 in)

While not as common a choice for as many other , they are typically hardy and brightly colored

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Bicolor goatfish	With Caution	Moderate	25 cm (9,8 in)
Goldsaddle goatfish	With Caution	Difficult	51 cm (20,1 in)
Manybar goatfish	With Caution	Moderate	30 cm (11,8 in)
Yellow back goatfish	With Caution	Easy	41 cm (16,1 in)

Typically are hardy and do not harm which makes them a good choice of fish for a .

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Black barred convict goby	Yes	Easy		4 cm (1,6 in)
Black clown goby	Mostly; can destroy unhealthy Acropora by laying its eggs in the 's tissue	Moderate	Similar to , but black
Bluespotted watchman goby	Yes	Easy		12 cm (4,7 in)
Catalina goby	Yes	Moderate	A cold water species	5 cm (2,0 in)
Cave transparent goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Citron clown goby	Mostly; can destroy unhealthy Acropora by laying its eggs in the 's tissue	Moderate		8 cm (3,1 in)
Court jester goby		Easy		6 cm (2,4 in)
Diagonal bar prawn goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Diamond watchman goby	Yes	Easy	""; burrow and sift sand constantly; very good algae eaters	20 cm (7,9 in)
Dracula goby	Yes	Moderate		8 cm (3,1 in)
Engineer goby	Yes	Easy to Moderate	Not actually a goby but from closely related family Pholidichthys. Small burrowing goby but they can get large.
Gold neon eviota goby	Yes	Easy		3 cm (1,2 in)
Green banded goby	Yes	Moderate	Small burrowing goby with green vertical stripes	3,5 cm (1,4 in)
Green clown goby	Yes	Easy		4 cm (1,6 in)
Hector's goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Hi fin red banded goby	Yes	Easy		5 cm (2,0 in)
Neon goby	Yes	Easy	A species that sometimes eats larger parasites from other fish.
Orange marked goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Orange spotted goby	Yes	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Orange stripe prawn goby	Yes	Easy		9 cm (3,5 in)
Pinkspotted shrimp goby	May eat ornamental	Easy	White fish with pink bands around the body and pink spots on face and . One of the most handsome members of the group.	15 cm (5,9 in)
Pinkbar goby	Yes	Easy		10 cm (3,9 in)
Red head goby	Yes	Easy	A small goby that can clean like the but is easily frightened. Often said to 'disappear' in a larger tank, as it never swims out into view.	5 cm (2,0 in)
Red striped goby	Yes	Easy		3 cm (1,2 in)
Sleeper banded goby	Yes	Easy		15 cm (5,9 in)
Sleeper blue dot goby	Yes	Easy		13 cm (5,1 in)
Sleeper gold head goby	Yes	Moderate		13 cm (5,1 in)
Sleeper railway glider goby	Yes	Easy		15 cm (5,9 in)
Sleeper striped goby	Yes	Easy		15 cm (5,9 in)
Steinitz goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Tangaroa goby	Yes	Easy		5 cm (2,0 in)
Tiger watchman goby	Yes	Easy		12 cm (4,7 in)
Two spot goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Wheeler's watchman goby	Yes	Easy		8 cm (3,1 in)
Yellow watchman goby	Yes	Moderate	A species of "watchman" or "shrimp" goby that can form a relationship with	7 cm (2,8 in)
Yasha goby	Yes		A species of "watchman" or "shrimp" goby that will form a relationship with the red and white banded , .	6 cm (2,4 in)
Yellow clown goby	Yes	Moderate	Small yellow fish that likes branching	3,5 cm (1,4 in)
Yellow priolepis goby	Yes	Easy		6 cm (2,4 in)
Yellow stripe clingfish	Yes	Easy		5 cm (2,0 in)

Grunts

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Crescent banded grunt		No	Easy
Dogfish prientalis		No	Expert	86 cm (33,9 in)
		No	Expert	84 cm (33,1 in)
Painted sweetlips		No	Expert	84 cm (33,1 in)
Porkfish		No	Intermediate	41 cm (16,1 in)
Spotted sweetlips	Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides	No	Expert	74 cm (29,1 in)
Striped sweetlips		No	Expert	51 cm (20,1 in)
Twostriped sweetlips		No	Intermediate	99 cm (39,0 in)

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Barred hamlet	No	Easy	15 cm (5,9 in)
Black hamlet	No	Easy	15 cm (5,9 in)
Blue hamlet	Not with	Moderate	13 cm (5,1 in)
Butter hamlet	Not with	Easy	13 cm (5,1 in)
Golden hamlet	Not with	Easy
Indigo hamlet			14 cm (5,5 in)
Shy hamlet	Not with	Moderate	13 cm (5,1 in)

Attractive and relatively small, Hawkfish make excellent additions to fish only or FOWLR aquariums. With extreme caution taken, they could be kept in , but because of their propensity to eat small ornamental shrimps and other mobile invertebrates (usually leaving invertebrates alone) they are not considered reef safe. Lacking a swim bladder, Hawkfish can often be found resting in crevices of rocks or among the branches of corals or . Hawkfish are easy to care for and not picky at all about water quality. A varied diet, including and small meaty foods like Mysis is recommended.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Arc eye hawkfish	Caution; will eat shrimp^:127	Easy^:127	Brown to yellow body with reddish dorsal fin, distinctive white caudal fin, and small semicircular marking behind eye.	20 cm (7,9 in)
Blood red hawkfish	Caution; will eat shrimp^:123	Easy^:123		12,7 cm (5,0 in)
Coral hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:122	Easy^:122		8,5 cm (3,3 in)
Falco's hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:122	Easy^:122		7 cm (2,8 in)
Flame hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:125	Easy^:125	Striking red body with black on fin tips and yellow lips.	9 cm (3,5 in)
Freckled hawkfish	Caution; will eat shrimp^:128	Easy^:128		22,5 cm (8,9 in)
Golden hawkfish	Caution; will eat shrimp^:128	Easy^:128		12 cm (4,7 in)
Longnose hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:126	Easy^:126	White with red lattice-like markings resembling a grid. Nose is elongated and tissue between the spines of the dorsal fin is missing.	13 cm (5,1 in)
Lyretail hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:124	Easy^:124		14 cm (5,5 in)
Redspotted hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:120	Easy^:120		9,5 cm (3,7 in)
Spotted hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:122	Easy^:122	Bright red with distinctive diamond shaped markings down back, becoming darker towards the topside of body.	12,5 cm (4,9 in)
Whitespot hawkfish	Caution; will eat shrimp^:128	Easy^:128		29 cm (11,4 in)
Yellow hawkfish	Caution; may eat small shrimp^:122	Easy^:122		7 cm (2,8 in)

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Coral hogfish	No	Moderate	20 cm (7,9 in)
Cuban hogfish	Caution	Easy	28,5 cm (11,2 in)
Hawaiian hogfish	Caution	Easy	55 cm (21,7 in)
Red diana hogfish	No	Moderate	60 cm (23,6 in)
Spanish hogfish	No	Moderate	40 cm (15,7 in)
Twin spot hogfish	No	Easy	10 cm (3,9 in)

Jacks

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Golden pilotfish	No	Difficult
Indian threadfin	No	Difficult	165 cm (65,0 in)
Threadfin lookdown	No	Difficult	48 cm (18,9 in)

Jawfish are burrowers and require a sandy substrate of sufficient depth.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Black cap jawfish	Almost always	Moderate	Requires a 30 gallon tank and 3 inç (7,6 cm) substrate. Tank should remain tightly lidded. May eat small shrimp.	10 cm (3,9 in)
Blue dot jawfish	Yes	Moderate		9 cm (3,5 in)
Dusky jawfish	Yes	Moderate	Requires a 30 gallon tank and 3 inç (7,6 cm) sand substrate. Tank should remain tightly lidded.	14 cm (5,5 in)
Yellowhead jawfish	Yes	Moderate	Requires a 30 gallon tank and 5-7 inç (13-18 cm) soft substrate. Tank should remain tightly lidded.	10 cm (3,9 in)

"Lionfish" specifically refer to the genus Pterois within the family Scorpaenidae. They have spines and should be treated with caution. Other species within Scorpaenidae but outside Pterois may also have "lionfish" in their common names.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Antenneta lionfish	Pterois antennata	Caution	Moderate		20 cm (7,9 in)
Blackfoot lionfish		Caution	Easy		23,0 cm (9,1 in)
Devil lionfish		Caution	Moderate		20 cm (7,9 in)
Fu Man Chu lionfish		Caution	Difficult		13,0 cm (5,1 in)
Fuzzy dwarf lionfish		Caution	Moderate	Carnivore; Males 6< stripes on pectoral fin femals >6	18 cm (7,1 in)
Green lionfish		Caution	Easy		16,5 cm (6,5 in)
Radiata lionfish			Moderate		24 cm (9,4 in)
Russell's lionfish			Easy to moderate		30 cm (11,8 in)
Volitan lionfish		Caution	Easy to moderate	Semi-aggressive; carnivore	43 cm (16,9 in)
Zebra lionfish		Caution	Moderate		25 cm (9,8 in)

Common name	Image	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Bicolor parrotfish			Yes	Expert		76 cm (29,9 in)
Princess parrotfish			Yes	Expert		25 cm (9,8 in)

are relatives of and require a similar level of care. They should only be bought by experienced aquarium owners. Captive bred specimens are sometimes available, and are significantly more likely to survive.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Banded pipefish	Yes	Expert	20 cm (7,9 in)
Dragonface pipefish	Yes	Difficult	align="center" 18 cm (7,1 in)
Janss' pipefish	Yes	Expert	20 cm (7,9 in)
Yellow multibanded pipefish	Yes	Expert	18 cm (7,1 in)

Pseudochromis

Usually only a single specimen can be kept in an aquarium. Sometimes multiple specimens can be kept in larger aquariums, but usually this requires them to be added at the same time or they will be too territorial.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Description	Max size
Allen's dottyback	May eat shrimps^:106	Easy^:106		12 cm (4,7 in)
Australian multicolor pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate		10 cm (3,9 in)
Bicolor pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Easy to moderate	Resembles in coloration. The bicolor pseudochromis is semi-aggressive and will defend its territory against fish several times its size. This fish is fairly hardy, and is a good beginner fish.	6 cm (2,4 in)
Blue flavivertex pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate	Captive bred specimens are sometimes available	8 cm (3,1 in)
Bluelined dottyback	May eat shrimps^:106	Easy^:106		6,1 cm (2,4 in)
Brown dottyback or yellow pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate		10 cm (3,9 in)
Cherry dottyback	May eat shrimps^:96	Easy^:96		7,9 cm (3,1 in)
Dilectus dottyback	May eat shrimps	Moderate
Dusky dottyback	May eat shrimps	Moderate		10 cm (3,9 in)
Elongate dottyback	May eat shrimps^:107	Easy^:107		6,4 cm (2,5 in)
Firetail dottyback	May eat shrimps^:107	Easy^:107		5,6 cm (2,2 in)
Fridmani pseudochromis or orchid dottyback	May eat shrimps	Easy to moderate	Community fish does well in most aquariums. is not nearly as aggressive as other dottybacks.	8 cm (3,1 in)
Longfin dottyback	May eat shrimps^:106	Easy^:106		12 cm (4,7 in)
Lyretail dottyback	May eat shrimps	Moderate		12 cm (4,7 in)
Neon pseudochromis, Arabian dottyback or neon dottyback	May eat shrimps	Moderate	Captive bred specimens are sometimes available	10 cm (3,9 in)
Oblique-lined dottyback	May eat shrimps^:91	Easy^:91		7,4 cm (2,9 in)
Orangetail dottyback	May eat shrimps^:102	Easy^:102		5,8 cm (2,3 in)
Purple stripe pseudochromis or diadema basslet	May eat shrimps	Easy to moderate		6 cm (2,4 in)
Red dottyback	With Caution	Easy	Large and aggressive for a dottyback	22 cm (8,7 in)
Sailfin pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate		12 cm (4,7 in)
Splendid pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate		13 cm (5,1 in)
Springeri pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Moderate	Captive bred species are sometimes available	5 cm (2,0 in)
Striped dottyback	May eat shrimps	Moderate	Captive bred specimens are sometimes available	8 cm (3,1 in)
Strawberry pseudochromis or purple pseudochromis	May eat shrimps	Easy to moderate		6 cm (2,4 in)
Twolined dottyback	May eat shrimps^:101	Easy^:101		6,9 cm (2,7 in)

Less commonly kept than some other species, many still make hardy and colorful aquarium residents.

Common name	Reef safe	Care Level	Max size
Bicolor Foxface	With Caution	Moderate	24 cm (9,4 in)
Blue-Lined Rabbitfish	With Caution	Moderate	25 cm (9,8 in)
Foxface		Easy to Moderate	23 cm (9,1 in)
Magnificent foxface		Easy to Moderate	24 cm (9,4 in)
One Spot Foxface	With Caution	Moderate	18 cm (7,1 in)
Yellow Blotch Rabbitfish	With Caution	Moderate	42 cm (16,5 in)

Rays

All rays have a poisonous spine near the base of the tail. Care must be taken to avoid this animal when performing tank maintenance and during capture.

Common name	Taxonomy	Reef safe	Care Level	Description
Fiddler stingray		No	Expert	Requires a minimum 360 gallon aquarium with a 1 meter width and a fine grained substrate. Coarse substrates may damage the underside of this animal, causing infection.
Manta ray	Manta birostris	No	Expert	Requires a minimum 6.2 million gallon aquarium.
Round stingray		No