With advances in equipment, saltwater aquarium enthusiasts are now able to keep a wider variety of fish than ever before. Here is a list of 20 of the most popular saltwater fish kept by hobbyists. Some are easy and recommended for beginners; others should be reserved for those with experience. The life expectancy listed is the common life span of these fish in captivity. With diligence and good care, life spans can be greatly prolonged and your fish may readily exceed these life expectancies.
Damselfish are agile and active, easy to feed, and tolerate fluctuations in water quality; they are commonly kept in the marine aquarium and all have a different appearance and temperament.
During the day, squirrelfish hide out in nooks and crevices along the reef tract; found in all tropical seas, these predatory, nocturnal fish have conspicuously large eyes, stout fin spines and rough scales....
Marine eels make interesting displays in your tank but are usually kept on their own since, should they get the least bit hungry, they’ll most likely eat everyone else. They live in caves along a reef,...
Groupers are also known as Jewfish in the Caribbean, and it was once common to see these creatures along every healthy reef. Now, due to fishing pressure, a full-grown healthy grouper is a rare sighting....
Gobies are a huge family of fish found along the sandy and rocky shores of tropical, subtropical and even temperate seas. They are extraordinarily long-lived for reef fish; ten years is the longest on...
When taking a leisurely scuba dive along a reef, you may acquire a curious companion who cautiously swims beyond the range of your reach but remains with you for a good length of time. This is a common...
Looking for a lively, colorful fish that likes to swim a lot? Surgeonfish (also commonly known as a tang) are relatively easy to feed and keep healthy; and because they do not bother coral, they are among...
Butterflyfish include some of the most beautiful of all saltwater aquarium fish. Graceful swimmers with striking coloration and shapes, they are among the most popular fish to keep, but they often lack...
Blennies are rather colorless by comparison, but what they lack in color, they make up for in personality; they dart along the bottom of the aquarium, propping up their elongated bodies on their modified...
The wrasse family is a group of fish found throughout temperate and tropical seas that do well in a home aquarium. They get along with most fish and will eat just about anything you feed them.
Saltwater angelfish are among the most beautiful of all reef creatures with colors deep and rich and often cleverly painted by Neptune into stripes and spots. Angelfish live in rocky areas and reefs where...
Which reef enthusiast hasn’t been intrigued by the strange relationship of the clownfish and the sea anemone? The anemone mercilessly entangles various small fish in its paralyzing grip, but spares the...
Because of the declining seahorse population and the difficulty in caring for them in captivity, only experienced aquarists should undertake keeping them. Virtually all the seahorses in pet stores have...
