Marine Fish Encyclopedia — 80 Species Directory
Encyclopedia of popular marine fish species with care guides, traits, and water parameters.
Featured Marine Fish
Showing 14 of 80 species
Bicolor Dottyback
Pseudochromis paccagnellae
Small saltwater fish divided into two colors: purple front half and vivid yellow rear half. Compact and hardy, easy to keep in small tanks and popular with beginners. Somewhat territorial.
Dottyback
Small colorful marine fish. Royal Dottyback is popular. Feisty but small size limits damage potential.
© Rickard Zerpe / CC BY 2.0Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Small goby with a beautiful white-to-orange-red gradient. Named for the flag-like elongated first dorsal fin. Shy but calmer in pairs. Ideal for reef tanks.
© User:Haplochromis / CC BY-SA 3.0Lemonpeel Angelfish
Lemonpeel angelfish
Bright lemon-yellow body with blue eye ring. Popular small angelfish. Somewhat feisty but manageable size.
McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Beautiful small wrasse with orange body and neon blue lines. Males 'flash' by spreading fins during courtship — hence the name. Reef safe and community-friendly.
Orchid Dottyback
Pseudochromis fridmani
A small marine fish with beautiful orchid-like vivid purple. Hardy and adds color to tanks.
Royal Dottyback
Pictichromis paccagnellae
Striking bicolor — vivid purple front and bright yellow rear. Hardy and feeds well, but feisty temperament can be aggressive toward similar-sized fish.
Six Line Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Small wrasse with six horizontal lines. Beneficial pest controller eating flatworms. Active swimmer adding movement to the tank.
Spotted Mandarin
Synchiropus picturatus
Small goby with psychedelic green body covered in orange spots with black borders. Prefers live copepods, so mature live rock tanks are ideal.
Springer's Damselfish
Chrysiptera springeri
A small damselfish with beautiful deep blue-purple color. Peaceful and easy to keep like Green Chromis.
Striped Fang Blenny
Meiacanthus grammistes
Beautiful small blenny with yellow and black stripes. Has venomous fangs for defense but harmless to humans. Entertaining hole-dwelling behavior. Hardy and easy.
Tailspot Blenny
Ecsenius stigmatura
A blenny named for black spot at tail base. Small and eats algae.
Valentini Puffer
Canthigaster valentini
Cute mini puffer with white, black, yellow stripes and blue around eyes. Charming round eyes and swimming style. May nip coral — better for FOWLR tanks.
Watchman Goby
Valenciennea longipinnis
Small goby with cute yellow body and blue dot pattern. Famous for symbiosis with pistol shrimp, where shrimp digs burrow and goby stands watch. Hardy and easy to keep.
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Marine Fish FAQ
- Is keeping marine fish difficult?
- While more water quality management is needed compared to freshwater, starting with hardy species like clownfish or blue-green chromis makes it very manageable for beginners. Stable salinity and temperature are key.
- How much do marine fish cost?
- Clownfish range from 2,000-5,000 yen, blue tangs from 5,000-15,000 yen, and popular angelfish from 5,000-50,000+ yen depending on species and size.
- How long do marine fish live?
- Small fish live 5-10 years, while medium species like angelfish can live 10-20+ years. Proper environment and nutrition enable long-term care.
- What should I check when buying marine fish?
- Check for white spots or injuries on the body, intact fins, and that the fish is eating well. Choosing quarantined specimens gives extra peace of mind.
- What equipment is needed for marine fish?
- Basic equipment includes a tank, salt mix, refractometer, canister filter or overflow system, heater, and protein skimmer. Starting with a 60cm+ tank is recommended.