Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni)
Stichodactyla haddoni is a large, sticky saddle carpet anemone up to 80 cm across that hosts clownfish but eats fish too, so it needs a big, mature…
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Rock Flower Anemone (Epicystis crucifer)
Epicystis crucifer is a colourful, hardy Caribbean anemone that stays put in a rock or sand hole, rarely wanders and suits nano reefs, though it ca…
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Finger Leather Coral (Sinularia)
Sinularia finger leathers are tough, fast-growing soft corals with swaying finger-like branches that suit beginners, but they release chemicals tha…
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Sun Coral (Tubastraea)
Tubastraea sun corals are bright orange, non-photosynthetic corals with no algae inside, so they live in shade and must be target fed every day or…
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Scroll Coral (Turbinaria reniformis)
Turbinaria reniformis is a hardy yellow-green plating coral that grows into scrolls and swirls, tolerates a range of conditions and suits beginners…
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Galaxea Coral (Galaxea fascicularis)
Galaxea fascicularis is a hardy, fast-growing stony coral of star-shaped polyps that is easy to keep but has some of the longest, most powerful swe…
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Elegance Coral (Catalaphyllia jardinei)
Catalaphyllia jardinei is a large, flowing LPS coral with pink-tipped tentacles and a green centre that lives on the sand, stings hard and needs a…
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Bubble Coral (Plerogyra sinuosa)
Plerogyra sinuosa is an LPS coral covered in grape-like water-filled bubbles by day that extends long stinging sweepers at night, so give it space…
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Birdsnest Coral (Seriatopora hystrix)
Seriatopora hystrix is a fast-growing, fine-branched SPS coral in pink, green or cream that is one of the easier small-polyp stony corals for stabl…
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Duncan Coral (Duncanopsammia axifuga)
Duncanopsammia axifuga is a hardy, fast-growing LPS coral with large, flowing green-centred polyps that loves target feeding and suits beginners.
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Feather Duster Worm (Sabellastarte spp.)
Sabellastarte feather duster worms are 5–10 cm tube worms with a crown of banded feathery radioles that filter food from the water and vanish int…
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Tuxedo Urchin (Mespilia globulus)
Mespilia globulus is a 5–7 cm blue-banded sea urchin that grazes algae, carries shells and bits of debris on its spines, and is one of the most r…
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Arrow Crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis)
Stenorhynchus seticornis is a spindly Caribbean crab with a pointed head and 10 cm legs that eats bristleworms but may also hunt small fish and shr…
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Pom Pom Crab (Lybia tessellata)
Lybia tessellata is a tiny 2 cm boxer crab that carries a sea anemone in each claw like pom poms, ideal for a calm nano reef.
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Tiger Pistol Shrimp (Alpheus bellulus)
Alpheus bellulus is a 5 cm digging shrimp that snaps its claw like a gunshot and forms a lifelong partnership with a watchman goby.
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Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)
Hymenocera picta is a 5 cm spotted shrimp with paddle-shaped claws that eats only starfish, so it suits a dedicated keeper with a reliable starfish…
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Fire Shrimp (Lysmata debelius)
Lysmata debelius is a 5 cm blood-red cleaner shrimp with white spots that hides by day, cleans fish when settled and is reef safe in a mature tank.
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Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
Hippocampus erectus is a hardy 15 cm Atlantic seahorse, widely captive bred, that needs a calm species tank, frozen mysis twice a day and plenty of…
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Marine Betta (Calloplesiops altivelis)
Calloplesiops altivelis is a shy, 15–20 cm white-spotted reef fish with huge fins and a fake eye on its tail that needs caves, calm tank mates an…
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Diamond Goby (Valenciennea puellaris)
Valenciennea puellaris is a 12–15 cm orange-spotted sleeper goby that sifts sand all day, keeps the bed clean and needs a mature tank with plenty…
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Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)
Centropyge flavissima is a 10–14 cm bright yellow dwarf angelfish with blue eye rings that needs mature rockwork to graze and may nip some corals.
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Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus)
Oxycirrhites typus is a 13 cm red-checked hawkfish with a long snout that perches on corals and is mostly reef safe, except for small shrimp.
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Valentini Puffer (Canthigaster valentini)
Canthigaster valentini is a 10 cm saddled sharpnose puffer with lots of personality, best in a fish-only tank because it nips corals and invertebra…
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Reef Fish Feeding Schedule for Saltwater Tanks
Reef tanks juggle hungry fish against nutrient export. Here’s a practical marine feeding schedule that keeps fish fit without greening the rock.
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