Guides

Saltwater

57 articles · All guides

Saltwater Beginner Fish Shortlist

Marine tanks start with hardy forgiving fish — clownfish and gobies teach saltwater basics before tangs and butterflies.

$Using a Refractometer Correctly$

Water Chemistry

Using a Refractometer Correctly

Refractometers beat floating hydrometers for precision — but only when calibrated before every test session.

Saltwater

Engineer Goby (Pholidichthys leucotaenia)

Sold as cute striped juveniles that become large eel-like burrowers — fascinating excavators that need soft substrate and room to dig.

Saltwater

Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)

A vivid red perching hawkfish that surveys the reef from coral heads — bold personality in a compact reef package.

Saltwater

Yellowhead Jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons)

A charming burrow-builder with a bright yellow head — needs deep sand, rubble for tunnel walls, and a secure lid.

Saltwater

Chalk Bass (Serranus tortugarum)

Small Caribbean basslets with soft pastel bars — peaceful enough for reefs and comfortable in small groups when space allows.

Saltwater

Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani)

A vivid magenta Red Sea dottyback that is calmer than many Pseudochromis — caves, meaty foods, and moderate space keep them settled.

Saltwater

Kole Tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus)

A smaller bristle-tooth tang that comb-grazes detritus and film algae — one of the more reef-friendly surgeonfish when given room.

Saltwater

Achilles Tang (Acanthurus achilles)

A high-demand Pacific beauty with orange ‘ Achilles ’ spots — experts-only tang requiring huge swimming space and pristine water.

Saltwater

Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus)

A comical algae-grazing blenny that ‘mows’ rock surfaces — useful in green tanks, hungry in spotless reefs.

Saltwater

Scooter Blenny (Synchiropus ocellatus)

A hopping dragonet that scoots across sand and rock hunting pods — only for mature, food-rich reef systems.

Saltwater

Firefish (Nemateleotris magnifica)

A peaceful dartfish with a flame-orange tail — shy hoverers that need a tight lid, soft sand, and calm reef neighbours.

Saltwater

Maroon Clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus)

Deep maroon anemonefish with bold white or gold bars — striking showpieces that need space and careful tank-mate selection.

Saltwater

Clarkii Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)

A hardy, boldly barred anemonefish that adapts to many host anemones — a confident reef classic for FOWLR and reef tanks.

Saltwater

Coral Beauty Angelfish (Centropyge bispinosa)

A deep blue-and-orange dwarf angel popular in fish-only and mixed reefs — striking colour with the usual Centropyge appetite caveats.

Saltwater

Yellow Watchman Goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)

A bright yellow burrowing goby famous for its symbiotic partnership with pistol shrimp — charismatic sandbed life for peaceful reef tanks.

Saltwater

Six Line Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)

A small, boldly striped reef wrasse valued for hunting pests and perpetual rock-work — active, hardy, and best as a single specimen in most tanks.

Saltwater

Blue-Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)

A shimmering green schooling damsel for reef tanks — peaceful in groups, planktonic feeders, and classic mid-water motion over live rock.

Saltwater

Flame Angelfish (Centropyge loricula)

A vivid red-orange dwarf angel with vertical bars — one of the most popular Centropyge for larger FOWLR and cautiously mixed reef tanks.

Frag - reef tank - Photographie © Stéphane Duquesne

General Guides

Freshwater vs Saltwater Aquariums – Which Is Better for You

Saltwater aquariums are often seen as the more exotic option, offering vibrant corals and diverse marine life, but they also require more expertise…

Invertebrates

Banded Coral Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)

Discovering the Banded Coral Shrimp: Nature’s Striped Marvel Introduction The underwater world teems with an array of mesmerizing creatures, and…

Saltwater

Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus)

The Enchanting Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon bipartitus): A Gem of the Coral Reefs The Blue Star Leopard Wrasse, scientifically known…

Saltwater

Blueface Angelfish (Pomacanthus xanthometopon)

The Resplendent Blueface Angelfish: A Majestic Marvel of the Ocean Introduction The enchanting world beneath the waves holds an array of captivatin…

Emperor Snapper is scientifically known as Lutjanus sebae.

Saltwater

Emperor Snapper (Lutjanus sebae.)

Introduction The Emperor Snapper, a true gem of the marine world, is renowned for its captivating appearance and intriguing behavior. Whether you�…