Best saltwater fish for a 30 gallon tank
A 30 gallon saltwater tank opens up the royal gramma, the Banggai and pajama cardinalfish and the pearly jawfish, which list 29 gallons (110 liters). Clark's, tomato and cinnamon clownfish and the green chromis list 30 gallons (115 liters), so this is their first size here too. Every fish in the list is widely sold, rated for community tanks and lists a minimum tank of 30 gallons or less.
Keeping a freshwater tank? Freshwater fish for a 29 gallon tank →
At a glance
- Tank size
- 5–30 gal
- 5 gal (19 L) to 30 gal (115 L); half the list needs 26 gal (100 L) or more
- Temperature
- 72–81°F
- 22–27°C, most of the list
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Most of the list
- Difficulty
- 30 easy
- 1 medium
- Temperament
- 18 peaceful
- 13 mostly peaceful
- Reef safety
- 29 reef safe
- 2 reef safe with caution
31 species
New at this size
What a 30 gallon adds over a 20
The royal gramma, the Banggai and pajama cardinalfish and the pearly jawfish list 29 gallons (110 liters). Clark's and tomato clownfish list 30 gallons (115 liters) and grow to 5.5 inches (14 cm), well past the ocellaris. The green chromis lists 30 gallons too and is kept in a group of eight or more. A 29 gallon tank holds 110 liters, enough for the gramma and the cardinals but not for the larger clownfish or the chromis.
Royal gramma
Gramma loreto
Saltwater- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Water
- 72–81°F (22–27°C)
Banggai cardinalfish
Pterapogon kauderni
Saltwater- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Water
- 73–82°F (23–28°C)
Pajama cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Saltwater- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Water
- 72–81°F (22–27°C)
Pearly jawfish
Opistognathus aurifrons
Saltwater- Size
- 3.9 in (10 cm)
- Tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Water
- 73–81°F (23–27°C)
Clark's clownfish
Amphiprion clarkii
Saltwater- Size
- 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Tank
- 30 gal (115 L)
- Water
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
Green chromis
Chromis viridis
Saltwater- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Tank
- 30 gal (115 L)
- Water
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
Stocking plans
Three ways to stock a 30 gallon tank
Each plan below ran through the stocking calculator, which reads every fish at its adult size against its minimum tank. Open one to change the counts or swap in your own fish.
Clownfish with a royal gramma
ComfortableLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 75–79°F (24–26°C), pH 8.1–8.4.
Pajama cardinals over a pearly jawfish
FullLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 75–81°F (24–27°C), pH 8.1–8.4.
Banggai cardinals with clown gobies
ComfortableLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 73–79°F (23–26°C), pH 8.1–8.4.
By the numbers
Smallest
Largest
Most peaceful
Fits a 20 gallon tank
Fits a 30 gallon tank
FAQ
Common questions
How many fish can go in a 30 gallon saltwater tank?
Four or five small fish and a clean-up crew suit a 30 gallon reef. The plans above hold a clownfish pair with a royal gramma and a firefish, or three pajama cardinals over a pearly jawfish. Run your own mix through the stocking calculator, which checks each fish against its minimum tank.
Can a 29 gallon tank hold the fish on this page?
Most of them can. A 29 gallon holds 110 liters, which fits the royal gramma, both cardinalfish and the pearly jawfish. Clark's and tomato clownfish and the green chromis list 115 liters, a little more than a 29 gallon holds.
Can I keep green chromis in a 30 gallon tank?
Green chromis list 30 gallons (115 liters) and a group of eight or more. Eight chromis alone read full in the stocking calculator at this size, so a school with tank mates starts on the 40 gallon page.
Which fish need a tank bigger than 30 gallons?
The saddleback clownfish lists 40 gallons (150 liters) and the coral beauty angelfish 50 gallons (190 liters). The tomini tang lists 70 gallons (265 liters), and the blue hippo tang 180 gallons (680 liters).
Index
All saltwater fish for a 30 gallon tank
Azure damsel
Chrysiptera hemicyanea
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Banggai cardinalfish
Pterapogon kauderni
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Barber goby
Elacatinus figaro
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Blackbelly dwarfgoby
Eviota atriventris
Saltwater0.8 in (2 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Broadstripe cleaner goby
Elacatinus prochilos
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Chalk bass
Serranus tortugarum
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Cinnamon clownfish
Amphiprion melanopus
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Citron clown goby
Gobiodon citrinus
Saltwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Clark's clownfish
Amphiprion clarkii
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Disco blenny
Meiacanthus smithi
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Forktail fang blenny
Meiacanthus atrodorsalis
Saltwater4.3 in (11 cm) · 30 gal (114 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Green chromis
Chromis viridis
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Lined blenny
Ecsenius lineatus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Neon goby
Elacatinus oceanops
Saltwater2 in (5 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Ocellaris clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Orange skunk clownfish
Amphiprion sandaracinos
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Pajama cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Pearly jawfish
Opistognathus aurifrons
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Percula clownfish
Amphiprion percula
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Pink skunk clownfish
Amphiprion perideraion
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Purple firefish
Nemateleotris decora
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Queensland dwarfgoby
Eviota queenslandica
Saltwater0.9 in (2.4 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Randall's assessor
Assessor randalli
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Royal gramma
Gramma loreto
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Tailspot blenny
Ecsenius stigmatura
Saltwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Tomato clownfish
Amphiprion frenatus
Saltwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Yellow assessor
Assessor flavissimus
Saltwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Yellow cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus luteus
Saltwater2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)73–79°F (23–26°C)
Yellow clown goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Saltwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Yellow watchman goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
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