Best saltwater fish for a 75 gallon reef tank
A 75 gallon reef tank is the first size here for a group of dispar anthias and for the tomini tang. Both list 70 gallons (265 liters). The yellow tang needs 100 gallons (380 liters) and stays off this list. Every fish in the list is widely sold, rated for community tanks and lists a minimum tank of 75 gallons or less.
Keeping a freshwater tank? Freshwater fish for a 75 gallon tank →
At a glance
- Tank size
- 5–75 gal
- 5 gal (19 L) to 75 gal (285 L); half the list needs 29 gal (110 L) or more
- Temperature
- 72–81°F
- 22–27°C, most of the list
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Most of the list
- Difficulty
- 34 easy
- 7 medium · 3 difficult
- Temperament
- 24 peaceful
- 20 mostly peaceful
- Reef safety
- 36 reef safe
- 8 reef safe with caution
44 species
New at this size
What a 75 gallon adds over a 55
Dispar anthias and the tomini tang list 70 gallons (265 liters), and the purple queen anthias 75 gallons (285 liters). Both anthias live in groups and grow to 3.7 and 4.7 inches (9.5 and 12 cm). The multibarred angelfish lists 59 gallons (225 liters) and is marked difficult. The tomini tang grows to 6.3 inches (16 cm) and is the one tang on these pages.
Dispar anthias
Pseudanthias dispar
Saltwater- Size
- 3.7 in (9.5 cm)
- Tank
- 70 gal (265 L)
- Water
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)
Tomini tang
Ctenochaetus tominiensis
Saltwater- Size
- 6.3 in (16 cm)
- Tank
- 70 gal (265 L)
- Water
- 75–81°F (24–27°C)
Purple queen anthias
Pseudanthias tuka
Saltwater- Size
- 4.7 in (12 cm)
- Tank
- 75 gal (285 L)
- Water
- 75–81°F (24–27°C)
Multibarred angelfish
Centropyge multifasciata
Saltwater- Size
- 4.7 in (12 cm)
- Tank
- 59 gal (225 L)
- Water
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)
Herald's angelfish
Centropyge heraldi
Saltwater- Size
- 3.9 in (10 cm)
- Tank
- 55 gal (210 L)
- Water
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)
Carpenter's flasher wrasse
Paracheilinus carpenteri
Saltwater- Size
- 3.1 in (8 cm)
- Tank
- 53 gal (200 L)
- Water
- 73–81°F (23–27°C)
Stocking plans
Three ways to stock a 75 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.
Dispar anthias with a tomini tang
FullLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 75–79°F (24–26°C), pH 8.1–8.4.
A herald's angelfish over green chromis
ComfortableLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 75–79°F (24–26°C), pH 8.1–8.4.
A clownfish pair with flasher wrasses
- 2Ocellaris clownfish
- 4Carpenter's flasher wrasse
- 2Banggai cardinalfish
- 1Yellow watchman goby
- 2Skunk cleaner shrimp
ComfortableLightComfortableFullHeavyOverstockedThese species overlap at 75–81°F (24–27°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 75 gallon reef tank?
Five dispar anthias with a tomini tang and a clownfish pair read full in the stocking calculator. A herald's angelfish over eight green chromis and a watchman goby reads comfortable. Run your own mix through the stocking calculator before you buy.
Can a yellow tang live in a 75 gallon tank?
No. The yellow tang lists 100 gallons (380 liters). The tomini tang lists 70 gallons (265 liters) and fits.
How many anthias fit a 75 gallon tank?
Five dispar anthias share the first plan above with a tomini tang and a clownfish pair, and the stocking calculator reads that plan as full.
Which angelfish fit a 75 gallon tank?
The coral beauty angelfish lists 50 gallons (190 liters), the herald's and half-black angelfish 55 gallons (210 liters) and the multibarred angelfish 59 gallons (225 liters). All four fit a 75 gallon reef.
Index
All saltwater fish for a 75 gallon tank
Adorned wrasse
Halichoeres cosmetus
Saltwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 50 gal (190 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
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)
Canary fang blenny
Meiacanthus oualanensis
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Carpenter's flasher wrasse
Paracheilinus carpenteri
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°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)
Coral beauty angelfish
Centropyge bispinosa
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Disco blenny
Meiacanthus smithi
Saltwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Dispar anthias
Pseudanthias dispar
Saltwater3.7 in (9.5 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Divided leopard wrasse
Macropharyngodon bipartitus
Saltwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 55 gal (208 L)72–79°F (22–26°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)
Half-black angelfish
Centropyge vroliki
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 55 gal (210 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Herald's angelfish
Centropyge heraldi
Saltwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 55 gal (210 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Lined blenny
Ecsenius lineatus
Saltwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Multibarred angelfish
Centropyge multifasciata
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 59 gal (225 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)Purple queen anthias
Pseudanthias tuka
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 75 gal (285 L)75–81°F (24–27°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)
Saddleback clownfish
Amphiprion polymnus
Saltwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)75–82°F (24–28°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)Tomini tang
Ctenochaetus tominiensis
Saltwater6.3 in (16 cm) · 70 gal (265 L)75–81°F (24–27°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 coris wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus
Saltwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 40 gal (150 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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