Beginner saltwater fish

A good first saltwater fish is hardy, eats readily and forgives the swings of a young tank. The species here are rated beginner or easy in our catalog, stay under 6 inches, fit a 30 gallon tank or smaller and do not bully. Clownfish, gobies, blennies, cardinalfish and the gentler damsels make up most of the list, and each profile gives tank size, reef safety and temperament.

Tank size: 5–30 gal; 5 gal (19 L) to 30 gal (115 L); half the list needs 29 gal (110 L) or more
Temperature: 72–80°F; 22–27°C, most of the list
pH: 8.1–8.4; Most of the list
Temperament: 55 peaceful; 47 mostly peaceful
Reef safety: 87 reef safe; 15 reef safe with caution

102 species and 21 varieties

Start here

The first fish for a first reef

The ocellaris clownfish is the usual first saltwater fish, and the catalog agrees: it is marked beginner at 3.1 inches (8 cm) with a 20 gallon (75 liter) minimum, it eats prepared food from day one and it does not need an anemone. The royal gramma is the other classic, marked beginner at 3.1 inches for a 29 gallon (110 liter) tank, a purple and yellow fish that hangs under rock ledges and bothers nobody. The orchid dottyback does the same job in a smaller body. The yellow watchman goby sits on the sand at 3.5 inches (9 cm) in 20 gallons (75 liters) and will pair with a pistol shrimp. The yellowtail damsel and the chalk bass are the two hardy, mostly peaceful fish that give a young tank some movement without the damsel temper.

The rule

What makes a saltwater fish beginner-friendly

Every fish on this list is marked beginner or easy, which in a saltwater profile means it takes frozen and pellet food and forgives the swings of a tank in its first year. It stays under 6 inches (15 cm). It lists a 30 gallon (115 liter) tank or smaller. And it is marked peaceful or mostly peaceful, so the blue damsel, the maroon clownfish and the other easy fish with a temper are not here. Two cautions still apply inside the list. The six-line wrasse, the lawnmower blenny and the striped poison-fang blenny are listed as one of their kind per tank, and the dwarf angels, the bicolor blenny and the clown gobies carry a coral caution.

01
Marked beginner or easy
Eats prepared food and forgives a young tank
02
Under 6 inches
Stays under 15 cm full grown
03
Fits 30 gallons
Lists 115 liters or less
04
Peaceful or mostly
No damsels with a temper, no maroon clownfish

Clownfish and damsels

Clownfish, then damsels

The ocellaris and percula clownfish are the two marked beginner, both 3.1 inches (8 cm) in 20 gallons (75 liters), and the designer forms in the catalog are the same two species with the same care. Clark's, tomato and cinnamon clownfish are the bigger, bolder cousins at 4.7 to 5.5 inches (12 to 14 cm), marked easy for a 30 gallon (115 liter) tank and rougher with tank mates as they mature. The damsels here are the calm ones. The azure, yellowtail and sapphire damsels are marked beginner and mostly peaceful, and the green chromis is the one damsel marked peaceful outright, a schooling fish at 3.1 inches (8 cm) that wants a group in 30 gallons (115 liters).

Gobies and blennies

The bottom of a small reef

The neon goby stays at 2 inches (5 cm), lists 11 gallons (40 liters) and cleans parasites off larger fish. The yellow clown goby is a 1.6 inch (4 cm) fish that perches in branching coral, which is also why it carries a coral caution. The tailspot blenny is 2.4 inches (6 cm) in 20 gallons (75 liters) and the midas blenny is the larger, swimming blenny at 5.1 inches (13 cm). The lawnmower blenny grazes hair algae at 5.1 inches (13 cm) and wants to be the only one of its kind in the tank. The firefish is the mid-water fish for a 20 gallon (75 liter) tank, 3.5 inches (9 cm) and a jumper, so the lid is part of the setup.

Cardinals and basslets

Calm fish for the middle of the tank

The Banggai and pajama cardinalfish hang in the water column at 3.1 inches (8 cm) in a 29 gallon (110 liter) tank and are among the few marine fish that breed readily in captivity. The yellow cardinalfish is the small one at 2 inches (5 cm) in 20 gallons (75 liters). The blackcap basslet is the deep water cousin of the royal gramma, 3.9 inches (10 cm) and marked easy. The blue assessor is a peaceful, social fish at 2.8 inches (7 cm) that swims upside down under overhangs. The zebra dartfish and its relatives hover in a group at 4.7 inches (12 cm) and, like the firefish, will find any gap in the lid.

By the numbers

Smallest

Largest

Most peaceful

Fits a 20 gallon tank

Fits a 30 gallon tank

FAQ

Common questions

What is the easiest saltwater fish for a beginner?

The ocellaris clownfish, the royal gramma, the orchid dottyback and the yellow watchman goby are all marked beginner in the catalog. Any one of them fits a 20 to 29 gallon (75 to 110 liter) tank and eats prepared food.

What size tank do I need for a first saltwater fish?

Everything on this page lists 30 gallons (115 liters) or less. An ocellaris pair fits 20 gallons (75 liters), the neon goby and the yellow clown goby list 11 gallons (40 liters), and a 30 gallon tank holds a small community.

Can I keep two clownfish together?

Two of the same species bought small usually settle into a pair, with the larger fish becoming the female. Two different clownfish species, or two adult females, fight.

Are damsels good beginner fish?

The ones on this list are. The azure, yellowtail and sapphire damsels are marked beginner and mostly peaceful. The blue damsel, the three-stripe and the four-stripe damsels are marked aggressive, which is why they are not here.

Do beginner saltwater fish need a reef tank?

No. Every fish here does fine in a fish-only tank with live rock. Most are marked reef safe, so they can move into a reef later; the bicolor and lawnmower blennies, the clown gobies and the dwarf angels carry a caution.

How many fish can I put in a 30 gallon saltwater tank?

A clownfish pair, a goby, a blenny and one cardinalfish or gramma is a full tank. Add them a few weeks apart and check the mix in the stocking calculator.

Index