Just getting started on your first marine aquarium? Finding the right fish for your tank and combining them in a way that avoids territorial quarrels can be a challenge. There are so many different species out there. Which do you choose?!
Why not go for a hardy species that will forgive the occasional beginner mistake? This list contains 8 easy saltwater aquarium fish for beginners that will be perfect for your new tank.
Lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus)
The small lawnmower blenny reaches a maximum size of only about 5”, making it a great choice for smaller aquariums of 30 gallons and up. Like other blenny species, it’s known for its peaceful nature. It’s rare to see a blenny interact with its tankmates at all!
This species derived its name from its diet: if you leave algae in the aquarium for it to eat, it’ll happily keep this “lawn” well-mowed. Although you shouldn’t rely on a fish to do your aquarium cleaning work for you, these guys can definitely help keep the amount of work down!
You can learn more about this fun blenny in the lawnmower blenny care guide.
| Temperament | Peaceful except towards other blennies |
| Diet | Herbivore foods and algae |
| Reef safe? | Mostly, but may nip at corals |
Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
There are many different clownfish out there, all of them slightly different. The ocellaris clownfish is probably the ‘classic’, though, and it was the inspiration for the hit animated movie Finding Nemo.
So can you keep Nemo in your own aquarium if you’re a beginner? Actually, yes! Ocellaris clownfish are quite hardy and as long as you provide an aquarium of at least 20 gallons with stable water values, yours should do just fine.
You can read more about this aquarium celebrity in the full ocellaris clownfish care guide!
Did you know? Clownfish don’t actually need an anemone to survive. If you want to see your clown’s natural behavior but are not excited about a stinging anemone in your tank, you could try providing a coral with fingery polyps, like the large polyp stony genus of Euphyllia. Luckily, these corals are suitable for beginners too!
| Temperament | Peaceful except to other clownfish. Defensive of its host anemone or coral |
| Diet | Small critters. Frozen and live mysis, brine shrimp, etc. |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Firefish goby (Nemateleotris magnifica)
If you’re interested in keeping saltwater fish, the firefish goby might be a great species for you to start with. This beautiful little number steals the show with its white-orange gradient body and tall dorsal fin. It grows to a maximum size of only around 3”, making it suitable for aquariums of 20 gallons and up.
Firefish gobies are a peaceful species; in fact, they’re almost timid. Avoid keeping them with large fish that might try to eat them or feisty species that will outcompete them for food. Always be sure to offer plenty of hiding places and never introduce these fish into an aquarium without a lid: they jump when spooked.
Interested? You can find everything you need to know in the full firefish goby care guide.
| Temperament | Peaceful. May bother similar-looking fish |
| Diet | Omnivorous; algae and zooplankton |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Coral beauty angelfish (Centropyge bispinosa)
If you’d like to keep angelfish but don’t feel like setting up a large aquarium at this time, why not go for the coral beauty angel? This dwarf species only reaches about 4” in length but doesn’t compromise on looks, sporting an orange belly on a purplish-blue body.
Coral beauty angelfish will do well in aquariums of 40 gallons and up. A slightly smaller aquarium, such as a 30 gallon, will also work although you’ll have to keep tankmates to a minimum to prevent the coral beauty from becoming territorial. Try making yours the last fish you introduce into the tank to prevent it from becoming a bully!
You can find everything you need to know about this mini angelfish in the full coral beauty angelfish care guide.
| Temperament | Can pick on its tankmates |
| Diet | Mainly algae, though it will also accept frozen and live foods |
| Reef safe? | Might pick at corals |
Blue green chromis (Chromis viridis)
We can’t imagine any marine aquarists not appreciating the lovely blue green chromis. These super peaceful damselfish look amazing when kept in small shoals, as their silvery blue-green bodies shimmer when they move.
Blue green chromis play nice with their neighbors of both the fish and coral variety. They are very hardy and can adapt to a wide range of water values as long as the aquarium is kept stable, making them a great choice for beginners and more experienced aquarists alike.
You can find out all about this lovely shoaling species in the blue green chromis care guide.
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Yellow watchman goby (Cryptocentrus cinctus)
One of our favorite species for small aquariums of 20 gallons or up is the yellow watchman goby. This peaceful bottom dweller is brightly colored and not too fussy, making it a great choice for the beginning aquarist. All it really asks for is a sandy substrate.
One of the reasons we like these fish so much is because of the fascinating symbiotic relationship they maintain with an unlikely partner: pistol shrimp of the family Alpheidae. The two share a dwelling, with the goby acting as a watchman (which explains the name!) and the shrimp offering protection.
You can read more about this colorful goby in the full yellow watchman goby care guide!
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Tailspot blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura)
Another blenny makes the list! And what a silly-looking one it is. With its perpetually concerned expression and big, frog-like eyes, the tailspot blenny definitely has the cuteness factor. And it’s easy to care for as well, making it one of our favorite fish for beginners!
There’s a lot to love about the tailspot blenny. For starters, it only grows to around 2.5″ in length, so it’s suitable for nano tanks of 15+ gallons. It’s peaceful in nature and fully reef-safe. And as an added bonus, it can even help rid your aquarium of pesky algae.
You can read all about this species in the full tailspot blenny care guide.
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Pajama cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
The multi-patterned pajama cardinalfish is a diminutive (3.5”) species that can be kept in small schools in aquariums of 30 gallons and up. They make a great choice for community tanks due to their peaceful nature, although they’re not the fastest and can be intimidated or outcompeted for food by more rowdy species.
Pajama cardinalfish are hardy and won’t bother your corals, although as is to be expected given their carnivorous diet, they might prey on the smaller invertebrate species. Feed yours plenty of live and frozen foods like Artemia, mysis, daphnia, and more.
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Diet | Small critters |
| Reef safe? | Yes |
Conclusion
Finding fish for beginners, such as the ones on this list, makes maintaining your first aquarium a lot easier. Still, there is a lot involved with running a saltwater tank—more than people tend to think.
If you feel you lack the time or knowledge to design, set up and maintain your aquarium, let FantaSEA handle it for you. Contact us!
