Marine Aquarium Fish

The marine aquarium hobby is so attractive not primarily for their corals, but mainly because of the striking marine aquarium fish that are available. From the colorful to the weird to the wonderful. Seahorses, clownfish, surgeonfish and a host of other species make this hobby a truly exciting one to venture into.

While there are many species that are imported for the trade, there have been some that have been more popular than others by a large margin. Some are easy to care for, others almost always perish in captivity. They range from sizes up to three foot in length, all the way down to half an inch at most. Lets briefly take a look at four popular and interesting fish families.

While there are many species within this family, we can break them into two main groups, the dwarf angelfish (centropyge) and the larger angelfish which are made up of 6 genera.

They are both equally popular and some species within both groups are very popular among angelfish lovers. Some examples are the Flame Angelfish, Queen Angelfish along with the Emperor Angelfish. They can be very cheap or breathtakingly expensive as is the case for rarer specimens like Holacanthus Clarionensis or Centropyge Boylei.

Sizes range from the tiny cherub angelfish (centropyge argi) all the way up to the giants like the French angelfish or the Gray Angelfish.

Sadly, angelfish are not reef safe (especially non centropyge angels) and can make quick work of your expensive corals. The genus centropyge is generally more reef safe than their larger cousins but they can nip on corals and clams. The probability of such an occurence depends purely on luck.

The surgeonfish is very popular among those that have marine reef aquariums as all members of the surgeonfish family are coral safe. Meaning, they do not consume corals like the angelfish family.

They are all relatively large with the smallest species reaching a maximum length of about 7 to 8 inches in captivity. The largest of them is rarely collected and can reach lengths surpassing 3 feet in the wild.

They are found in most of the worlds tropical oceans and some species are always in good demand. These include the strikingly colored Yellow Tang, Blue Tang, Purple Tang, Sohal Tang and the difficult to care for Achilles Tang.

Prices can be as low as $30 for a specimen all the way up to the thousands for the very rare Gem Tang. They are susceptible to marine parasites and lateral line erosion so care must be taken in quarantining them and treating them for any diseases or parasites.

The Clown fish family is the most recognizable marine aquarium fish of all. They are some of the most endearing marine aquarium fish to hit the hobby. Generally considered a cheaper species, they are also fine choices for the beginner or the veteran reef keeper. Their interaction with the anemone is very interesting to view in captivity.

Although it must be mentioned that anemones are not required and not that easy to rear in the aquarium as they need very strong lighting, good water quality and strong water flow. They are one of the easier marine aquarium fish to breed in captivity with many hobbyists and companies breeding numerous species for sale over the years.

Seahorses are truly fascinating creatures that are well admired by people from all ages and backgrounds. There is nothing quite like it in the world. It looks like a horse, but its a fish.

Unfortunately, seahorses are generally more difficult to care for compared with your regular clownfish as some of them have difficulty adapting to prepared foods in the aquarium. The also require constant feedings a day to remain healthy. They have been bred in captivity with some success though.