Azure damsel
Chrysiptera hemicyanea
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 7 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Haplochromis, Public domain
Species
Marine fish for a reef tank
60 marine fish commonly sold in the UK and EU, from first fish to intermediate. Tank sizes are minimums in litres, converted from the US gallon figures most care sheets use, and adult sizes are what the fish reaches in an aquarium.
Ratings for care level are our reading of retailer care levels plus feeding and stocking risk. Each profile explains which fish it clashes with and why.
Showing 60 of 60 fish
Banggai cardinalfish
Pterapogon kauderni
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Bartlett's anthias
Pseudanthias bartlettorum
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 9 cm
- Tank from
- 265 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Bicolor blenny
Ecsenius bicolor
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Blue damsel
Chrysiptera cyanea
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Bluestreak cleaner wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 14 cm
- Tank from
- 341 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Carpenter's flasher wrasse
Paracheilinus carpenteri
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 227 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Gdiggers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cherub angelfish
Centropyge argi
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 189 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Clark's anemonefish
Amphiprion clarkii
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Copperband butterflyfish
Chelmon rostratus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 20 cm
- Tank from
- 492 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0
Coral beauty
Centropyge bispinosa
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 12 cm
- Tank from
- 265 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Jenny Huang, CC BY 2.0
Falco hawkfish
Cirrhitichthys falco
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo q phia, CC BY 2.0
Firefish
Nemateleotris magnifica
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 76 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Flame angelfish
Centropyge loricula
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 265 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Andreas März, CC BY 2.0
Flame hawkfish
Neocirrhites armatus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 9 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Foxface rabbitfish
Siganus vulpinus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 23 cm
- Tank from
- 473 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR, Public domain
Gold head sleeper goby
Valenciennea strigata
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Leonard Low, CC BY 2.0
Green chromis
Chromis viridis
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Debra Baker, CC BY 4.0
Harlequin filefish
Oxymonacanthus longirostris
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 12 cm
- Tank from
- 400 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Not reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hi-fin red banded goby
Stonogobiops nematodes
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 5 cm
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Sammydee, CC BY-SA 3.0
Humbug damsel
Dascyllus aruanus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Kole tang
Ctenochaetus strigosus
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 18 cm
- Tank from
- 265 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Lawnmower blenny
Salarias fasciatus
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 14 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Dirk Godlinski, CC BY-SA 3.0
Leopard wrasse
Macropharyngodon meleagris
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Tank from
- 341 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Mark Rosenstein, CC BY 3.0
Longnose hawkfish
Oxycirrhites typus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lyretail anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 492 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Magenta dottyback
Pictichromis porphyrea
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Mandarin dragonet
Synchiropus splendidus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0
Maroon clownfish
Premnas biaculeatus
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Bernard Dupont, CC BY-SA 2.0
Melanurus wrasse
Halichoeres melanurus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 14 cm
- Tank from
- 189 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Stickpen, Public domain
Midas blenny
Ecsenius midas
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 4.0
Moorish idol
Zanclus cornutus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 23 cm
- Tank from
- 473 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Not reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Neon dottyback
Pseudochromis aldabraensis
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Neon goby
Elacatinus oceanops
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 5 cm
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Jmk7, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ocellaris clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 11 cm
- Tank from
- 76 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Ritiks, CC BY-SA 3.0
Orange spotted goby
Amblyeleotris guttata
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 9 cm
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Sushi Girl1995, CC BY-SA 3.0
Orchid dottyback
Pseudochromis fridmani
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Percula clownfish
Amphiprion percula
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo CrisisRose, CC BY-SA 3.0
Powder blue tang
Acanthurus leucosternon
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 23 cm
- Tank from
- 473 litres
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Purple firefish
Nemateleotris decora
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 76 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo TANAKA Juuyoh, CC BY 2.0
Pyjama cardinalfish
Sphaeramia nematoptera
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 9 cm
- Tank from
- 76 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Rainford's goby
Koumansetta rainfordi
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Tappinen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Red head solon fairy wrasse
Cirrhilabrus solorensis
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 341 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo desertnaturalist, CC BY 4.0
Regal blue tang
Paracanthurus hepatus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 31 cm
- Tank from
- 681 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo DerHans04, CC BY-SA 3.0
Royal dottyback
Pictichromis paccagnellae
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Jenny Huang, CC BY 2.0
No licensed photo yet
Royal gramma
Gramma loreto
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Scissortail dartfish
Ptereleotris evides
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 14 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Poco a poco, CC BY-SA 4.0
Scopas tang
Zebrasoma scopas
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 31 cm
- Tank from
- 492 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo William Warby, CC BY 2.0
Six line wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Spotted mandarin
Synchiropus picturatus
Not for beginners
- Care
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 2.5
Striped fang blenny
Meiacanthus grammistes
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tailspot blenny
Ecsenius stigmatura
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0
Tomato clownfish
Amphiprion frenatus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Yellow assessor
Assessor flavissimus
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 6 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo jpdandretta, CC BY 4.0
Yellow clown goby
Gobiodon okinawae
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 4 cm
- Tank from
- 38 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Jenny, CC BY 2.0
Yellow coris wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 13 cm
- Tank from
- 189 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe with caution
Photo Sushi Girl1995, CC BY-SA 3.0
Yellow tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 20 cm
- Tank from
- 378 litres
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Luc Viatour, CC BY-SA 3.0
Yellow watchman goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Haplochromis, CC BY-SA 3.0
No licensed photo yet
Yellowhead jawfish
Opistognathus aurifrons
- Care
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Yellowtail blue damsel
Chrysiptera parasema
Good first fish
- Care
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 7 cm
- Tank from
- 114 litres
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Corals
- Reef safe
Photo Brian Ong, CC BY-SA 3.0
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