Every species, with the details that actually matter.

Elephant Ear Anemone

Family Discosomidae

An oversized mushroom that can reach the size of a dinner plate — striking as a centerpiece, but it's a predator. Adult specimens will close around small fish and shrimp; not safe in nano reefs with delicate fauna.

Blue-grey pulse coral

Family Xeniidae

Tall, swaying soft coral that adds constant motion to the tank. Beginner-easy but spreads aggressively across rockwork — best on an isolated frag plug or peninsula away from corals you'd hate to see overgrown.

branched cup coral

Family Plerogyridae

Fleshy LPS with jewel-toned polyps that inflate during the day. Forgiving in low-to-moderate light, no sweepers, and propagates readily. A good step up from mushrooms when you're ready for LPS.

Green Star Polyps

Family Briareidae

Bright green polyps on a purple encrusting mat — the textbook beginner soft coral. Nearly indestructible and flow-responsive. Will overrun anything it touches, so place on an isolated rock from day one.

Candy Cane Coral

Family Merulinidae

Caulastraea furcata, also known as the candy cane, trumpet, or bullseye coral, is a species of large stony coral in the family Merulinidae.

Duncan Coral

Family Dendrophylliidae

Forgiving LPS with long, fluffy polyps. Feeds enthusiastically and grows steadily — great first-LPS coral.

Min tank: 20 gal

Flat Lettuce Coral

Family Lobophylliidae

The classic chalice coral — encrusting, fluorescent under blue light, and available in a huge range of named morphs. Hardy under moderate light and flow; benefits from occasional target-feeding of small meaty bits.

Torch Coral

Family Euphylliidae

Long, flowing tentacles in mesmerizing motion. Stunning centerpiece — but spaces aggressively, and Euphyllia brown jelly disease is a real risk.

Min tank: 30 gal

larger star coral

Family Merulinidae

Encrusting LPS with star-shaped corallites that fluoresce vividly under actinics. Tolerant of variable lighting, but watch the placement — it deploys sweeper tentacles at night and will sting neighbors.

anemone coral

Family Poritidae

Long, flower-like polyps that wave in the current — easily one of the most beautiful corals in the hobby. Historically notorious for slow decline in captivity; modern aquacultured specimens fare much better with stable parameters and target feeding.

Pulsating Xenid

Family Xeniidae

Soft coral whose polyps visibly pulse open and closed — a hypnotic effect that's a hobby favorite. Easy under moderate flow. Like other Xeniids, it can carpet-spread, so isolate it on its own rockwork.

spine coral

Family Merulinidae

Branching SPS-style coral with prominent monticules and intense fluorescence. Hardy and fast-growing, but aggressive: it deploys long sweepers and will chemically warfare nearby corals. Give it real estate.

lobed cactus coral

Family Lobophylliidae

Fleshy brain coral with deep folds and vivid coloration — a centerpiece LPS for the sandbed or low rockwork. Modest light, gentle flow, and the occasional target-fed meaty bit keep it thriving.

Lord Coral

Family Lobophylliidae

Sold as "Acan Lord" for years, this is the LPS people pay collector prices for. Large fleshy polyps in striking color combinations; loves to be target-fed and rewards feeding with rapid growth on the sandbed.

pore coral

Family Acroporidae

Often called the easiest SPS in the hobby. Branching or encrusting growth, forgiving on lighting compared to Acropora, and propagates readily from frags. A reasonable first stony coral for an intermediate reefer.

Green Star Polyps

Family Clavulariidae

Bright green polyps on a purple mat. Nearly indestructible — and a known carpet-spreader. Place on an isolated rock.

Min tank: 10 gal

Cactus Coral

Family Agariciidae

Plating and encrusting SPS-like coral with delicate ridges. Tolerant of variable light and flow but slow-growing; works as a backdrop coral filling space behind faster centerpieces.

Bubble Coral

Family Plerogyridae

Daytime water-balloons of "bubble" vesicles that deflate at night to reveal stinger tentacles. Striking and surprisingly easy in moderate light, but the sweepers are long — place where neighbors can't be reached.

hump coral

Family Poritidae

Massive boulder-style coral that grows slowly into hemispherical heads. Not common in the home hobby due to size and modest lighting needs being deceptive (it's actually demanding of stability), but a centerpiece if you can grow it.

Green Hairy Mushroom

Family Discosomidae

Hairy mushroom corallimorph in fluorescent greens — almost indestructible and tolerant of low light. A common nano-reef centerpiece and one of the cheapest ways to add a splash of color. Spreads gradually but not invasively.

Florida Corallimorph

Family Ricordeidae

Caribbean corallimorph in jewel-toned greens, oranges, and blues. Beginner-friendly, moderate flow, and individual polyps fetch high prices in the rare-color trade. Place on rockwork with stable lighting for best color expression.

Rough Leather Coral

Family Sarcophytidae

Classic toadstool leather coral — large, mushroom-shaped, and effortlessly hardy. Sheds a waxy outer layer periodically (looks alarming but is normal). Releases mild chemical warfare; don't pack other corals tight against it.

Birdsnest Coral

Family Pocilloporidae

Delicate branching SPS in bright pinks and greens — the "birdsnest" name fits the bushy, dense branch structure. Demands stable parameters and strong, turbulent flow. Frags grow out fast in mature systems.

Banana Coral

Family Merulinidae

Free-living "open brain" coral that sits directly on the sandbed. One of the most colorful corals you can keep, and it actively expands its fleshy tissue during the day. Target-feed a small piece of mysis a few times a week.

Umbrella Xenia

Family Xeniidae

Pulsing soft coral that opens and closes its polyps rhythmically — beginner-easy and visually mesmerizing. Like all Xeniids, it spreads invasively; isolate on its own rock or expect it to take over the reef.

Zoanthids

Family Zoanthidae

Colorful button polyps — endlessly collectible. Beginner-friendly with one important warning: handle carefully (palytoxin).

Min tank: 10 gal

Achilles Tang

Family Acanthuridae

The Achilles tang is gorgeous and notoriously difficult — wild-caught only, prone to ich, and demands large swimming room with strong flow that mimics the surge zones it comes from. An expert fish, often listed at expert prices.

Min tank: 180 gal

Ocellaris Clownfish

Family Pomacentridae

The classic beginner saltwater fish — hardy, peaceful, and famously bonded to anemones (though anemones are advanced and not required).

Min tank: 20 gal

Psychedelic Wrasse

Family Labridae

Hawaiian-endemic wrasse with intricate red-and-white patterning — a high-value display fish. Like other Anampses, it benefits from a deep sand bed for sleeping and an established system with a healthy copepod population.

Min tank: 70 gal

Dusky blenny

Family Blenniidae

Plain-brown blenny that earns its keep eating filamentous algae and perching photogenically on rockwork. Peaceful, hardy, and well-suited to nano and mid-sized reefs. Make sure there's enough algae growth to feed it.

Min tank: 20 gal

Blacksaddle Toby

Family Tetraodontidae

A pocket-sized puffer with personality — recognizable, curious, and one of the few pufferfish small enough for a mid-sized reef. Will sample coral polyps and small inverts opportunistically; not a fully reef-safe choice.

Min tank: 30 gal

Copperband Butterflyfish

Family Chaetodontidae

Famous for eating aiptasia — and equally famous for being difficult to feed once the aiptasia is gone. Captive-bred specimens are dramatically more successful than wild-caught. Quarantine and ensure it's eating before purchase.

Min tank: 75 gal

Ternate Chromis

Family Pomacentridae

Schooling damselfish for the open water column — a peaceful counterpoint to the more aggressive blue-green chromis. Hardy and beginner-friendly, but the group will thin itself down to one or two over time.

Min tank: 30 gal

Azure Demoiselle

Family Pomacentridae

Vivid yellow-and-electric-blue damsel — much more peaceful than its reputation suggests, especially in a larger tank with established territory. Beautiful color contrast against rockwork; hardy under nearly any reef conditions.

Min tank: 30 gal

Exquisite Wrasse

Family Labridae

A fairy wrasse with stunning courtship coloration when males display. Active mid-water swimmer that adds constant motion. Like most fairy wrasses, it benefits from a tight-fitting lid — they're enthusiastic jumpers.

Min tank: 30 gal

Pixy Hawkfish

Family Cirrhitidae

Hawkfish with a perched, alert posture and reddish blotchy markings. Personality-driven and undemanding — but it considers small ornamental shrimp and tiny fish to be food. Compatible with most reef inhabitants over 2 inches.

Min tank: 30 gal

Pinkspot Shrimpgoby

Family Gobiidae

Shrimp goby with a built-in entertainment system: it forms a lifelong commensal pair with a pistol shrimp that digs and maintains a shared burrow. Get the goby and shrimp at the same time for best pairing odds.

Min tank: 20 gal

Goldring Surgeonfish

Family Acanthuridae

Kole tang — arguably the best algae-grazing tang for a mid-sized reef. Constantly working over rockwork picking off film algae and detritus. Hawaii-sourced specimens are sustainably collected and tend to ship better.

Min tank: 55 gal

Bluestripe Pipefish

Family Syngnathidae

Small, peaceful pipefish that picks at copepods and amphipods. Best in mature systems with established pod populations and no aggressive tankmates. Will not compete for prepared foods — feeds on what it can find.

Min tank: 30 gal

Midas Combtooth Blenny

Family Blenniidae

Unusual blenny — it swims in mid-water rather than perching, with a lyretail and shimmering gold body. Peaceful, beginner-friendly, and one of the few blennies that integrates well with active swimming tankmates.

Min tank: 20 gal

Neon Goby

Family Gobiidae

Tiny Caribbean cleaner goby that sets up cleaning stations and actually picks parasites off larger fish — the captive-bred equivalent of the wild-caught cleaner wrasse, without the ethical concerns. Excellent in pairs.

Min tank: 20 gal

Lamarck's Angelfish

Family Pomacanthidae

One of the few truly reef-safe angelfish. Picks at zooplankton rather than nipping corals, and the male's elegant tail makes it a centerpiece. Best in larger systems where it has room to cruise the open water column.

Min tank: 75 gal

Lemon Coralgoby

Family Gobiidae

Small yellow goby that lives directly inside the branches of Acropora corals — secretes a defensive mucus that other fish learn to avoid. Reef-safe and peaceful; pairs do well in established SPS-friendly systems.

Min tank: 20 gal

Royal Gramma

Family Grammatidae

Stunning purple-to-yellow gradient. Hardy, peaceful, and one of the most beautiful fish you can keep at this care level.

Min tank: 30 gal

Blackcap Basslet

Family Grammatidae

The blackcap basslet is the deeper-water cousin of the royal gramma — purple body with a sharp black cap. Hangs upside-down under overhangs and in caves. Hardy, peaceful, and a great alternative if royal grammas feel overdone.

Min tank: 30 gal

Rainbow Wrasse

Family Labridae

Rainbow wrasse with iridescent flanks and a deeply-forked tail. Active sand-sleeper — needs a deep sand bed for nightly burrowing. Will sample small ornamental shrimp; safer with mature corals than with delicate inverts.

Min tank: 30 gal

Schooling Bannerfish

Family Chaetodontidae

The schooling bannerfish — a Moorish-idol lookalike that's dramatically easier to keep. Best in groups of 3–5 in a larger tank. Not reliably reef-safe (will sample LPS and zoanthids), so think of this as a fish-only-with-live-rock species.

Min tank: 75 gal

Northern Seahorse

Family Syngnathidae

Captive-bred lined seahorses are one of the few seahorses suited to home aquariums. They need a species-specific tank with hitching posts, slow flow, and 3–4 small meals daily. Not compatible with active fish that would outcompete them at feeding.

Min tank: 30 gal

Queen Angelfish

Family Pomacanthidae

Caribbean queen angel — large, brilliantly colored, and a centerpiece for big systems only. Will pick at LPS and sponges; treat as fish-only-with-live-rock. Juveniles and adults look like different species, both stunning.

Min tank: 220 gal

Old Glory

Family Gobiidae

Old glory goby — orange and yellow horizontal striping make it one of the most colorful small gobies you can keep. Active grazer that picks at film algae and detritus on rockwork. Hardy and peaceful in any reef.

Min tank: 20 gal

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Family Labridae

The bluestreak cleaner wrasse looks irresistible and we don't recommend it. They specialize on parasites in the wild; in captivity most starve within months. Captive-bred neon gobies (Elacatinus oceanops) do the same job and thrive.

Min tank: 30 gal

Leopard Wrasse

Family Labridae

Leopard wrasse — stunning spotted pattern, but obligate copepod feeder. Only buy from suppliers who confirm the specimen is eating, and only put it in a mature system with a thriving pod population (or refugium feed).

Min tank: 30 gal

Linespot Fangblenny

Family Blenniidae

Striped fang blenny — venomous to predators, peaceful to everything else. Mimics and is mimicked by several other species. A hardy mid-water swimmer that adds personality without aggression. Good first-fang-blenny pick.

Min tank: 20 gal

Bluespine Unicornfish

Family Acanthuridae

Bluespine unicornfish — a giant tang that reaches over two feet in adulthood. Reef-safe and personable, but needs a tank of 240 gallons or more long-term. Not a fish you grow out of an 80-gallon and "rehome."

Min tank: 240 gal

Decorated Dartfish

Family Microdesmidae

Purple firefish — the showier cousin of the standard firefish, with deep purple, magenta, and yellow accents. Same care: peaceful, mid-water hovering, jumpy. A tight-fitting lid is non-negotiable.

Min tank: 20 gal

Firefish Goby

Family Microdesmidae

Slender, white-and-orange with a tall first dorsal fin. Hovers in open water and dives to its burrow at the slightest scare.

Min tank: 20 gal

Redtooth Triggerfish

Family Balistidae

The redtooth triggerfish is a comparatively peaceful trigger that swims in the open water column rather than picking apart rockwork. Reef-safe with caution — it tolerates corals but will sample small ornamental inverts.

Min tank: 100 gal

Longnose Hawkfish

Family Cirrhitidae

Striking red-and-white grid pattern on a long-snouted hawkfish that perches in branching coral. Reef-compatible with corals but will pick off small ornamental shrimp. Hardy and easy to feed once established.

Min tank: 30 gal

Emperor Angelfish

Family Pomacanthidae

The emperor angel is one of the most recognizable reef fish. Juveniles are dramatic blue-and-white spirals; adults transform into yellow-and-blue striped powerhouses. Needs a very large tank long-term and will sample LPS and sponges.

Min tank: 220 gal

Bartlett's Anthias

Family Anthiadidae

Peaceful anthias in vivid yellow and lavender — schools naturally in the wild. Like all anthias, it needs 3–4 small meaty feedings a day and a stable group of 5+. The most beginner-friendly anthias once feeding is established.

Min tank: 70 gal