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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Orange Dottyback

Family Pseudochromidae

Electric-orange dottyback — small, vibrant, and useful for controlling bristleworm and pyramid snail populations. Aggressive for its size: don't pair with similar small peaceful fish. Add last to the tank.

Min tank: 30 gal

Red-striped Shrimpgoby

Family Gobiidae

Yasha goby — partners with a pistol shrimp in a shared burrow, just like the Pinkspot. The yasha is smaller and more nano-friendly, and the red-striped white body is striking. Always buy the goby-shrimp pair together.

Min tank: 20 gal

Orange-dashed Goby

Family Gobiidae

Diamond goby — large, peaceful sand-sifter that constantly filters sand through its gills, exposing detritus for cleanup. Needs an established sand bed with sufficient microfauna or will slowly starve. Mature systems only.

Min tank: 20 gal

Yellow Tang

Family Acanthuridae

An iconic, brilliantly yellow surgeonfish. Active, grazing, and a centerpiece of medium-to-large reef tanks.

Min tank: 75 gal

Brown Tang

Family Acanthuridae

Brown tang — understated coloring belies a hardy, active grazer. Reaches the same adult size as a yellow tang and benefits from the same conditions: plenty of swimming room and constant access to algae or nori.

Min tank: 180 gal

Peacock-tail Anemone Shrimp

Family Palaemonidae

Peacock-tail anemone shrimp lives commensally inside large host anemones, picking through tentacles. Peaceful and reef-safe, but only thrives when there's a healthy host in the tank. Skip if you don't already keep anemones.

Min tank: 10 gal

Electric Blue Hermit Crab

Family Diogenidae

Electric blue hermit crab — vivid cobalt legs on a small reef-safe scavenger. Eats algae and leftover food. Will fight over shells with other hermits and occasionally murder snails for theirs, so keep spare shells available.

Min tank: 10 gal

Giant Nodulose Creeper

Family Cerithiidae

Large cerith snail and one of the most underrated cleanup-crew members — it works the sand bed, the glass, and rockwork equally, eating detritus and film algae. Stack a few in mid-sized reefs and forget about them.

Min tank: 10 gal

Strawberry Conch

Family Strombidae

Strawberry conch — a peaceful, slow-moving sand-sifter that keeps the top inch of substrate aerated and free of nuisance algae. Reef-safe and works well alongside cleanup crew snails. Needs an actual sand bed (not bare-bottom).

Min tank: 20 gal

Indian Sea Star

Family Goniasteridae

Indian sea star — vivid red, slow-moving, and pretty. Like most sea stars, it's a slow declining specialist that depends on biofilm and detritus from a mature sand bed. Only attempt in established systems (1+ year old).

Min tank: 50 gal

Blue Linckia

Family Ophidiasteridae

The blue Linckia is one of the most photogenic inverts in the hobby and one of the hardest to keep. Most specimens slowly starve over 6–12 months due to undetected nutritional deficiencies. Don't buy unless you can verify long-term sourcing.

Min tank: 75 gal

Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Family Hippolytidae

Reef-safe, charismatic, and actively cleans parasites off your fish. One of the most rewarding inverts in the hobby.

Min tank: 20 gal

Bruised Nassa

Family Nassariidae

Nassarius snail — buries in the sand and emerges at feeding time like a periscope. Excellent at cleaning up leftover meaty food before it fouls. Reef-safe and one of the most useful cleanup crew members per dollar.

Min tank: 10 gal

Indian Feather Duster Worm

Family Sabellidae

Indian feather duster — graceful crown of feathery radioles that retract instantly when startled. Filter-feeds on phytoplankton and fine particulate food. Best in mature systems where the tank itself produces enough food.

Min tank: 20 gal

Marbled Shrimp

Family Hippolytidae

Marbled shrimp — nocturnal, camouflaged, and visually striking when you catch one out under blue lights. Reef-safe and peaceful; an unusual alternative to the standard cleaner shrimp lineup for a more naturalistic display.

Min tank: 20 gal

Squat Anemone Shrimp

Family Thoridae

Sexy shrimp — tiny, photogenic, and constantly wiggling its abdomen as if dancing. Lives in groups around anemones or large corals. Peaceful, reef-safe, and beginner-friendly. Best kept in groups of 3+.

Min tank: 10 gal

Rust-spotted Guard Crab

Family Trapeziidae

Guard crab — lives commensally inside branching corals (Pocillopora, Acropora) and defends its host from coral predators. A natural pairing for SPS-focused tanks, where its presence actively protects the coral.

Min tank: 10 gal

Acropora millepora

Family Acroporidae

Acropora millepora is one of the most widely-kept branching SPS corals, native to the western Indo-Pacific. It grows in dense bushy colonies and exhibits a wide range of color morphs under appropriate lighting and flow.

Percula Clownfish

Family Pomacentridae

The percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) is one of the most iconic reef fish in the hobby — small, hardy, and famously photogenic against host anemones. Tank-bred specimens are widely available and adapt well to standard reef tanks.

Min tank: 30 gal