The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Saltwater Aquariums

This level is for aquarists who are considering their first saltwater aquarium or have just recently started in the hobby should begin with beginner level fishes and invertebrates. The fish below are all beginner level.

This level is for those who have successfully reached the 6-month to 1-year mark and may start attempting to introduce some intermediate level fishes, beginner and intermediate level corals, and other intermediate level invertebrates into their tank. The fish below are all intermediate level.

Angelfishes

Apolemichthys griffisi
Apolemichthys trimaculatus
Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus
Centropyge bicolor
Centropyge fisheri
Centropyge flavissima
Centropyge heraldi
Centropyge interruptus
Centropyge multicolor
Centropyge multispinis
Centropyge nox
Centropyge tibicen
Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi
Chaetodontoplus melanosoma
Chaetodontoplus meridithi
Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus
Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis
Genicanthus bellus
Genicanthus caudovittatus
Genicanthus lamarck
Genicanthus melanospilos
Genicanthus semifasciatus
Genicanthus watanabei
Holacanthus bermudensis
Holacanthus ciliaris

Holacanthus passer
Pomacanthus annularis
Pomacanthus arcuatus
Pomacanthus asfur
Pomacanthus chrysurus
Pomacanthus imperator
Pomacanthus navarchus
Pomacanthus paru
Pomacanthus semicirculatus
Pomacanthus sexstriatus
Pomacanthus xanthometopon
Pomacanthus zonipectus

Anglerfish & Frogfish

Antennarius commerson
Antennarius maculatus

Antennarius striatus
Histrio histrio

Basses (including Anthias, Groupers, & Hamlets)

Cephalopholis argus
Cephalopholis formosa
Cephalopholis fulva
Cephalopholis miniata
Cephalopholis polleni
Cephalopholis urodeta
Chromileptes altivelis
Epinephelus flavocaeruleus
Epinephelus summana
Mycteroperca rosacea
Chromileptes altivelis

Paranthias furcifer
Plectranthias inermis
Pseudanthias bartlettorum
Pseudanthias bicolor
Pseudanthias cooperi
Pseudanthias dispar
Pseudanthias fasciatus
Pseudanthias huchtii
Pseudanthias kashiwae
Pseudanthias lori

Pseudanthias parvirostris
Pseudanthias pictilis
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia
Pseudanthias pulcherrimus
Pseudanthias randalli
Pseudanthias rubrizonatus
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Pseudanthias truncatus
Serranocirrhitus latus
Variola albimarginata

Basslets, Spiny Basslets, & Grammas

Gramma brasiliensis

Gramma melacara

Batfishes

Platax orbicularis

Platax teira

Blennies & Blennylike Fishes

Acanthemblemaria spp.
Ecsenius bimaculatus
Ecsenius gravieri
Ecsenius namiyei
Entomacrodus marmoratus
Istiblennius chrysospilos

Meiacanthus atrodorsalis
Meiacanthus grammistes
Meiacanthus mossambicus
Meiacanthus nigrolineatus
Meiacanthus oualenensis

Meiacanthus smithi
Meiacanthus tongaensis
Ophioblennius atlanticus
Parablennius marmoreus
Parapercis schauislandii

Butterflyfishes

Chaetodon argentatus
Chaetodon burgessi
Chaetodon collare
Chaetodon declivis
Chaetodon ephippium
Chaetodon falcula
Chaetodon fasciatus
Chaetodon fremblii
Chaetodon guttatissimus
Chaetodon humeralis
Chaetodon lineolatus
Chaetodon melannotus
Chaetodon mertensii
Chaetodon mesoleucos

Chaetodon miliaris
Chaetodon mitratus
Chaetodon nippon
Chaetodon paucifasciatus
Chaetodon pelewensis
Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
Chaetodon rafflesii
Chaetodon semilarvatus
Chaetodon tinkeri
Chaetodon trichrous
Chaetodon ulietensis
Chaetodon unimaculatus
Chaetodon vagabundus
Chaetodon wiebeli

Chaetodon xanthurus
Chelmon marginalis
Chelmon muelleri
Chelmon rostratus
Coradion altivelis
Forcipiger flavissimus
Forcipiger longirostris
Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Hemitaurichthys zoster
Heniochus intermedius
Heniochus singularius
Heniochus varius
Prognathodes aculeatus

Damselfishes (including Clownfishes)

Amphiprion akallopisos
Amphiprion akindynos
Amphiprion allardi
Amphiprion chrysopterus
Amphiprion ephippium
Amphiprion leucokranos

Amphiprion ocellaris (Black and White)
Amphiprion perideraion
Amphiprion polymnus
Amphiprion sandaracinos
Amphiprion sebae
Chromis cyanea

Chromis nitida
Chromis scotti
Chrysiptera galba
Hypsypops rubicunda
Premnas biaculeatus

Dartfishes

Gunnelichthys curiosus

Nemateleotris helfrichi

Eels

Echidna polyzona
Enchelycore pardalis

Gymnothorax funebris
Gymnothorax nudivomer

Myrichthys maculosus
Taenioconger hassi

Filefishes

Meuschenia hippocrepis
Paraluteres prionurus

Paramonacanthus japonicus
Pervagor melanocephalus

Goatfishes

Parupeneus cyclostomus

Parupeneus barberinoides

Parupeneus multifasciatus

Gobies

Amblygobius rainfordi
Ctenogobiops tangaroai
Discordipinna griessingeri
Elacatinus horsti
Elacatinus puncticulatus

Lythrypnus dalli
Lythrypnus zebra
Paragobiodon lacunicolus
Priolepsis nocturna
Signigobius biocellatus

Stonogobiops nematodes
Stonogobiops yashia
Valenciennea sexguttata
Valenciennea strigata

Grunts & Sweetlips

Anisotremus virginicus

Plectorhinchus albovittatus

Plectorhinchus diagrammus

Jawfishes

Opistognathus rosenblatti

Opistognathus aurifrons

Lionfishes

Dendrochirus biocellatus
Dendrochirus brachypterus

Dendrochirus zebra
Pterois antennata

Pterois radiata

Rabbitfishes

Siganus corallinus
Siganus doliatus
Siganus guttatus

Siganus magnificus
Siganus puellus
Siganus punctatus

Siganus spinus
Siganus unimaculatus
Siganus uspi

Seahorses & Pipefishes

Hippocampus abdominalis

Hippocampus kuda

Snappers & Fusiliers

Caesio xanthonota

Squirrelfishes, Soldierfishes, Bigeyes, & Catalufas

Heteropriacanthus cruentatu

Sargocentron xantherythrum

Tangs & Surgeonfishes

Acanthurus bariene
Acanthurus chirurgus
Acanthurus coeruleus
Acanthurus dussumieri
Acanthurus fowleri
Acanthurus guttatus
Acanthurus japonicus
Acanthurus leucocheilus
Acanthurus leucosternon
Acanthurus maculiceps
Acanthurus mata
Acanthurus monroviae

Acanthurus nigricans
Acanthurus nigrofuscus
Acanthurus nigroris
Acanthurus olivaceous
Acanthurus pyroferus
Acanthurus sohal
Acanthurus tennentii
Acanthurus thompsoni
Acanthurus triostegus
Acanthurus tristis
Ctenochaetus hawaiiensis

Ctenochaetus truncatus
Naso brevirostris
Naso elegans
Naso literatus
Naso unicornis
Naso vlamingii
Paracanthurus hepatus
Zebrasoma desjardinii
Zebrasoma gemmatum
Zebrasoma rostratum
Zebrasoma xanthururm

Tilefishes

Hoplolatilus purpureus

Hoplolatilus starcki

Wrasses, Hogfishes, & Tuskfishes

Bodianus anthioides
Bodianus axillaris
Bodianus bilunulatus
Bodianus bimaculatus
Bodianus diana
Bodianus loxozonus
Bodianus mesothorax
Bodianus opercularis
Bodianus pulchellus
Cheilinus lunulatus
Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsali
Cirrhilabrus balteatus
Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus
Cirrhilabrus condei
Cirrhilabrus flavidorsalis
Cirrhilabrus jordani
Cirrhilabrus laboutei

Cirrhilabrus linneatus
Cirrhilabrus luteovittatus
Cirrhilabrus punctatus
Cirrhilabrus pylei
Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis
Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus
Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Cirrhilabrus temminckii
Cirrhilabrus tonozukai
Clepticus parrae
Coris aygula
Coris formosa
Coris gaimard
Halichoeres chloropterus
Halichoeres chrysus
Halichoeres garnoti
Halichoeres hortulanus

Halichoeres iridis
Halichoeres melanurus
Halichoeres ornatissimus
Halichoeres radiatus
Halichoeres trispilus
Novaculichthys macrolepidotus
Novaculichthys taeniourus
Paracheilinus carpenteri
Paracheilinus filamentosus
Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Paracheilinus octotaenia
Thalassoma bifasciatum
Thalassoma hardwicke
Thalassoma jansenii
Thalassoma lucasanum
Thalassoma rueppellii

This level is for those who are dedicated, knowledgeable, and prepared to meet all the expert-only animal's husbandry needs. Even with years of experience, expert level animals can be difficult to wean onto a captive diet and may require many feedings per day, specialized feedings, or very specific environmental conditions. The fish below are all expert-level.