Top 10 Easy Care Reef Safe Fish
When setting up a new reef tank, most aquarists are eager to get the tank cycled and stocked quickly. Walking through your local fish store (LFS), can make the desire to add fish even more urgent. To avoid buying fish that are not reef safe, or that are not easy to care for (thus not suited for beginners), it's best to do your due diligence and learn about the variety of reef fish available, what their compatibility, temperament, and care needs are. Given the overwhelming number of reef fish available, educating yourself to make good livestock choices can be a daunting task. To help narrow the field down and get your tank stocked and looking good, we've compiled our list of Top Ten Reef Fish That Are Easy To Care For.
10. Blue Tang:
This perennial favorite is a must have for all reef tanks. Long before becoming the star of the Disney Pixar films "Finding Dory" and "Finding Nemo", this happy-go-lucky tang fish found it's way into the hearts of reef keepers worldwide due to it's vibrant colorful markings and amusing personality.
9. Lawn Mower Blenny:
What this fish lacks in the looks department, it makes up for with moxie and servitude. Earning it's namesake, this lively mottled blenny will devour algae and keep your reef spotless!
8. Convict Tang:
Looking like it just escaped from the hoosegow, the Convict Tang is a popular reef safe fish because they are voracious algae eaters. One of these in your reef tank will help control undesirable algae growth.
7. Coral Beauty Angelfish:
This inexpensive, hardy and reef safe angelfish is a favorite of reefers because of their vibrant, orange to purple radiating colors.... and because it won't devour your invertebrates and corals like most angelfish tend to do.
6. Fire Dartfish Goby:
The Firefish is an absolute stunner that is mesmerizing to watch. Appearing to hover in mid-water, these peaceful reef dwellers will flick their dorsal fins just to keep you from falling into a trance while staring at their vibrant, gradated yellow to white to purple coloration.
5. Blue Spotted Jawfish:
This stunning beauty is highly entertaining to watch as it goes about it's daily work of sifting your sand bed! Featuring a bright yellow body speckled with blue diamonds, the Blue Spot jawfish is sure to please even the most jaded fish snob.
4. Sixline Wrasse:
This lively colored wrasse has a bold personality to match. Sporting purple and orange fine line stripes, the Sixline Wrasse is a fantastic beginner fish for entry into the vast world of Wrasses.
3. Royal Gramma:
Easy to care for and inexpensive, the striking purple and yellow colors of the Royal Gramma make this a reef safe favorite for many hobbyists.
2. Green Chromis:
As hardy as a Damselfish, without the belligerent attitude, Green Chromis will school together if introduced to the tank in a group, and provide a shimmering blue-green effect for your reef aquarium.
1. Clownfish:
Known and loved by all as the title character "Nemo", no reef aquarium is complete without at least one of these hardy, easy to care for and instantly recognizable reef fish.