When going to a local fish store (LFS), it can be always tempting to impulse buy a fancy looking fish that you have never seen or heard of before.  Listed below are saltwater aquarium fish that are best suited for virtually any community and reef setup.  Equipment is important for this hobby, but proper fish selection is critical for success.  I always would find it frustrating to see LFS sell fish that are for advanced fish keepers or not suited to the tank of the buyer (*cough* tangs).  In a later post, I will go through the top 10 saltwater aquarium fish you should avoid.The fish in this list were selected using the following criteria: #1 Tank Raised Clownfish (Ocellaris or Percula Species) The industry's most popular saltwater aquarium fish.  With the explosion of the tank raised fish industry, all sorts of designer clownfish are now available.  They can be kept in pairs as long as you buy two when young or purchase one larger and one smaller.  They are known to spawn in captivity and will host corals.  

Quite simply, a reef tank is incomplete without a pair. Peaceful tank mates, great personality and striking black lines make up this iconic saltwater aquarium fish. They can also be kept in pairs and will spawn in captivity.  The Banggai Cardinalfish is the poster child of how hobbyist, industry professionals, and scientists came together to support sustainable production of a marine species in captivity. Yes, I know this is a bad picture--but the fish is awesome. Dottybacks in general get a bad rap.  This is mostly due to the fact that most dottybacks can channel their inner damsel and create havoc in your tank.  Fortunately, the Orchid Dottyback is not one those.  They have a mild temper in a community tank and are the perfect tankmate.  It is not recommended to keep these in pairs unless you can purchase a mated pair.  There is no easy way to identify the differences between a male and female, and they do not change gender like clownfish.  Nevertheless, they are a great saltwater aquarium fish.

A striking blend of colors and personality make up this beautiful saltwater aquarium fish.  They will try to be the boss in your tank, but will generally be kept in check by clownfish, tangs, and angelfish.   They will be aggressive to similar bodied fish and their own kin.  You cannot keep both a dottyback or royal gamma in the same tank so pick the one you prefer.  fish tank shops in boltonI lean towards to the orchid dottyback because they are available as tank bred.aquarium fish for sale in mumbai A very hardy long-lived fish that will school together.  tropical fish tanks for sale gumtreeThey are the neon-tetra of saltwater aquarium fish. best fish tank background

You cannot go wrong putting this fish in your tank. This is the go to fish for nano tanks.  Peaceful, quiet, striking colors, and very hardy.  They can be kept in pairs and generally the pair will be together, but it is best to purchase them young to increase your chances of success.  They are timid fish that can be harassed by more aggressive tankmates.fish tank care hindi Wrasses are very active fish.  best fish tank water testThe sixline wrasse is no exception.  A reef-safe and hardy saltwater aquarium fish.  The only downfall with this wrasse is they are a little on the aggressive side and will harass easily intimidated fish.  It's best to keep them with other semi-aggressive fish like clownfish to avoid any tank drama. The watchman goby is considered one of the best saltwater aquarium fish for beginners.  

They can be paired with a pistol shrimp and they two will form a pair.  If you are attempting a pair, ensure that you have at least a 2" sandbed available and purchase a small shrimp like a candy cane shrimp.  If you decide not to pair them with a shrimp, they are still a great fish to have on their own and readily eat any prepared food. The Midas Blenny is the perfect Blenny.  Colorful, great personality, and completely reef-safe. Most hobbyist who have them state they are their favorite fish in the tank.  They have no swim bladder so they are consistently moving and have an eel like look when swimming. The only fish on the list that requires a tank larger than 3 feet.  It is generally encouraged to keep them in groups as the male will perform colorful displays to the females in the tank.  However, you will need to introduce the female first or introduce as a group.  They do change genders like clown fish.  They are one of lesser aggressive tank mates, so if you are going to keep them, make sure they are one of the first saltwater aquarium fish you put in your tank.  

They are known to be jumpers so a cover is recommended.  Honorable Mention - Chrysipera Genus of DamselfishThey do not make my top ten because some consideration needs to be made to ensure you have success with their more aggressive nature, but if you take the right steps they make the cut. You can check our damselfish article. I created this list to help starters and I know I did exclude a few excellent choices.  What saltwater fish do you think make a great start for a saltwater aquarium newbie?  Share it with us in the comment section below or you can read more about our blog here or shop for aquarium supplies at our store.  I'm sure a lot of new and potential fish keepers would love to hear your feedback :).P.S. - Want more info on saltwater reef tanks? Check out my post title 55 saltwater reef tank words of wisdomFinding the perfect new addition to an aquarium is often like finding the Holy Grail to many aquarists. We all want the perfect little helper to keep the tank clean so there’s less work for us to do (and so our tank is cleaner and healthier, of course) but many “algae eaters” get too large for smaller aquariums and many others like the group of fish known as “plecos” don’t even eat algae at all.

So what are the best plecos and algae eaters for small freshwater aquariums? Here are a few of our favorites that are some of the best choices for smaller community aquariums: Bushynose & Bristlenose Plecos (genus Ancistrus) Plecos from the genus Ancistrus usually have “Bristlenose” or “Bushynose” somewhere in their common names, a nickname that comes from the whisker-like frills that develop on most adults. They are usually more prominent in adult males but some females may get them too in some species. Different species in this group have different requirements, but they are generally among the smallest plecos. While they eat some meatier foods as well, most appear to eat mostly vegetation. Clown Pleco (Panaque maccus L104) The Clown Pleco is a popular small pleco. As with other Panaque plecos, these fish are omnivores and feed about equally on plants matter and meatier foods. Panaque plecos are also unique in that they actually feed on driftwood as well; make sure you have driftwood décor in your tank for these fish to graze on.

Hillstream Loaches have flattened guitar-shaped bodies and are often mistaken for plecos. They cling to rocks in the fast-moving mountain stream where they come from much like plecos cling to surfaces. Hillstream Loaches need well-oxygenated and well-filtered tanks and don’t do well with nippy tankmates or in tank with less-than-pristine water quality. They do eat some algae however, as well as other detritus and leftover sinking foods. There are a few very similar species that are commonly grouped together as Otocinclus Catfish (“Oto Cats”) or “Dwarf Suckermouth Catfish”. Most are brownish-grey in color with a black stripe but some like the Zebra Oto (Otocinclus cocama) have a more ornate pattern. These fish stay under two inches in length and are great for eating algae off of plants without harming the plants. They can be a bit finicky and sensitive though so only keep in a stable, healthy aquarium. They are also best kept in groups so plan tankspace accordingly. Like the Clown Pleco, Rubbernose Plecos are some of the most common smaller plecos available.

They also have a very familiar pleco-like appearance that many novice aquarists associate with algae control. They are not exclusive algae-eaters however; this is another omnivore that needs about equal parts meaty food and plant matter. These fish are pretty middle-of-the-road overall: moderate adult sizes, eats diet for about half their diet, neutral coloration, moderate temperament. Nerite Snails are popular for saltwater aquariums but some species are found in freshwater as well. These snails are much smaller than some of the other less-suitable and more invasive freshwater snails like Apple Snails or Trapdoor Snails. They mainly eat smaller algaes like the ones that cause spots on glass but usually won’t harm plants. These snails also appear to bred less frequently in most aquariums than the more common Apple Snails. Make sure the ones you get are from freshwater; a saltwater Nerite will not survive being moved to a freshwater tank. Small freshwater shrimp like the popular Cherry Shrimp and Amano Shrimp can be ideal grazers, especially for nano tanks (under 1-2 gallons).