Choosing The Right Saltwater Fish

Picking the right saltwater fish will help you learn to properly keep your saltwater aquarium and prepare you for more exotic species. There are a few fish that are ideal for beginners and you can gain valuable experience by raising them.

And they’re relatively inexpensive so if you make a mistake and they die, you haven’t wasted a lot of money. The most important thing is to take it slow. Add 1-2 fish at a time. Wait for the tank and the new fish to get used to each other before adding any more.

Criterias For Picking Fish

Here are a list of things you should keep in mind when you’re selecting fish for your saltwater aquarium.

Compatibility

How well would the fish do with other fish. Basically you’re worried about fish eating and harassing one another. A good rule of thumb is that if one fish can fit in another fish’s mouth, they’ll usually end up that way.

A good beginner fish will be tolerant of other fish and will play nicely.

Hardy Constitution

Saltwater fish face a lot less fluctuation than freshwater fish so they’re sensitive to water quality changes like pH and hardness. A good beginner fish won’t be as sensitive and will let you make mistakes without dying.

Feeding

A good beginner fish won’t be picky about what they eat. By keeping all your fish eating the same thing, you can reduce the number of different food you’ll need for each fish.

Price

If you’re a beginner saltwater aquarium owner, you’ll probably make mistakes. If you start with inexpensive fish, it’ll be easier on your wallet to make mistakes.

Size

If you buy fish as juveniles, make sure when they’re grown, they won’t outgrow your tank or start eating your other fish.

Damsel Fish

These are the absolutely best fish for beginners. They’re extremely hardy and can endure worse water conditions than any saltwater fish, they’re not picky eaters, and they’re inexpensive.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that they’re territorial and can be aggressive. If you keep 1-2 in a tank, you should be fine.

Some dealers get around this by adding so many damsel fish that they can’t get territorial. But in the long run, this makes them unhappy and you should try to keep your fish as happy as possible. It leads to less stress and healthier fish.

Molly Fish (Mollies)

Another great choice for beginners are molllies but they need to be first acclimated to saltwater. You can do this by dripping saltwater into their bag over a 6-8 hours. Remove any excess water and discard it.

A lot of people use them to break in a new tank since they’re inexpensive.

If stocking your saltwater aquarium with mollies, buy several. They don’t form schools but they do form groups with their own hierarchy. They’re also passive so more aggressive species may pick on them.

Blenny Fish (Blennies)

They’ll need a lot of places to hide but they have great appetites. They’ll eat almost anything you add to the tank. Some eat algae too so they’ll help you keep your algae population down.

Because they like to hide, they often get lost in a large tank.

Goby Fish (Gobies)

Gobies, in general, are another good choice for a beginner saltwater aquarium tank.

However, some gobies are extremely rare and will run hundreds of dollars. Others feed by siphoning your top layer of your substrate. They’re difficult to keep in a fish-only tank.

Clown Fish

Clown fish are related to damsel fish. They’re really hardy but they’re not the best to break in a new tank. They’re really sensitive to the new tank environment.

Like damsel fish, they’re territorial. They’re aggressive to each other but not to other species.

They can live without sea anemones, which is a relief for a couple of reasons. Each clown fish species likes a specific sea anemone species. And sea anemones need really clean water and high quality lighting. Avoid sea anemones until you have the experience and the equipment.

Conclusion

All the fish mentioned above are all hardy, generally play nicely with each other, they aren’t picky about what they eat, and most importantly, they’re inexpensive. They look great and they’ll give you room to make mistakes without costing you an arm and a leg.