One of the first rules when you are picking out fishes for your aquarium is to pick one that is suitable to the environment of your aquarium. Do you have a saltwater aquarium or perhaps you have a saltwater one? Remember that saltwater aquarium fish cannot thrive in a freshwater environment and vice versa. Now that we have that cleared, lets discuss the saltwater aquarium fish varieties that are listed among many a fish enthusiasts favorites.

Included in that list is the Butterflyfish. Butterflyfishes live well amongst themselves but they should not be kept in a tank together wit live anemones and corals as these animals are part of their natural food sources. These fishes also need hiding places at night so you should have hollow rocks placed in their environment. You can feed saltwater aquarium fish with marine algae, frozen foods as well as fresh greens. They usually live up to 2-4 years.

Next is the Lionfish. Among all the saltwater aquarium fish available, the Lionfish is always going to be among the most beautiful. It has graceful, elegant long fins they also have very vivid colorations all over their body, truly a stunning mix of danger and beauty. Lionfishes are very aggressive carnivorous fishes and they would require a diet of live food for you to be able to satisfy their needs. Do note that not matter how elegant and graceful their fins are, they can be very poisonous and can inflict serious, not to mention painful, injuries.

Also in the list are the Mandarins or what people would often refer to as the “psychedelic” fish due to the swirling colors and patterns of purple, orange and royal blue that cover their bodies. These fishes are very slow moving and are bottom dwellers that feed on mostly small crustaceans or bottom debris. Their life span can reach up to 2-4 years.

Next, we have the Squirrelfish which are among the few species that are colored red. These fishes would definitely require a larger tank as they are very active and energetic swimmers. They would most likely disturb their more peaceful tank mates. They can also grow quite big in the tank so it is recommended to keep just one. These fishes would require a diet of live food, small feeder fish as well as worms. Their life span reaches up to 2-4 years.

Also in the list is the popular clownfish which are especially favored by children due to the movie “Finding Nemo” whose main character is a clownfish. Most people are actually inspired to begin a saltwater aquarium because of them as the sight of a clownfish hidden among the gracefully swaying tentacles of the anemone is truly a sight to behold. Clownfishes would do perfectly well in a tank even without the company of an anemone and in fact it is recommended, if you are keeping one together with other fishes, to forego the anemone as this can cause a clownfish to be territorial. Their life span can reach up to 10 years.

Saltwater aquarium fish come in all sorts of colors, sizes and even shapes. However it is best to choose one that is suited to your lifestyle. Why? Because if a fish requires that you tend to it most of the time and you are a very busy person, how do you suppose to properly take care of them? So, other than their decorative purposes, you should also consider just how well you would be able to care for them.

Tags: Aquarium, Fish, Saltwater, Saltwater Aquarium Fish