Most of these popular saltwater fish varieties are actually easy to take care of that even a beginner could handle them, whilst there are others that are reserved for enthusiasts with more background and experience when it comes to handling them. A fish’s life expectancy is what we use to refer to the common life span of fishes that are kept in captivity. With proper care and diligence, your pet fish’s life span can be prolonged and they can easily exceed their own life expectancy. Below is a short list of the most popular saltwater fish as compiled by aquarium enthusiasts themselves.

The first in our list of popular saltwater fish is the Surgeonfish. The surgeonfish gets its moniker from the sharp as scalpel spines that are found at the bases of their tails. These spikes are used for defense as well as for guarding their territories. This type of fish can be seen in various colors and patterns. They prefer vegetable foods and one should remember to include marine algae in their diets. Their life span usually lasts from 2-3 years.

Next in line is the Triggerfish. Triggerfishes are named this way because of their unique ability to “lock” their dorsal fins into place and such a way that it cannot be pulled off from its hiding place. They also have sharp teeth that point outward that are designed to help them when feeding on sea urchins as well as other invertebrates. This type of fish would accept almost all prepared as well as live foods. Life span usually lasts 2-4 years.

Boxfishes and Trunkfishes are among the significantly more challenging types of saltwater fishes to be kept in an aquarium and are best left in the hands of the more experienced enthusiast. Boxfishes are so named because of their square-ish appearance. One should also note that toxin that these animals produce when they feel threatened or frightened. They can be fed small crustaceans as well as come greens. Life span is usually around 2-4 years.

Angelfishes are among the varieties of fish that are highly prized by aquarium enthusiasts. They are among the most beautiful but are also among the most challenging to keep. This is because they are highly sensitive to even the smallest of change in the quality of the water and are also tough to feed. They do get along well with other species of fish but they can be quite miserable around their own. They can be fed marine algae, some fresh greens as well as frozen foods. These fishes can actually live up to 20 years under proper watch and care.

Basselets are colorful fishes that can grow up to 4 or 5 inches in length. Their colors range from hues of yellow, red, orange and purple. They are most ideal for people with smaller reef tanks although they do require space as well as live food. Life spans are usually around 2-4 years.

There you have it folks, a short list of the most popular saltwater fish as determined by aquarium fish enthusiasts themselves.