Rock selection is one of the most important and underappreciated decisions in aquascaping. I’ve spent a lot of time sourcing and working with different rock types for my own tanks, and the wrong choice can actually crash your water chemistry — some rocks leach calcium and raise pH dramatically, which is a serious problem in a planted tank. Beyond chemistry, the right rock defines the entire aesthetic of your aquascape, whether you’re going for a dramatic Seiryu stone Iwagumi or a natural river rock layout. Here’s my breakdown of the best rock types for freshwater aquariums and what you need to know before buying.
What to Look For When Purchasing A Rock for a Freshwater Aquarium
In general, the vast majority of freshwater fish and plants prefer softer water and lower pH. Knowing this fact, we want to avoid rocks that are high in calcium. Rocks high in calcium will alter the water chemistry of our aquarium. It will result in our water becoming hard. They also will alter the pH of the aquarium making our aquarium alkaline in nature. That is great for African Cichlids and Saltwater Tanks, but will be disastrous for most tropical fish we can purchase.
We need to break down rocks further to understand what makes a good freshwater aquarium rock. Let’s dive into the types of rocks.
The Three TypesFor Your Tank
We can separate freshwater aquarium rocks into three categories: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
Igneous
Igneous rock is any type of crystalline or glassy rock. These are formed by the cooling and solidification of molten earth material. Aquarium rocks in our trade of this type would include dolerite, gabbro, granite, basalt, and lava rock.
Sedimentary
Sedimentary rock are rocks that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of small particles and subsequent cementation. Aquarium rocks in our trade of this type would include marl, limestone, sandstone, breccia, conglomerate, and shale.
Metamorphic
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock types. The original rock form was subjected to heat and pressure which cause physical or chemical change. Aquarium rocks in our trade of this type would include quartzite, dolomite, marble, schist, slate, and hornfels.
They Can Alter Chemistry
Now that I explained the types of rocks, let’s talk about the aquariums rocks that can alter the chemistry of our tanks. We can separate them into two types.
Aquarium Rocks that lower pH and soften water
Aquarium Rocks that increase pH and harden water
If we are looking to lower pH and soften our water, we want to use aquarium rocks like sandstone and basalt. If we are looking to increase pH and harden our water, we want to use aquarium rocks like marble and limestone
There are also rocks that serve functions with planted aquariums. For example, lava rocks can be used to fertilize aquatics plants. Granite is one of the safest rocks to use in an aquarium due to its neutral nature. It is also one of the heaviest.
9 That Are Safe For Fresh Tanks
Now that we have a base understanding of rocks for freshwater aquariums, it’s time to talk about the best ones to buy. Below is a recommended list of the best freshwater aquarium rocks you can purchase online. I’ll go in more detail in my reviews of each.
Ohko Dragon Stone is one of the preferred aquarium rocks to use in Iwagumi Aquascapes. These rocks are not only beautiful, they are also natural in nature. They will not alter your pH or hardness being granite based. They will look fantastic in any planted tank setup. They are full of holes, nooks and crannies making them very good rocks for natural shelter for your fish.
These are the hot rocks for pro aquascaping projects these days. Check out the video above from BucePlant to see how amazing they look. Like any preferred aquascaper rock, they do have a higher price tag.
Pros
Rocks do not alter pH or hardness
Great looking rocks
Lots of sizes available
Cons
Price
Best For – Planted Tanks
2. Black Mountain Seiryu Stone – Best Value In Unique-Looking Stones
If you are looking for a unique looking aquarium rock, check out Black Mountain Seiryu Stone. The unique white veins really pop in an aquascape. They will not alter your pH or hardness so you can add them to any aquarium setup. These rocks are hard to find so be on the look out if you like them and want to buy one. The great thing from buying from our link is that Buce sells super high quality Black Seiryu and in packs up to 30lbs!
Quality lava rock is hard to find online. It’s pretty common to see listings of lava rock being used as biomedia or fireplaces. This makes sense given they are great for housing beneficial bacteria and are great stones for fire places. This does limit what you can buy on online though.
When it comes to aquarium lava rock these Black Lava Rocks by BucePlant are exactly what we are looking for. These are large rocks with unique shapes unlike what you will find at most pet stores. If you are looking to quality lava rock, check out their store and selection.
If you want a pro quality aquascaping rock, but the Ohko is out of your budget, I would highly recommend Buce Seiryu Rock. Seiryu is the godfather of all aquascaping rocks. These are hand picked stones from Buce. With their excellent customer service and high quality reviews, you can’t go wrong with them!
You will not be disappointed in going with them! Great details and texture comes with these rocks.
Pros
Great rock specimens
Great reviews and testimonials
Hand picked stones
Cons
Price
Best For – Planted Tanks
5. BucePlant WYSIWYG Stones – For the Pro Aquascapers
We start off this list with high end aquarium rocks. These rocks offered by BucePlant are what we call in the industry What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) rocks. This seller lists individual rocks or sets of rocks for you to purchase and you get the exact rocks in the picture. This is the best way to get large aquarium rocks for aquascapes if you are looking to do big projects.
In my mind, WYSIWYG vendors are the sellers to go to if you are looking for a large display stone. These are excellent for planted tanks and highly recommended if they are within your budget.
Pros
You get exactly what you see in the photo (WYSIWYG)
Large aquarium rocks available
High quality rocks
Cons
Limited quantities
Expensive
Best For – Planted Tanks
6. Lifegard Aquatics Redwood Petrified Stone – Made For You Aquascape Sets!
Are you looking for a done for you aquascape set? If so, the Lifegard Aquatics Petrified Wood Sets are right up your ally. These aquarium rocks are sold in packages for specific tank sizes. All you do is order the place for your aquarium and you are good to go. No need to guess or pick rocks. These sets use pertified wood instead of stone. As a result, the look is very unique for your aquascape.
Lifegard also offers another variant called the Klondike Petrified Stone set if you are looking for a different shade or color. I love these sets for first time aquascapers. It is wood versus stone, which may bother a purist, but not a problem for a newcomer. The price is pretty reasonable as well!
Pros
Will not alter pH or hardness
Done for you sets
Unique look
Cons
It’s wood versus stone – some purists may not be fans
Best For – Planted Tanks
7. Penn-Plax Deco-Replicas Ornament Series – Great for Territorial Fish
Penn-Plax Deco-Replicas Ornament Series are resin ornaments that resemble natural granite. They are great for territorial fish like cichlids. Each aquarium rock acts like an individual home or condo for your fish. Because they are resin based, so they do not affect your water chemistry and are very easy to clean due their smooth outer surface. They are also very easy to stack and create a community of homes.
The thing I do not like with these rocks is they are rough on the inside. This is due to their resin makeup. The resin has been smoothed out on the outside but not on the inside. This leads to rough and sharp edges inside the structure. This does not make them safe for delicate species like Betta Fish. You can make them smooth with a file, but given their price point it’s probably better to look at another product if you have delicate fish.
Pros
Cheap
Easy to clean
Great for territorial fish
Cons
Rough on the inside – not safe for delicate fish like Bettas
Best For – Cichlids
8. Small World Slate & Stone – Slate for a Great Price
These Slate Aquarium Rocks by Small World are an amazing deal. The product pictured above is the 5-7 inch stone sets. These are high-quality slate pieces sourced from the USA. Small World Slate and Stone is a small family-run business and its customer service is top-notch.
Slate will not alter your pH or hardness. They are great for Aquascaping and for creating caves and structures. They are also great for reptiles since they hold heat well. Slate is one of the most popular stones for garden and pond hardscaping.
Slate is easy to break or crack. Be very careful with handling the stones as they can chip easily.
If you own African Cichlids, these limestone rocks are perfect for them. Texas Holey Rock has several benefits for African Cichlids. Being made of calcium carbonate, these rocks buffer pH and hardness, which solves your aquarium water chemistry issues with Africans. The holes are great for shelter and curb aggressively in your freshwater tank.
These rocks are sourced locally in Austin, Texas. The team selects these rocks to take care to find quality specimens for aquarium usage. The Company was built by a Cichlid tank owner who understands the need for quality hardscaping.
Given their limestone makeup, these rocks are only appropriate for fish that need a higher pH or hard water. The white appearance is also not for everyone. You can mitigate the white look by using low-light aquarium plants like Java Fern, and Java Moss which easily attach to these rocks.
Pros
Buffers pH and hardness for African Cichlids
Hand picked selection
Holes are great for shelter
Cons
White appearance is not for everyone
Only for fish that need hard water and higher pH
Best For – African Cichlids
Our Expert Pick
I listed a number of aquarium rock selections. Which one is best for you? I’m going to split these in several categories and explain.
The safest rocks are ones you can purchase at a pet store, local fish store, or online. That being said, the best rocks to use are Ohko dragon stone, Seiryu Stone, and Lava Rock. You can also use rocks like slate for building levels and Holey Rock for setups that require hard water or higher pH.
Can You Put Any Kind In A Fish Tank?
No. You cannot just put any rock in a fish tank. Some rocks will alter the chemistry of the water like its pH or hardness, which can have negative effects on your fish and plants. Rocks collected from outside or rivers may also contain organic material, which may die off and cause ammonia spikes. It’s best to purchase your rocks from a reputable pet store whether in person or online.
Can Live Stones Be Used In Fresh Tanks?
No. Live rock is rock that is either pulled from the oceans or grown aquaculturally to be used in saltwater tanks. They contain saltwater bacteria and organisms, which would die off if placed in a freshwater tank.
Which Ones Raise the pH in the Tank?
Rocks that are made of calcium carbonate like limestone will raise the pH in an aquarium. These rocks are ideal for fish that prefer higher pH and hard water like African Cichlids.
Conclusion
Aquarium rocks can really be striking backdrops in your fish tank when you find the rest specimens. I hope this post helped you find what you were looking for. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
🌿 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Planted Tank & Aquascaping Guide — your ultimate resource for aquarium plants, aquascaping styles, substrates, and more.
Rimless aquariums are something I genuinely love — the clean, borderless look transforms a tank into living art, and it’s the aesthetic I gravitate toward for aquascaping builds. The difference between a rimless and a standard braced tank is immediately obvious: you get an unobstructed view from every angle, which makes a huge difference in how planted tanks and reef setups are photographed and enjoyed. After working with rimless tanks of various sizes and brands over the years, I can tell you which builds are worth the premium price and which cut corners on glass thickness and silicone quality.
Before we start, I will disclose there will be affiliate links in this post where I may get a commission should you choose to make a purchase at no charge to you.
In a hurry? For a freshwater rimless aquarium I recommend UNS Systems for a saltwater rimless aquarium I recommend Waterbox.
What To Look For When Buying It
Before we start comparing rimless aquariums, we need to talk about what to look for when purchasing one. A number of manufacturers have hopped on the rimless aquarium bandwagon and they are not all created equal.
First things first, let’s talk about what you want. What are your goals? Are you looking to do a planted tank? Are you looking to do a reef tank? Are you desiring an all in one fish tank setup? What is your budget? These are all questions you want to write down and know before you go comparison shopping because rimless aquariums are designed for multiple specialty tanks so there should be a rimless aquarium for you once you know what you want to do with your fish tank build.
For the aquariums I’m reviewing today, this is my criteria:
Quality
Features and Accessories
Brand Name
Price
The Candidates
Now that we know what to look for, the types of rimless tanks available, and what makes them an amazing buy, it’s time to talk about the best rimless aquariums out there. The list below is our picks after client field testing and our own experience with these manufacturers. There is a rimless aquarium for everyone on this list. Let’s begin!
If I take this post from a pure rimless tank view, the Ultum Nature Systems Rimless Tanks are in a class of their own. These are without a doubt the world class ultra lean best rimless tanks you can purchase today. German engineering with 45 degree precision cut mitered edges. The Ultum Nature Systems rimless tank is designed with low iron glass that is 91% Diamant glass and brands with the UN systems logo on the bottom. When guests visit your home and see how awesome your glass tank looks, they will know UNS is the designer of your rimless aquarium. It’s a true work of art.
These rimless aquariums are available in many sizes and professionally shipped to your door. Shipping large fish tanks has always been a major pain. Ultum Nature Systems does not ship cheap. Their larger fish tanks are shipped in crates and carefully packaged. I have seen many all in one fish tanks shipped poor and cracked upon delivery. You do not have to worry about that drama with UNS. The comfort of knowing you won’t have to get multiple rimless tanks shipped until it arrives undamaged is not a concern with this brand.
The other thing I love about these fish tanks are the furniture. The furniture options are amazing. They are high-end professional manufactured cabinets. They fit flush with your UNS rimless tank. You don’t have to worry about getting a custom made cabinet or finding a standard cabinet that fits. UNS offers it all for you in one complete professional package. It’s no wonder why they are the top choice for professional aquascapers. Just look at the cabinet video below from Ultum Nature Systems. The cabinet just screams world class quality.
UNS tanks come in many sizes. From a rimless nano fish tank all the way up to a massive 150+ gallon rimless aquarium, there is a size for everyone at every budget.
There are two cons with Ultum Nature Systems. The first is they are solely focused on the freshwater hobby, so they do not make a reef ready rimless aquarium. It is a pure rimless aquarium through and through with UNS though they do offer All In One Tanks. They will also be comparatively expensive compared to other fish tanks at their size. In my opinion, you get what you pay for. This is a world class brand and rimless aquarium. You can’t go wrong purchasing one. See the full UNS Aquarium Review.
If I think about the best value in rimless tanks today, without a doubt I would say Waterboxdelivers. Waterbox primarily delivers reef ready aquariums. Waterbox reef ready systems have the best plumbing system available for a ready to run fish tank today. Their plumbing system is called the Platinum Reed Plumbing system. It is built with a true manifold system with quality colored PVC and unions for easy maintenance. Their overflow system is a true BeanAnimal, which is the reef standard in today’s modern reef.
Waterbox sumps are the best you can buy for a ready to run fish tank. They are multistage designs and made of rimless glass.
Waterbox and Red Sea have competed head to head for a number of years. There are die-hard fans for each brand. While I felt Waterbox always had the better designs and features, they have completely separated themselves from Red Sea with the introduction of their freshwater systems, the Clear models. The Clear models are hard to find at this time because supplies are limited, but once they have full production they will have complete glass tank designs for both freshwater and saltwater hobbyists.
These are expensive tanks no doubt, however, the construction and quality for their prices earns the best value among all rimless tanks on this list. It is a well deserved distinction by Waterbox. Excellent aquariums overall. See the full Waterbox Aquariums review.
This rimless aquarium by Laden is great for planted tanks. They are just what we are looking for when we are creating a planted tank aquascape. This low iron glass tank is expertly crafted and they are available in multiple sizes. The rimless aquarium I have linked in this post I feel is the ideal size for many first time aquascaping projects.
Landen aquariums are only available online, which makes them perfect for those who cannot purchase rimless tanks locally. They are well known for their great packaging that ensures your glass aquarium arrives undamaged from shipping.
The only cons I have with this tank is the price. You get what you pay for with this tank. It’s one of the better bare bones low iron glass rimless aquariums on the market.
Current’s Serene line offers a unique opportunity for Freshwater Aquarists. Comes with a filter, stand, light. You can even pick an aquascaping package!
Are you looking for a large all-in-one aquarium for a freshwater tank that is also rimless? There has been a major gap in the market, as the original premium all-in-one rimless tanks started with reef tanks. As freshwater aquascaping has become more popular in the US, you have seen an introduction of lines like Waterbox getting into freshwater fish tanks and now you have Current USA getting into the Freshwater premium line now.
The Serene Aquarium offers you a 4 foot long glass aquarium measuring 48in. x 18in. x 18in. It is a low iron glass rimless tank with a frosted background film pre-installed. This gives you the white background look that is loved by aquascapers. The inlet and return lines are also frosted to blend into the aquarium.
Did I mention that Current also includes a backlight light? This backlight is something that has been missing in every freshwater setup I have come across. Current addresses this and doesn’t overcharge for it like ADA does (the only other manufacturer who supplies a backlight option!)
The cabinet is solid wood with a reclaimed wood finish. This gives it a neutral color that blends well in a lot of modern homes. It also has soft touch doors and an open structure that gives you easy access to the inside without a bulky support beam in the center of it.
The Serene also comes with an LED light , a hidden OASE canister filter, and a Hydor inline heater. All of these items are pre-installed and ready to go for you. This makes the system plug-in and play and easy to maintain.
There are also other options you can get with this rimless glass aquarium. This tank comes with aquascape bundles you can purchase that have been designed by professional aquascapers. The first is a Riverwood scape that is displayed in the video below and the second is the Manzanita scape. Both options are easy to install in your aquarium and will give it an eye popping design that will even be the envy of your planted tank friends!
So what’s the catch? Well, it’s fairly expensive. Even at its price, it’s an amazing value. You get a high quality system and the price is comparable to Waterbox’s freshwater rimless line. I do feel Current does need to have other options like a planted tank variant, which you could get a killer canister filter like an OASE and an option to swap out the LED light for a Serene Pro RGB LED light. I am a huge fan of both products when it comes to planted tank setups.
The Fluval Sea Evo is a great rimless glass aquarium if you are looking for a nano reef tank. This fish tank is designed with beginners in mind, as they have everything that you would want to get you started. This tank is so well loved that it is the official tank of Biota’s sustainable reef kits. Biota, if you do not know, are huge pioneers in our industry. They were the first mass producers of the tank raised Tang and Clown Trigger. If there is a choice of a cutting edge breeder in our industry, this is a product to look into.
The Fluval has it all to get started. It comes with competent LED lighting that acts like a cover. The media chambers are good enough and the return pump is strong enough for corals. The main issue with this Evo aquarium tank is that you have to know what it is designed for. It is designed for low light corals and small reef fish. If you keep that in mind, you can build an amazing and easy to keep nano reef tank.
The biggest issue with this fish tank is the heat management. This is a big concern if you live in a warmer climate. Because the tank is small and covered, heat gets trapped during hot days. Make sure you have adequate AC coverage in the area you place your Fluval Evo in.
The JBJ Rimless Flat Panel, in my mind, is the best starter saltwater reef aquarium set you can purchase today. It has the perfect dimensions for aquascaping. The JBJ Rimless is a reef tank that is 36 x 24 inches. 3 feet is long enough for territory for small fish, and 2 feet for the width is plently for having the space to sort rocks and corals for viewing.
It does mean that the LED light will be a bit more expensive, but the added gallon capacity of a 65 gallon tank is ideal. It is also sumpless, which means transitioning to saltwater even easier. It has large enough bays to house standard automation like auto top of systems and even a small protein skimmer. The JBJ Rimless is priced competitively as well. It seems expensive at first glance, but given you are getting the cabinet, it’s not as bad as you may believe.
However, the JBJ cabinet, while looking great from the outside, is not the highest quality.
Nuvo Aquariums are well known in the saltwater tank hobby as one of the best rimless aquariums you can buy. This Lagoon model from Nuvo does not disappoint. It comes with a great filter media chamber or the option to use a filter sock. The return pump is a DC pump that is power and very reliable. The dual outlets are great for getting your flow dialed in correctly. I also really like that they added their mesh screen lids. Nuvo designs a number of accessories for their aquariums including protein skimmers, media reactors, and wavemakers, so going with their line will always mean you can find accessories that will fit your fish tank.
The main thing not to like about this tank is the height of the aquarium. It only stands at 12 inches in height. That’s not stellar for a display tank. A 16″ height would be preferable. The price is on the high end, but you get what you pay for with this aquarium.
All in One tanks are great for quick fish tank set ups, however others want to set up a complete sump filtration system. Not everyone likes to drill an aquarium, and this solution by Nuvo is an excellent choice. It comes complete with a glass overflow that is connected to the back of the aquarium. As the overflow does not take up space inside the aquarium, you have full access to your fish tank for aquascaping. This is something that not even ghost overflow can provide!
Because the overflow is built into the system, you do not have to worry about leaking issues when you start up. Leak issues are always a pain to deal with. I also deal with them when working with external overflows. All overflows have their quirks. This EXT line from Nuvo offers a hassale free solution. This is an excellent choice if you are looking for a sumped tank as a beginner.
The major downfalls for me is that the overflow is a Durso versus a Bean Animal. In Nuvo’s difference though, a Bean Animal overflow would have taken up a lot of space. It is also fairly expensive compared to drilling a tank yourself.
The Lifegard Crystal Aquarium is a great value for those looking for a rimless aquarium. The price for these fish tanks are tough to beat. This ultra low iron glass aquarium comes with a traditional all in one chamber where you can place your media and equipment in the back. They utilize bio balls for their biological media, which I feel is “old school” in this day and age. The pump that comes with the tank is stronger than most I’ve seen included in all in one tanks. It may need to be adjusted down for those with planted tanks.
The main “con” here is the media included. Bio balls are just weird to me these days. I would prefer a media chamber with multiple stages so I can put whatever I want in it like Innovative offers. The affordable price for this aquarium tank makes it definitely worth a consideration!
The Red Sea Reefer is the original ready to run reef tank that started it all. For a long time in the saltwater hobby if you wanted to create a high quality reef setup, you were on your own to pick the glass aquarium, get a custom made stand, and built a sump. Red Sea changed all of that with the release of the Reefer. Since then, many competitors have appeared to challenge their place in the market that they created.
The Reefer series has been unchanged for the most part for many years. It still uses simple to install components and high quality low iron glass with a Bean Animal overflow design. They are used by many hobbyists today, which means getting one approachable because there are many peers to get advice from who are running these aquariums.
Their latest V3 refresh puts their tanks on par with the WaterBox systems. They are using a better sump design that is adjustable and they switch over to colored PvC and a longer warranty. The ATO system, while it comes standard, is ancient with a standard float valve. I’d rather have been nix this and use better quality PVC or design a manifold.
Overall, the Red Sea brand is a high quality one and their success with their tanks cannot be denied. The community is also amazing. Read more about our in-depth Red Sea Reefer Review.
The SCA 66 Gallon Rimless Cube Aquarium is a STARFIRE glass (low iron glass) cube tank that will blow you away. It’s simply amazing. I love the dimensions. The 80 gallon rimless aquarium shown here is 32 x 24 x 24. 24 inches of width and height is great working space to build the aquascape of your dreams. I also love that SC builds quality overflows. They make quality Druso overflows that won’t drive you crazy with their noise. They will also create full packages that come complete with a sump and protein skimmer.
For example this 66 gallon rimless aquarium comes with an aquarium kit of the main essentials to get started. The price is amazing for what you get. It still has the 24 inches of width like the 80 gallon rimless fish tank and only sacrifices 4 inches of height. I know many reefers who swear by SCA and have built incredible display tanks with them. They are the ultimate valued prices reef ready systems in our industry!
I can go on and on about how much I like SC Aquariums, but there is even a nicer aquarium from them that I’m about to review next. What do I not like? It’s the stand if you get the plug and play (PnP) system like the 66 gallon rimless aquarium shown above. It’s a lower quality stand. The next fish tank from SC Aquarium addresses that issue.
Pros
Amazing dimensions
Reef Ready
Great price for a high end aquarium
Cons
If you buy SC’s stands – they are lower quality and not tall
Best For – Reef Tanks
Our Expert Pick
The moment has come to crown the best rimless aquarium. As always I offer multiple “best of” here as there are many of you looking for different types of fish tanks.
Best Rimless Aquarium for Planted Tanks – UNS Aquariums
Best Rimless Aquarium for Nano Reef Tanks – Fluval Evo
What Is It? How Do They Work and How Are they Constructed?
A rimless aquarium is a fish tank that lacks bracing. In a typical aquarium, they are manufactured by siliconing the glass pieces together than supporting the silicon joints with a plastic brace or rimless around the bottom and top of the tank. Fish tanks have been constructed in this fashion for many years. They are produced at mass scale, are cheap, and very durable due to the bracing.
A rimless aquarium is constructed using what we call the direct injection method. Silicon is injected directly into the joint and pieces are squeezed together. The injection method is a very precise method. Doing it correctly makes for a clean look without any silicon sticking out of the edges. There are a lot of DIY videos out there that should this process and you can definitely try this yourself. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have a lot of experience in building fish tanks.
Traditional vs Low Iron Glass
Another big selling point with rimless aquariums is that many are constructed with low iron glass. All manufacturers use different names for this. Some call it Starfire glass others call it ultra clear others diamond grade. Whatever they want to call or market it as it is all low iron glass at the end of the day. Low iron glass removes that green tint you will see in traditional glass. The larger the fish tank, the more noticeable of a difference you will see between a low iron glass tank vs a traditional glass tank.
Types
As I stated earlier in the post, there are various types of rimless aquariums you can purchase out there. Let me go over the various types and what they are best for.
Bare Bones
This is just the glass aquarium itself. These types of aquariums are best for planted tank setups. Many planted tank setups and aquascape what a completely clear background to start. Since they are typically using canister filters they have no need for an overflow system. A transparent background is perfect for a planted tank to really showcase light for that mountain or landscape like look that many aquascapers are looking to do.
All In One
An all in one rimless aquarium are designed to be a complete aquarium kit. They come with a chamber at the side or back of the fish tank. The chamber has a media chamber where you can add your desired filter media and will have a return and sometimes an optional 2nd chamber for you to add additional equipment like a protein skimmer or auto top off unit. These types of tanks are great first time reef or saltwater tanks. They can make a great freshwater fish tank, though planted tank setups may need additional modifications to add an AquariumCO2 system and reduce the flow depending on the livestock selection.
Reef Ready
A Reef ready rimless aquarium is a tank with a built in overflow. They typically are drilled at the bottom and will use a durso overflow. High end aquariums of this style will sometimes be built using bean animal overflows. These are aquariums are designed to be used with an aquarium sump. They are best suited for high end reef tanks. These tanks start you off with a great foundation and are easy to install.
Why Do You Need One?
Let’s talk about why you would want a rimless aquarium. Aside from the appealing look there are other great reasons to purchase one:
Many rimless aquariums are made of low iron glass. The larger these tanks are the bigger the difference. This provides a clear unfiltered view to your aquarium displaying it’s true beauty. Only an acrylic tank can match the clarity of a low iron glass aquarium.
You have a clear view of your water line with a rimless aquarium. This gives your fish tank a more natural look.
Many rimless aquariums come in cube form. While not the best for most fish, this can save you a lot of money down the road when it comes to purchasing lights as many LED lights are designed for 2 x 2 foot.
For you saltwater tank owners, you won’t have to deal with that annoying salt creep on the braces of your tank. If you ever owned a euro-braced tank, the difference is night and day on the salt creep you can accumulate.
They are designed for open tops, creating the best gas exchange possible for your aquarium.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to know when owning a rimless aquarium.
Place it on a flat solid surface
A Rimless aquarium cannot be placed on budget build aquarium stands. These are the usual particle board aquarium stands you will see at chain pet stores. Here is a picture to show you what I’m talking about:
If you place your rimless aquarium on a stand like this, the fish tank will have not support at the bottom and will crack under the pressure of your water. Do not make this expensive mistake! Most rimless aquariums will come with a self leveling mat to place on your surface. Make sure you use it. If you need to purchase one, here is a link for a self leveling mat.
Install a Stylish LED Light
A rimless aquarium’s look is compromised by a bulky and ugly looking LED light fixture. There are two ways to tackle this issue. Either purchase a lightweight Reef LED system (for saltwater) or Planted LED system that can mount on the rim of your aquarium or hang your light fixtures. On many high end aquarium installs, light fixtures are hung on the ceiling or a cabinet installed hanger is placed to hang the lights. Do yourself a favor and purchase the right looking LED lights so you do not take away from the sleek look of your aquarium.
Wipe Down The Top
Just use a clean towel or paper towel wipe down the top of your aquarium. Dust likes to collect up here so you will want to keep the area clean to not deter from the view of your creation.
Conclusion
Did you find the best rimless aquarium for you? Have any questions? Please leave a comment below if you do. I love hearing from my readers. I hope you are able to make a better informed decision on your purchase. Thank you for reading and see you next time!
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
A dedicated frag tank changes how you approach coral keeping — suddenly you’re not just maintaining a reef, you’re growing it. I’ve watched reef keepers make the transition and it consistently deepens their involvement in the hobby. A frag tank doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, but there are a few things that matter: stable water, good flow, and enough light intensity to actually grow corals, not just keep them alive.
A frag tank is a start of getting serious in the coral growing and fragging hobby. I remember it being very exciting when I fragged my first coral and really started to get into the coral fragging scene. I would meet up with local reef clubs and get frags for cheap or trade my own frags for some that I never owned. Not to mention it was a great way to build up credit at the local fish store and pay for supplies and salt!
Whatever your reasons are to build a frag tank, you are on your way to really diving into the world of coral farming and the reef enthusiast world. I am excited that you found this blog post. Today I’m going to go over the best frag tanks you can purchase. As a quick disclosure, this post will contain affiliate links where I may get a commission if you happen to make a purchase at no extra cost to you. With that aside, let’s get started!
What is a Frag Tank?
The very first question some ask me is what is a frag tank and why the heck do I want it. A frag tank is a dedicated tank where corals are to be grown. These corals come from your main tank or display tank where they are cut or fragged and are placed into a frag tank where they can heal and grow in an ideal and clean environment.
Types of Tanks
There are actually multiple ways a frag tank is created. I’ll go through a few common examples and their pros and cons.
The Display
This is how most of us get started with coral fragging. We purchase a magnetic coral rack and place our coral frags on them. It’s a nice way to piece frags in our display and it saves money. The problem is that if you have a lot of frags and racks, it can really take away from the beauty of your display tank. Racks can be an eyesore.
The Sump
This is usually done in Aquarium Sumps and sometimes in customer sumps where a fourth chamber is used to create a section to grow out frags. A grow out light made for nano reef tanks is installed to grow the frags. These are great frag tanks that can also save you money if you have the space in your sump.
The biggest downfall with this type of frag tank is that sumps are usually hidden away in your cabinet. The other problem is that the flow is dictated by your overflow and your return. You can try to work around it by installed an aquarium wavemaker, but ultimately there is little room to work with here. This brings us to our next frag tank.
The Integrated
An integrated frag tank is a separate aquarium that is connected to your display either through your plumbing. The tank is placed in a separate area, but shares the water from your display. This is a great way to connect the nutrients and stable parameters of your display tank while running your frag tank away from your main display fish and inverts.
The major problem you have with an integrated frag tank is because the tanks are connected, if you have a coral pest outbreak both tanks will get infested. This keeps you from being able to protect your frags and display tank in the event of an outbreak. This brings us to our last frag tank
The standalone frag tank is a self operating frag tank with it’s own filtration and equipment . The standalone frag tank biggest advantage is it is separate from your display tank. This allows you to keep your display tank from getting infected with coral pests if an outbreak occurs and allows you control the parameters in your frag tank separately.
The disadvantage with a standalone frag tank is they are the most expensive to setup and due to their smaller size, they are a harder to keep stable compared to the other frag tank types. The standalone frag tank is what most advanced reef eventually go to because it gives them so much flexibility and allows them to grow coral frags at scale.
A Quick Comparision
Now that we have identified that the standalone frag tank is the the go to for advanced reefers, lets look at several available on the market today.
The Nuvo Fusion 25 Lagoon I would consider the perfect frag tank. This tank from Nuvo has it all. At 12 inches in height it is the perfect size for a frag tank. The shallow height allows you to have high par with less powerful Reef LEDs and you can keep your flow dialed in much easier.
This Nuvo tank is along made of ultra clear class given you amazing clarity to show off your frags. The mighty jet DC pump is one of the best aquarium return pumps you can purchase for an all in one tank. The dual outlets are great to spread out your flow and the aquarium comes with a mesh lid to protect any high flying wrasses you may decide to house to control pests.
The only big downfall I see to this tank is the price. It’s worth the investment though.
When people come to me and ask how to build a frag tank for cheap, my first suggestion is to purchase a standard display tank during a chain pet store dollar per gallon sale. The best frag tank for when these tanks go on special is the 20 gallon long aquarium. This 30″ long tank has great dimensions to get your started. With it only being 12 inches in height, it is shallow enough to get proper PAR with most Reef LEDs. I recommend the Fiji Cube All in One Kit when using these tanks.
This kit will convert your cheap tank into a premium frag tank. This will allow you to place filtration in the back and hide all your equipment getting you clear view of your corals. I feel that all in one tanks work amazingly well for frag tanks and this retrofit kit is perfect. If you can find yourself a 33 gallon long aquarium, you can build out an even better frag tank. A 33 gallon long aquarium is 48 inches long, by 12 inches wide, by 12 inches high. The 20 gallon all-in-one kit will fit this 33 gallon tank giving you more space to work with.
The only downfall with this setup is that the pump that comes with it is not powerful. You will want to supplement flow with a wavemaker. The kit is also considered pricey to some.
Pros
Comes with Filter media box, pump, and return line
Easy to install
Works with cheap standard tanks at chain pet stores
Lifegard’s Crystal Aquarium is an ultra clear glass aquarium with the all in one compartments built in. It holds 24 gallons of water, which is plenty to get you started. It is a solid package with an attractive price point.
The main issue with this tank are the dimensions. At 24″ long x 15″ wide x 16″ inches high it’s on the higher end of height. This does give you space to house different light demand corals so this can be seen as a benefit. The pump is also designed for freshwater tanks, so it is not as powerful as it should be for a frag tank. Because it is a glass tank, it is not portable like an acrylic would be.
Modular Marine is a manufacturer that I have really enjoyed seeing come to its own over the years. They have had an eBay store for many years and have been well known for delivery high quality acrylic and 3d printed products over the years in the state of Texas and beyond. The recently started to make their own frag tanks which I’m excited to talk about.
This particular frag tank is unique to the others on this list in that the overflow is eternal. This means that it needs to be mated to a sump. If you are looking at running middle frag tanks, this can be a great build for you because you can plumb all your frag tanks into a single sump adding to extra stability into your system.
These frag tanks are more expensive than others on the list, but I really like the features they offer.
If you are looking for small frag tanks that you can take with you to a frag swap or event, then LuckReef’s Frag tanks are for you. These frag tanks come in multiple custom sizes with low depths. This makes it easy for you to get the right flow and easily setup for your show. Their prices are attractive for the sizes they sell. They only sell on eBay, but my personal experience with them have been amazing and they readily answer your messages and provide great customer support.
Pros
Good price point
Great dimensions
Acrylic – very portable for frag shows
Cons
Bare bones – no pump or media
Editor’s Pick
There are two clear winners in this list. The Nuvo Fusion Lagoon is an amazing starter frag tank if you have the budget for it. If you are going for a frag tank to take on frag swaps, LuckReefis the way to go.
If you are going the DIY route, the Fiji Cube kit is a great value to go with.
Conclusion
Frag tanks are a great way to get into coral propagation and trading with friends. At high scale you can make some good money selling corals locally. I hope this blog gets you off on the right foot. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Thanks for reading.
Air pumps are one of those pieces of equipment I’ve tested more times than I can count — from whisper-quiet USB models to heavy-duty units running multiple sponge filters at once. After 25 years in this hobby, I’ve learned that noise, output consistency, and durability vary wildly between brands, and the wrong choice leads to a humming annoyance on your nightstand or a dead pump mid-cycle. In this guide I’m breaking down the models that have actually held up in my experience.
Are you struggling with finding a quiet aquarium air pump?
In this blog, we share the best aquarium air pumps, from small sized ones to ones meant for larger setups.
With over 25 years of experience in the aquarium hobby, I’ve assisted countless clients, hobbyists, and readers like you in finding quality equipment that works. I’ve personally tested these products in real world scenarios to determine the quietest and highest quality air pumps on the market.
For those of you in a hurry, let’s get to the top picks right away. First off, if you want the best quality and the quietest out there the Eheim Air is a clear choice. This is the quiet air pump on the market and the Eheim brand is well known for last forever. The best value would be the M series by Fluval. It’s as cheap as lesser brands and still has the Fluval name behind it. It’s also pretty powerful for its size. Lastly, the tetra whisper is the go to for budget air pump. It has good features for the price and very easy to find even in chain pet stores.
The Candidates – A Quick Overview
There are many types of Air Pumps available today, but what is the best out there? The following air pumps have been reviewed with durability, function, and quiet operation in mind. There were many air pumps that did not make the cut. There were several that we cut from this list because we have field experience with these. The ones that I dropped are too loud, very expensive, or not very reliable. Below are the air pumps I would recommend.
The Eheim Air Pumps are without a doubt the quietest aquarium air pumps you can buy on the market today. They are powerful, quiet, and well-made. After all, Eheim is well known for producing excellent aquarium equipment for the hobby. The other great thing about this air pump is the diffuser that it comes with is pretty good. This eliminates the guesswork of having to buy an air stone. They also give you a check valve in the box. It is a well-engineered and well-thought-out package.
It is a plug-in-only air pump. This means if you want an air pump with backup abilities you will need need to shop for another unit. You could also buy a separate battery-powered air pump. The Eheim pump is on the pricey side among the plug-in air pumps on the list.
The Fluval Q Series Air Pumps offer an entry-level price with the brand name we love in Fluval. Fluval, as they have always done, backs up their equipment with a generous 2-year warranty on this air pump model. For a brand name air pump, it has a get price point and should definitely be a consideration over cheaper Chinese-made units out there. It is a powerful unit with dual air outlets.
Due to the unit’s power, it does give off more noise than I would like. The sound level is more equal to lesser brand names. This is disappointing for a Fluval branded air pump. But given they are designed for larger tank capacities, it may be worth looking at if noise isn’t a concern for you. The price point for a brand name air pump is great.
The Tetra Whisper Air Pump is a staple in our industry. Tetra and their name brand Whisper have been what they are known for. The air pump is their major item in the Whisper lineup. The Tetra Whisper has a good balance of features. It is very cheap compared to the others on this list and it is quiet. It also doesn’t look that bad in your cabinet or hanging outside of your tank due to its unique shape. I guess you could say there is a bit of a cool feature with its not boxy look.
It is cheap and gets the job done. If you are looking for value, the Tetra Whisper is for you!
The Tetra AP Series Air Pumps are pumps designed for larger tanks. This is Tetra’s best product in the Aquarium trade. It is super quiet for how powerful it is. It is not as quiet as the Ehiem air pump. But, it is close and operates at much larger aquarium capacities — up to 300 gallons in fact. Even with its large operating capacity, it still retails at a great price. To top it all off, Tetra backs this air pump with a limited lifetime guarantee. What isn’t there to like here?
The only grip I have with this air pump is it only comes with a single airline outlet for the AP 150 outlet. That is fixed with a proper Gang Valve.
Pros
Quiet for a large air pump
Value Priced
Limited lifetime guarantee
Cons
AP 150 only has one airline hose outlet
5. Cobalt Rescue – Great Unit With Back-up Capability
The Cobalt Aquatics Rescue Air Pumps is our first pump on the list with backup capability. It comes with an internal battery that can power the air pump for 24 hours in the event of a power outage. Add to the fact that it can be plugged in, this unit afters a primary air pump with power outage backup. It has a good amount of power output and should suit a medium-sized fish tank.
Given that it is a unit that offers a battery backup function, it is on the pricier side. It has also been reported as loud compared to some of the more quiet models that we will be looking at later. If noise isn’t that much of a concern for you and you want a power backup option, this unit would be a great pick for you.
Pros
Backup capability with internal that lasts up to 24 hrs
Powerful out of the box – will suit most aquariums
Not as quiet as other models
Cons
Expensive
Louder than other models
6. Penn Plax Silent – A Quality Battery Powered Unit
The Penn Plex Silient Air B 11 is the perfect battery-powered air pump. It has a good amount of power, being able to handle tanks up to 29 gallons. The unit is powered by 2 D batteries that should give you a life of about 6-8 hours. The auto-on feature is a nice bonus as you can plug this into your outlet and it will monitor if a power outage occurs. If an outage occurs, the battery-powered unit will turn on.
This is great piece of mind if you go out of town or away from your aquarium and an outage occurs. I feel that every aquarium owner should have one of these units. They will save your livestock one day.
It is more expensive than other battery powered air pumps on the market. Yet, the generic and cheaper alternatives out there are not very reliable. This is a piece of equipment you pull out when your pet’s lives are in danger. I’d rather spend more for something I know that is going to work. Going for a cheap unit that may or may not work when it is most needed can be disastrous. This unit is not built for quiet. In fact, it is the loudest air pump on this list by far. But, that’s not it’s function. It exists to save your pets lives in the event of a power outage. This is an air pump you should buy today as part of your emergency planning.
Pros
Battery Powered
Good power – works for up to 29 gallons
Auto On Feature
Cons
More expensive than other battery powered air pumps
Loud
7. Deep Blue Professional Hurricane Category 5 – The Ultimate In Battery Powered Backup Units
Armed with a lead acid battery pack, this unit does not mess around with its battery backup capacity. It not only comes with a 4.0 Ah battery out of the box, it will also operate with 12 Ah. It is some great piece of mind to know you can work the unit with these larger batteries if needed. Note that if you use a 12 Ah battery you will not be able to house the battery in the unit. It is a powerful air pump that is designed for mid-size aquarium. With dual airline outlets, this unit can serve as your primary air pump as well as your backup. This has everything you want in a good air pump.
You get what you pay for with this unit. It is the most expensive air pump on the list and its larger size will produce more noise than the Eheim. If you have a mid-size tank and want to protect your investment out of the box, this is the unit to buy.
Pros
Battery backup that will run for days not hours!
Powerful
Dual airline outlets
Cons
Expensive
Louder than others on the list
What Are They?
Aquarium air pumps are a piece of equipment that delivers oxygen to your aquarium. Air pumps are external devices. They need to be placed outside of your aquarium, which means they are not waterproof. The air they generate is delivered through airline tubing. You can use accessories like air stones and bubble decorations.
Air stones can distribute oxygen while bubble decorations add interest to your aquarium. They work in both freshwater and saltwater tanks. For saltwater, they tend to be used with wood stones in applications such as Protein Skimmers. Since saltwater fish tanks need to have more current than freshwater fish tanks, a wave maker is a better fit for them.
The mechanics of an aquarium air pump are actually pretty simple (image source). You have a magnet, which is the tan-colored part above that turns on and of. As the magnet turns on and off, the lever on the bottom left of the photo moves up and down. This movement from the level pumps the rubber part in the middle called the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the part that takes in air and pushes it out to the airline tubing.
Do I Need It?
The main reason to get an aquarium air pump would be to provide oxygen in the tank. The most common application for an aquarium air pump is with fish that need rich oxygen. Discus (due to higher temperatures) or Goldfish (Due to their size) are two examples. They are also great to use if you want to connect them to a Sponge Filteror Air Pump Powered Protein Skimmers.
Pumps versus Wavemakers
I do get this question a lot. Why should I get an aquarium air pump over a wavemaker? Aquarium Wavemakers are great solutions for water movement and aeration. Yet, they are not for every aquarium setup. In freshwater tanks, there are certain setups where an air pump is more appropriate. For example, fish like African Cichlids need current. Other fish like Goldfishand Betta Fish, want calmer waters. With an aquarium air pump, you can have oxygen-rich water without having a current that is too strong for fish.
Types
There are three types of air pumps in general. They are:
Plug-in
Battery Powered
Battery Backup
Plug-In
This is going to be the more common air pump you come across. They plug into your outlet and run all day. Super simple and for the most part very reliable. They do not have an on and off switch and are meant to run 24-7. You can if you want to control their operation if you have a controllable power outlet.
Battery Powered
These air pumps operate off batteries. They are smaller air pumps and come in handy in the event of a power outage. The batteries tend to last a good while – usually around 8 hours. All battery-powered air pumps are unfortunately very loud. It’s simply not their main design to be quiet. They are designed to be used in a pinch. They are not designed to be your primary air pump in your aquarium. I would recommend that you have a battery-powered air pump on hand for emergencies. They will save your fish tank one day.
Battery Backup
This air pump is a combination of the two previous types of air pumps. They plug into your outlet and have a bay to place backup batteries in the unit. When the power goes out, the battery backup will kick in to keep your fish tank oxygenated. Lack of oxygen is one of the major reasons for a tank crash during a power outage. A high-end unit will likely save your aquarium one day from a power outage. They are priceless units.
Accessories – Getting the Essentials
So we have got through all the best aquarium air pumps available to buy today. Before you go get your air pump, let’s talk about all the essential accessories. You will want to look into these before setting everything up. They are:
Airline Tubing
Air Check Valve
Air Control Valve
Airstone/Bubblers
Airline Connector
Gang Valve
Airline Tubing
These connect your air pump to your air stone, bubble, or sponge filter The tubing transfers the airflow to your fish tank. They are very cheap to obtain and just about any you purchase will be very reliable. I would recommend Penn Plax’s Airline Tubing or Lee’s brand if shopping locally. All you do is measure and cut to length and you are good to go.
Airline Check Valve
An Airline Check Valve is an accessory that will prevent your airline tubes from siphoning water out of your aquarium. This can occur in the event of a power outage or equipment failure. They are a must for any air pump application.
Control Valve
An Air Control Valve is an accessory that allows you to have more precise control over your Air Pump’s output. They work by turning the valve to reduce or increase the airflow. For control valves, I prefer the ones made by Fluval.
Stones and Bubblers
An air stone or aquarium bubbler helps better distribute the oxygen into your aquarium. Without either, the airline connected to your air pump will generate big bubbles. These large bubbles can be loud and disruptive to your water line. In a freshwater fish tank, we prefer a smooth distribution of bubbles.
The finer the better as this provides more rich oxygen into the aquarium. Air stones are the standard that most of us in the hobby are used to and provide fine bubbles. Bubblers are more expensive than air stones and take it a step up producing a fine mist of bubbles. Air stones are cheap and get the job done, but if you want the best, go with a bubbler.
Airline Connectors
Airline Connectorsare plastic pieces that allow you to split your airline in two or to connect your airline at 90-degree angles. They come in handy when you have a lot of airlines that you need to work with. Airline tubes can get bent reducing the output of your pump. The connectors will create a good directional change for you preventing the issue.
Gang Valve
A gang valve is an air pump accessory that will split your airline output into multiple lines. It also has the added benefit of being able to control the airflow of each line. It’s a combination of an air control valve and airline connectors. I would recommend Penn Plax’s Gang Valve if you are looking to get one.
How to Reduce the Noise From Your Unit
A common question I get from readers is how do I reduce the noise from my air pump. Of all the features and models I listed on this best of the post, the primary concern with an air pump is noise. The unfortunate truth is that all air pumps make a sound. There are two things we can work on here when it comes to noise:
Quality of sound
Reducing sound
The quality or the type of sound that your air pump produces is a major factor. A lower-quality air pump will rattle and bump while the higher-quality brands like Eheims will hum along. An air pump that hum along tends to not annoy people, even if they are louder than the ones that rattle.
Reducing the sound itself is the next thing we can work on. We can do the following to further reduce the noise produced by our air pump:
Raise the depth of our airstones
Moving the air pump to a different location
Fill any unused airline outlets
Raise the Depth of Your Stones
For smaller pumps, they will work harder the deeper your air stones are placed in the tank. You can solve this by moving the air stones up or considering purchasing a larger air pump that can operate at those depths without having to work hard.
Move It To A Different Location
Air pump location is a very important factor. If they are leaning on something, they can create more vibrations that can create more noise. Even the surface it sits on could create a problem. If the surface is an issue, you can consider moving it or placing the air pump on a Neoprene Mat.
If you have an Aquarium Cabinet with doors, placing the air pump inside the cabinet can muffle the noise. Keep in mind that many budget built aquarium cabinets are made of particle board. A particle board and an air pump are a bad combination. Consider a neoprene mat to migrate the noise if you are using such a cabinet. Oak cabinets fare a lot better at noise absorption.
Fill Any Unused Airline Outlets
Some of the air pumps we have featured in this post have multiple airline outlets. This is great for having the ability to use multiple airlines out of the box, but can also create a problem if you do not utilize them. Unused airline outlets will be noisy as the air pump will push air to these outlets even if unused. To reduce the noise, one way would be to plug in airline tubing to the unused outlet. It will generate less noise than if the outlet was left open.
FAQS
Can A Unit Be Too Strong For A Fish Tank?
Yes, an air pump can be too strong for a fish tank. If they are oversized, they can disrupt the water surface too much causing stress on your livestock. It’s best to either buy a smaller air pump or split the outlets so they can be spread out to other parts of the tank.
Should I Turn It Off At Night?
No. It’s not necessary to turn off your air pump at night. However, you can if you wish to disconnect it if your air pump is not connected to your filtration system, like a sponge filter
Do Fish Like Stones and Bubblers?
Yes, but not because they actually like the way it looks. Air stones distribute air more calmly than just your airline and the added oxygen benefits your fish. So in that way, fish do like air stones in their tank.
Do I Need One If I Have A Filter?
You typically will not need an air pump if you have a capable filter. However, there are certain fish where added oxygen would benefit them like Discus fish. Air pumps also become more important if a tank is overcrowded because oxygen starts to become scarce.
Conclusion
We went through quiet a lot today. We learned about how air pumps work. What different models are available for purchase. We looked at accessories for our air pump. We then provided a few pro tips to make your pump as quiet as possible.
The fact of the matter is air pumps do generate noise. There is no way around that. But, we want to reduce that noise as much as possible. We want a quality air pump that produces a sound that will not annoy us. An air pump should produce a smooth sound versus a banging or clanging sound. If you have any questions below, please leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading.
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
Following up our Best Aquarium Wavemakers Review post, it would be natural for me to write about the best aquarium return pumps next. Return pumps are an essential component for many fish tanks. They are used in all-in-one tanks, water changing stations, and in aquariums sumps or refugium sumps. It is the heart of the aquarium and thus the very piece of equipment in your setup that you do not want to fail. You can argue that next to an Aquarium Heater, a failed return pump can be disastrous not only for your livestock, but to your home in the event of a flood or leak.
The goal with this post is not to point you to the cheapest aquarium return pumps or the most expensive ones. I’m going to point you to the highest quality and reliable pumps available today on the market. This is a component of your system that you should not skim on. You want an aquarium return pump to last forever, be quiet, and to be relevantly maintenance free.
What Is An Aquarium Return Pump?
The first question you may be asking is why do I have to use a return pump versus say a wavemaker or powerhead. The main difference here is that return pumps are designed to pump water uphill and are made to handle head pressure. Wavemakers are meant to pump water within the aquarium and a powerhead is not suited to handle the head pressure that a return pump is design to take.
AC vs. DC Return Pumps
Return pump manufacturers have been really pushing DC return pumps a lot recently. It makes a lot of sense given the control features that DC pumps offer. Nearly all DC return pumps are controllable with precision and have feed modes to instantly shut off the water pump when feeding your fish, plants, or corals. Some return pump come with smart phone apps that makes monitoring and setup a breeze. They are also a lot more energy efficient.
However, they come with some big advantages. Reliability is the number one concern I would have with a return pump. You see, a large number of DC return pumps are made in China and the same manufacturer often makes several re-branded pumps (e.g. – Jabeos). Sometimes the quality control simply isn’t there. Other times, the warranties are very short because the manufacturers are well aware of the issues — especially if they operate in saltwater aquariums. A DC controller with have 3 failure points that you will need to deal with:
The controller
The power supply
The motor
The motor will be the most reliable part of your DC return pump and the controller will be the least reliable. Often times when I see a DC return pump failure, it will usually be the controller.
AC pumps are a tried and true in this industry. The benchmark of this engineering comes from Italy. Italian engineers had developed the Askoll Motor Block.
Askolls motor blocks are known for their extreme reliability in the aquarium trade with many motor blocks easily lasting over 10 years. The manufactures will also back up their models with long-term warranties, typically at least 3 years or more! The motor block is the only failure point to be concerned with on an AC aquarium return pump. As you can see, they are very worry free!
AC pumps also come with some big disadvantages over DC pumps. Several are not adjustable aside from the flow rate reducer, which means the pump will always run at full power and the decreased flow rate results in head pressure (e.g. – more wear and tear). Nearly all will not have a feed feature and the energy consumption is a lot more. Several AC pumps are also loud, which is a big consideration if you are working with a setup in a study or bedroom.
Internal Versus External
An internal return pump can only be run submerged in water.
An external return pump is made to operate solely outside of the water. They can handle pushing water over long distances due to their designs. Nearly any return meant to work externally only is going to be extremely reliable. Not having the pump inside the water, especially not in saltwater increases the reliability of a return pump immensely. Many of these pumps will operate for years without maintenance. They will also offer the higher flow rate. They are commercial sized external water pumps that can handle flow rates for large displays, ponds, and fish stores.
The main drawbacks with external return pumps are that they are large, loud, and expensive. An external return pump is best operated for people who have basement sumps or fish rooms where water needs to travel long distances.
Our Criteria
Having criteria to rate these pumps are important. Here is what we looked at
Warranty – A quality brand is backed with a long warranty. 1 year or less on the warranty is suspect in our mind
Gallons Per Hour (GPH) – The GPH output of these pumps are very important and even more so if they operate will under longer distances
Noise – A funny thing about DC pumps is they can be noiser than AC pumps because of the DC “whine”
Price – While great pumps can be expensive, they aren’t for everyone. I want to find good pumps for every budget.
Top of List
Below is the list of recommended aquarium return pumps. They range between AC & DC pumps and external and submersible. All will have uses in your aquarium.
I have gotten comments from readers and folks I know that I am an anti DC pump hobbyist. There is one DC return pump that completely closes the door on the anti DC pump view I have. It is the Sicce Syncra SDCreturn pump. Without a doubt, this is the best DC pump you can purchase hands down on the market. Nothing comes close to it. It is a version of the legendary Syncra AC pumps now in DC form.
This is a well engineered DC pump that is built in Italy. Sicce continues to stick with its high quality manufacturing and R&D process that has earned its reputation for long lasting pumps. This is the only DC pump I have seen that is backed by a 5 year warranty. There is only one other that I know that exceeds this warranty — and those pumps are nearly 3 times the price of the SDC!
Not only do you go the great reliability of Sicce, but the controller is excellent. It runs of a mobile app. It runs off wifi, so this is a completely mobile app unlike the Current USA bluetooth accessories that require you to have a device nearby. You can run the app on your phone and it will alert you if the pump goes offline. For a piece of equipment as critical as a return pump, that is big time piece of mind.It has the same closed pump feature that the EcoTech pumps have as well.
This is the DC pump to buy if you want a DC pump. Unfortunately, it comes with a high price tag. It should last you a lifetime like all Sicce pumps — something that nearly all DC pump manufacturers these days cannot say with confidence. The Sicce Syncra SDC is now my pump of choice for all premium builds. See Full Review.
Pros
Sicce name and quality – made in Italy not in China!
5 year warranty on a DC Pump!
Fully controllable via mobile app
Cons
Expensive
2. Sicce Syndra – Quiet & Reliable Unit That Lasts A Lifetime
The Sicce Syndra aquarium return pump is the first pump I recommend to clients when building an aquarium. Their final selection will vary depending on their budget and their desire for control on their return pump, but the Sicce is also the benchmark I start with. I always start with a Sicce pump because they have the best engineering, best reliability, and best warranties in the industry.
I didn’t even mention how quiet they are. They are insanely quiet. Many DC pumps are louder than these in comparison. It’s all due to their 35+ years of Italian engineering and care in manufacturing. The pump is equipped with a synchronous motor and advanced rotor which cuts down on the noise significantly.
Sicce tops off all these features with a gold standard best in industry 5 year warranty. No maker unless you spending way more in the DC category (looking at you Abyzz) offers a warranty like this. There is absolute confidence from Sicce that this pump will serve you for a lifetime. I have seen many of these pumps in tanks run smoothly for years.
Sicce’s reliable and engineer are well earned and as a result, these pumps are on the pricey side. However, knowing that the return pump is the heart of an aquarium system I see no problem in spending a little more for a pump that will offer me a lifetime of worry free operation.
The Jabeo DCP Sine Wave return pump is the first Jabeo return pump that I am comfortable putting under a recommended list. Everyone is always asking me if Jabeos are worth buying and in the past I was 100% against them because of reliability issues. This particular model however, has my interest because of the Sine Wave technology that makes them crazy quiet. Sine Wave removes that annoying humming noise so common with your average DC pump.
It’s frankly annoying to the ear to hear it throughout the day. I know some clients who hate that DC hum so much that they end up going with a Sicce AC pump instead because they can’t stand it! The Sine Wave tech on this pump puts out about 25% less noise then the previous Jabeo generation (the DCS).
This pump features a controller than can adjust the pump from 30% to 100% power and comes with a feed mode that will shut off the pump for 10 minutes. Perfect for coral feeding or hand feeding shy inhabitants in your tank. This pump is also compatible with Jabeo’s battery backup (the IceCap battery backup will also work) solution giving you hours of operation in the event of a power outage.
The DCP Sine Wave is also the one variant of Jabeo that you will not see clones for. There are a lot and I mean A LOT of Jabeo clones and even American sellers who rebrand Jabeo pumps like Simplicity, but the Sine Wave tech is exclusive to the Jabeo brand so if you are going to use a Chinese made DC pump that is not a major brand, this is the one to look at.
Now let’s talk about issues with this pump. In my own personal experience, the controller is the Achilles heal of this unit. It is fairly common to have a unit shipped with a faulty controller and it will generally fail right away. I’m not sure why they fail so much, but make absolutely certain that you purchase this pump from a seller who can ship you a replacement fast and with no added cost if you have to return it (like Amazon).
Once you have a working controller, these units last a decent amount of time. They haven’t been out for too long, but I do know of several installs with these going two years now and still working like new. Given the price of these units, that’s pretty good if you are working with a budget.
Pros
Cheap!
Sine Wave tech = more silent than many DC Pumps
Lots of output options available
Cons
Controller reliability
4. Current USA EFlux – Affordable DC Power and Reliability
Current USA starts off our list with a very competent Eflux DC Pump offering. This water pump is well made with a controller that can adjust the flow rate from 1% to 100% using a dial. It has the advantage of hooking integrating with the Eflux Wavemakers and Loop LEDs for a complete package. It is a compact for the power it brings and I really like the rubber feet that come with it so you don’t have to worry about placing a silicon mat underneath it.
Current USA’s customer service has also been in my experience excellent and one of the reasons I go with them for many system components.
The main thing I don’t like about this DC return pump is the lack of a true feed mode. There isn’t even an option to do a feed mode out of the box. You get a feed mode when it’s linked to the Loop Led manifold or the Bluetooth accessory, but the feed mode is a 30% dial down mode not complete shut off. This makes it disappointing if you want a button for a feed mode, but since I tend to hook systems up with switch boards or a controller it is a non issue for me.
I would say this is the weakest offering of the Loop trio though, with the EFlux wavemakers being the strongest product offer of theirs.
The Fluval Sea SP series return pumps are a throw back to the reliable Askoll motor design. Italian engineered and backed by a benchmark 3 year warranty, the Fluval Sea offeres reliable, powerful, and quiet operation. Yes, that is right, these Fluval Sea have been reported to be quieter than old generation Jabeo DC pumps. They can also be run internally or externally. It is a great all around pump.
My main nitpick with this water pump is there is no flow rate regulator out of the box. In order to tune down this pump, you are required to use a gate valve in your plumbing. While a gate valve is recommended in any sump design, this can be an added expense and time cost for some who is looking to save on design costs. These are all power hungry and large pumps so don’t expect energy savings from them.
Pros
Askoll Motor & Italian engineering
Lots of GPH sizes for an AC pump
Runs internal or external
Cons
Water pump does not have a flow rate regulator out of the box
Large compared to DC pumps
High wattage consumption
6. EcoTech Vectra – High End DC Unit With Smart Phone App Features
The EcoTech Vectra is loaded with lots of smart features like auto calibration which will adjust itself automatically to the overflow drain of your tank. It is compatible with the EcoTech battery backup system, which can power the water pump for a couple of days. It can work with the ReefLink app giving you full access to your operations on your computer.
My favorite offering is the closed mode. I am a big fan of doing closed loop systems – especially for smaller tanks where you can eliminate a wavemaker and have more room for your corals and fish. The closed loop options offer wavemaking features like gyre and reef crest random modes giving you the random flow rate you need for a reef tank.
As with all EcoTech products, this is an expensive DC return pump. I’m not too upset about the price though. It’s the warranty that really bugs me. EcoTech only backs this up with a 1 year warranty, which is a big shame for a return pump that is supposed to be the heart of the aquarium.
The Eheim Hobby Pump is an extremely reliable aquarium return pump that has been around for many years in the hobby. I know a number of hobbyists who use this water pump with many still running after over 15 years of usage. The reliability of these pumps are virtually unmatched. They only come in smaller gallon per hour outputs, but for the what they are capable of, they are great additions to a system.
Unfortunately, as of this post, they are becoming more and more difficult to find as the manufacturer is phasing them out for a more mainstream and cheaper pump. If you can find these pumps for sale, they are worth every penny for their reliability.
The Eheim CompactON aquarium return pumps are the newest generation of pumps from Eheim. These pumps are the successor of Eheim’s popular Compact+ series pumps. What you get here is a compact fit that fits in tight sumps and all in one aquariums with the reliability of the the Eheim name. The ceramic bearing construction makes for a silent water pump. There is an easy to access adjustment dial near the outlet to adjust the flow rate. It comes with accessories so you can either do a hard or soft plumbing install.
Like many Eheim products, these pumps are on the pricer side of AC return pumps, but you are getting a more reliable water pump spending more.
Pros
Eheim Name
Has accessories for soft and hard plumbing installs
Small footprint
Cons
Expensive
Hard to find
9. Iwaki External – Japanese Quality with Long-Term Reliability
The Iwaki Magdrive Pumpsare the first external aquarium pump on this list. Iwaki is a very well known brand in the aquarium and pond industry due to their reliability and performance. The main difference between these aquariums and internal return pumps is the head pressure they can handle. They can work across longer distances making them perfect for basement sump and fish room installs.
External pumps come with a number of drawbacks. They are big and loud and can only be installed externally. They are not ideal for below the cabinet installs due to this and really are best for separate room installs. They are expensive, but one of these will last a lifetime and well worth the money if you have a specialized install.
Pros
High quality build and motor
Handles a lot of headpressure (great for basement sumps/fishrooms)
The MightyJet DC Pump by Innovative is the perfect aquarium return pump to upgrade to if you are looking for a DC powered pump in your all in one aquarium. They come in either 326 GPH or 538 GPH sizes, with both models being small enough to fit in the return chamber of your all in one.
It has many of the features you would expect with a DC pump drawing little power, having a feed mode, and being fully adjustable. The 326 GPH model uses only 15 watts at 100% so in a backup situation it can be dialed down and can operate for a long-term with a UPS or battery backup system.
Because this is a name brand DC pump, they are expensive given the output. There is also no sound dampening features like silicone or rubber feet like you get with the Current USA and other name brand DC offerings. It is a great water pump that works for all in one tanks and should also be a consideration for those if you running nano reef tanks with sumps.
Pros
Small enough to fit in all in one aquarium chambers
Good GPH output given size
Fully adjustable
Cons
Expensive compared to similar AC powered pumps
No sound dampening feet
11. Panworld External – The Choice for Basement Sumps
Panworld External Pumps offer a very reliable return pump for a reason price. I see many basement sumps and fish rooms run these pumps for years. They are pretty common place in the reefing community with their great price point and reliability.
Panworld’s price point comes from their 26 years of pump manufacturing experience, using Japanese pump technology and having manufacturing based in Taiwan.
As with any external pump, they are best for applications where you are moving water to an outside location like a basement or a fishroom. They are too big and bulky to be placed underneath cabinets and they are loud. They are amazing to use in water changing stations and various other external applications.
Pros
Cheap for an external return pump
Sturdy and reliable
Cons
Big and bulky
Loud
Only works externally
12. ReeFlo – Lots of Power for External Applications
Did I mention that external return pumps are loud? Well, the Reeflo External Return Pumps kick that concern to the curb. Don’t believe me? Just check out this field test video below and hear it yourself:
Pretty quiet isn’t it? Not only are they quiet, but they are very powerful. The entry level dart models produce a flow rate of 2600 GPH and their gold models can easily push out 5500+ GPH!. These are the pumps for you monster keepers or those with big fish rooms with lots of water to move.
These pumps are built in the USA and small business owned. The motors are fully rebuild-able meaning that you are can ensure that these pumps will operate for a lifetime. All the pumps come with multiple year warranties for worry free operation and purchase.
They are expensive external pumps, but if I was looking for an external water pump for my fish room or basement and silence is a huge priority – this would be the pump I would be looking at.
Pros
Very powerful flow rate (high GPH)
More silent than other external return pumps
Rebuild-able motors
Cons
Expensive
Big and bulky
13. Reef Octopus VarioS – Quality Marine Brand DC Unit
The Reef Octopus VarioS return pump offers a fully controllable DC pump. This pump is controller ready, being able to connect with controllers like the Neptune Apex and is meant for aquarists looking for high end equipment.
The controller is pretty comprehensive on it’s own offering a 15 or 16 minute feed mode and several speed settings.
The reef octopus is an expensive return pump, but those looking for a controller ready water pump won’t be disappointed by its performance. It is considered one of the best values for high end name brand DC pumps in the hobby. Reef octopus has a great brand name in our hobby.
Pros
Aquarium controller ready
Very comprehensive controller
Cons
Expensive
Only a 2 year warranty
Our Recommendations
If you have been reading our other articles, you may be aware of our Sicce bias, but there are options available for every type of build from the list presented above. Below are category recommendations:
Best External Pump – Panworld(Budget) or Reeflo (Premium)
How Many GPH Should My Unit Be?
When selecting a return pump, it is very important to know how many gallons per hour you need and how much water is going to be pushed distance wise. As the distance increases, there is loss on the flow called headloss. Here is a link to a headloss calculator so you can do a best estimate. I would recommend that you slightly oversize your return pump and use the pump’s control features or a gate value to reduce the flow rate to get it to the proper gallons per hour that you need. You may also decided to run additional equipment using a PVC manifold so oversizing would have it’s advantages if you go that route.
Closing Thoughts
Return pumps in my early years of building aquariums with sumps was a very nerve wracking experience. There are many out there and figuring out what the proper gallons per hour that you need and making head loss calculations just made you nervous if you purchased a pump that was too small or too big. DC pumps have really taken out the guess work with their ability to adjust power with the controller and not worry about added stress to the pump over time by having an over-sized and highly restricted return pump.
AC pumps are still extremely valuable with their reliability and performance. If you take your time research the output that you need and get an appropriate gate valve you are set for worry free successor with an AC pump.
I hope this guide helped you in making your decision. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment and I will do the best I can to address them. Thanks for reading!
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
Goldfish are hands-down one of the most misunderstood fish in the hobby. They get crammed into tiny bowls, underfed, overfed, and kept in poor water quality — then people wonder why they only live a year or two. The reality is that goldfish properly cared for can live 10 to 15 years and grow to an impressive size. I’ve helped a lot of beginners turn their goldfish setups around, and the fixes are usually simpler than people think.
The Goldfish is one of the most popular fish in our aquarium hobby. It may even have been the first fish you had when you first got introduced to aquariums. You may have even come across this article thinking about setting up a Goldfish tank for the first time or for a loved one. They really are amazing fish that is also easily misunderstood. Because they are usually first-time fish, a number of us enter into Goldfish care with little knowledge on what is needed to have them thrive.
I’m sharing this article with you today so you can learn all the essentials plus more. I want you to be very successful in caring for your pet Goldfish. As quick disclosure, this blog post will contain affiliate links which I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase. Now let’s get started!
Key Takeaways
Goldfish are not beginner fish. They require larger tanks and are quite messy
They are coldwater fish and are best with other goldfish
Live plants with goldfish is possible if you know what plants to select
There are slim-bodied and fancy goldfish. Slim bodied are more athletic and can live in ponds
History of Goldfish
One crazy fact about Goldfish is that they were first kept for their meat. Yes, that’s right. Goldfish used to be what was for dinner in China, their area of origin. Goldfish are the domesticated version of wild carp from East Asia. Their original colors were silver-grey and they were known as “chi” in the East. It was one of the most common staples of meat in China at one time.
As carp continued to be bred for meat, a strange thing happened. Genetic mutations would occur with the carp and these “mutants” would end up with flashy red, yellow, and orange colors. If these fish were in the wild, they would get quickly eaten by predators since they stood out so much. These flashy-looking new fish caught the eye of Buddhist monks in the 9th century. They began to keep these colorful fish in their ponds. The Goldfish was born at this time as an ornamental pet.
The breeding of the fancy Goldfish varieties did not begin until the 1600s starting in Ming Dynasty China. They were highly regarded for their scales and it was tradition for a man to give his wife a goldfish on their first anniversary to symbolize the prosperous years to come. Goldfish were imported to North America around the 1850s. This video by Aquatographyprovides a deep look into the origins of goldfish.
Care – The Major Factors We Need To Know
Goldfish on the surface seem very hardy and easy to take care of. For the most part, they are. However, we want to have the best environment we can place them in. I want to go beyond the basic beginner setup and set you up for long-term success. Goldfish care can be broken down into several parts:
We have a video from our YouTube Channel that you can follow along as well. Be sure to check both as our blog goes into more detail. If you enjoy our channel, be sure to subscribe as we post videos every week!
Aquarium Size
I’m going to say it upfront to my readers. Goldfish do not belong in a Goldfish bowl. You may see Goldfish bowls everywhere, but bowls are not big enough for the long-term. You may purchase them as young new fish for your fish tank, but they will get large. In fact, the Common Goldfish can grow up to 10 inches in size and Fancy Goldfish can grow up to 8 inches in length. Some have grown as large as cats in rivers! That is a lot of Goldfish for a tank! Goldfish also have a lot of mass, especially the Fancy types. Given their adult sizes, it’s no wonder they were originally kept in ponds.
When sizing an aquarium for a Fancy Goldfish, you will want to start out with a tank size of 20 gallons for a single Fancy. After that, it’s roughly 10 gallons per every other Fancy Goldfish. This means a 40 gallon tank can hold 3 adult-sized Fancy Goldfish. That doesn’t sound like a lot of fish, but remember they get pretty big. We need to ensure an aquarium is big enough not only for them to have room to swim around, but also so you are not a slave to water changes.
For a common variety of Goldfish like a Comet, you will want to consider an aquarium size of 30 gallons and target at least 4 feet in length. Each subsequent comet you add would need an additional 12 gallons so for a 55 gallon tank, we are talking about 3 full-size Comets. Again, not a lot of fish. Keep in mind that Comets can grow up to 12 inches in length!
For a Fancy Goldfish setup, I would recommend a larger aquarium like a 55-gallon tank or 60 gallon breeder. These 4-foot-long tanks offer everything you need to get started. You can go cheaper if you wait for a dollar-per-gallon sale at your local chain pet store to pick these aquariums up.
Filtration
Goldfish in general are very hard on the bioload of an aquarium. They are large, messy, eat constantly throughout the day, and stir up your Aquarium Substrate all day. Maintaining a Goldfish tank requires a hefty filter. Keeping in mind that Goldfish are usually an entry-level fish for Aquarists, we are going to focus on more budget-friendly options. Our best option is a good quality aquarium Power Filter like a Hagen Aquaclear
The Hagen Aquaclear is a quality-made, readily available power filter that has stood the test of time. It is very easy to customize each section of the filter stages to suit your needs. It will provide years of reliable operation. Make sure you size up one model that is made for a larger aquarium. A goldfish aquarium tends to produce a lot of waste, so get try aiming for oversized filtration
Parameters (Water Quality)
The main thing with Goldfish tanks once you have the tank cycled is consistently monitoring your Nitrate and pH levels. Ammonia is generally a concern when you first cycle the tank or when you add new fish. Goldfish, due to their messiness and consistent desire to eat will produce a lot of waste. A full goldfish tank will usually end up running higher nitrate levels as a result. You want to test your nitrate levels regularly with a proper Aquarium Test Kit. Take care of your goldfish by ensuring your nitrates don’t go above 40. This will ensure you have the best water quality possible.
The pH levels of your Goldfish aquarium are also critical. Goldfish are like an aquarium at 7-8 pH at all times. This is different from most tropical fish and planted aquarium environments which prefer a pH at an acidic level lower than 7. Make sure your tap water has the proper pH and adjust accordingly if your tap is below 7. Always use a water conditioner like Sea Chem Prime to treat your water. A water conditioner will remove harmful chemicals out of your tap water like ammonia and chlorine and make it aquarium safe.
Temperature
Goldfish are cold water fish. Anything over 75 degrees for a Goldfish is going to stress out your fish. Goldfish actually have a large range of temperatures that they can live in. The range is generally from 50-75 degrees F, with the general ideal range being 65-72 degrees. This means that if you keep your home at room temperature, you should be fine without having an Aquarium Heater in your tank.
There are two things we have to keep in mind with Goldfish tanks. If you live in a hotter climate, you may need to control the temperature in your aquarium in the summer. This may require an Aquarium Chiller or getting your specific room where your tank is to a cooler temperature with a mobile AC. If you live in a cold climate with very cold winters, you may want to consider having a heater handy when the temperatures get below freezing in your area.
Decorations
When we think about Decorations for a Goldfish tank, we have to consider both space and safety. Common Goldfish are fast and enjoy swimming around. Fancy Goldfish are slow, clumsy, and have delicate fins. Both types of Goldfish need their space to swim. Consider having an open aquascape when building out a Goldfish tank.
When it comes to the decor itself, we want to consider rocks, and artificial plants without sharp edges. We take the same consideration as we do with Betta Fish where we avoid sharp edges as the long fins of our Fancy Goldfish can get caught and damaged.
A good brand to look into is marina naturals when looking at silk artificial plants. These plants will not damage the fins of your Fancy Goldfish. You will need to keep in mind that goldfish like to dig out plants. It may be a good ideal to anchor these down with rocks.
Substrate
Goldfish love to stir the substrate in search of food. They have big mouths, so substrates that are medium or larger in size can pose a problem for them as they can accidentally shallow the pebbles. We want to make sure that goldfish have a substrate that they can easily stir and scavenge around. Knowing this, the best goldfish tank substrate is going to be a sandy one.
A sandy grain size substrate like the one sold by Caribsea is what we are looking for. We want to work with a thin layer of sand. This is to counteract the big pitfalls of a sandy substrate. Sand can compact and create anaerobic pockets, which can be very dangerous for your fish. A thin layer that barely covers the bottom of your aquarium and no more than 1/2 an inch is what we are shooting for. This sandy substrate will get stirred all day by your Goldfish and mimics their natural environment. This substrate is also pH neutral – a major factor because Goldfish need a pH of 7.2 – 7.6.
Diet
Food for Goldfish is an interesting topic because the industry is loaded with a lot of food targeted at beginners. These foods are cheap, easy to feed, clean, and last a long time. That is great for us humans, but they are not that great for our Goldfish.
The most basic food offered to Goldfish is flakes. Most flake food offered on the market is full of fillers, which long-term can be unhealthy for your Goldfish and creates a lot of waste. We want to upgrade the diet of our Goldfish to something better. At a minimum, we want to think about quality pellet food.
A good brand for goldfish pellet is Northfin. They sell a premium Goldfish pellet formula specially designed for them. It is free from fillers and includes a healthy dose of Omega 3s to really help bring out the color in your Goldfish. I would recommend presoaking your pellets in aquarium water before you feed them to your Goldfish. This will allow for the pellets to soften and expand a bit so they don’t expand in your Goldfish’s gut.
Going further, we can look into freeze-dried food. I would recommend Hikari’s Bio-Pure Krill. Kill has the ability to boost carotene levels in your Goldfish. This helps produce better coloration in your Goldfish and can prevent them from turning black. This formula is multi-vitamin enriched so you do not have to supplement with a vitamin supplement like Vita-Boost.
The next step up would be frozen food. These you would likely need to purchase from your local pet or fish store. For frozen food, look for brine shrimp, blood worms, or daphnia. Good brands to look at would be Hikari or Cobalt Aquatics.
Lastly, we go with live foods. For live foods, I want to look at live plants. Goldfish in general, are known for eating a number of aquarium plants. While this can be bad if you are looking for a planted goldfish tank (it is possible to have plants with goldfish – more on this later), we can use this to our advantage when supplementing our Goldfish’s diet. One plant that Goldfish love to eat that is fast-growing and readily available in our trade is Duckweed.
If you are part of an Aquarium society or know anyone with a Planted Tank, there is a good chance they either have Duckweed or have grown it in the past. Duckweed is also grown in ponds for Koi and Goldfish. Goldfish love to gobble this plant up. It is very cheap to obtain and a very fast grower. It is very important to have food readily available in your aquarium for a Goldfish. We have to keep in mind that Goldfish do not have true stomachs.
Because of this, they are always eating and hungry. You do need to feed goldfish regularly, but a natural food like Duckweed can really come in handy because you can make it available in your tank, it’s a natural filter, and it can be eaten away by your Goldfish throughout the day.
Aquarium Mates
Tank mates for Goldfish can be quite tricky. They have several factors working against potential Goldfish tank mates. They are a coldwater fish, so that eliminates all tropical freshwater fish right off the bat. Fancy Goldfish also are slow and have large fins, which can be attractive to nip for a more active fish. Goldfish can also be bullies themselves. Their large size, mouths, and mass can present problems to smaller fish. For this reason, the best recommendation is to have a Goldfish-only tank.
That being said, there are some tank mates that would work. These tank mates would be:
Coldwater snails like Nitrite and Apple Snails
Brittle Nose Plecos
Dojo Loaches
Snails are a great addition because they will work on algae in the tank and for the most part Goldfish should leave them alone. If the Goldfish do decide to harass them, they are large enough to handle themselves and give you enough time to reconsider their compatibility. Every Goldfish is different after all.
When it comes to Plecos, only the Bristle Nose Pleco is compatible with a goldfish. Common plecos are generally a bad idea as they require driftwood and can get very large.
Dojo Loaches (pictured above) are likely the best candidate when it comes to other fish in a goldfish tank. They get rather long at 5 inches and require at least a 30-gallon tank, but they can tolerate the cooler waters of a goldfish tank. They are very peaceful, very active, full of personality, and excellent scavengers.
It’s always best to introduce these new fish and inverts AFTER our goldfish have been added. We want to make sure our goldfish are established since they tend to be the ones that are bullied not the other way around! You will also want to consider a larger tank if you want to have other tank mates. A 55 gallon or 75 gallon fish tank would be good options.
Live Plants
Plants for Goldfish like tank mates are tricky. You have a number of things working against you when it comes to them. Because Goldfish like cold water that is 7-8 in pH, this eliminates the majority of tropical aquarium plants available for sale. Goldfish also love to gobble up plants. They will eat just about any plant you stick in the tank. Another factor is that Goldfish stir up the substrate, which means that if you have any rooted plants that need to be established in your substrate, it is likely that your Goldfish will dig them out.
That seems like there are a lot of things going against you when it comes to aquarium plants, but we also need to think about the benefits as well. Plants will really help with your water change efforts. They will thrive in the high nutrient environment that goldfish will create with the waste they produce. If you don’t want to be a slave to water changes, live plants can be your ticket to relief. In large quantities, they can act as natural filtration for your tank.
So let’s talk about what plants work best. We want to make sure these plants tolerate higher pH, will do well with high nutrients, won’t mind the cooler temperatures, and won’t get eaten by our Goldfish. These are:
There are a lot of different Goldfish types to house in your aquarium. All goldfish are long-lived and will provide years of joy for you. I’m going to break down a small list of Goldfish for you. I’m going to split it into two types:
Slim Bodied Goldfish
Fancy Goldfish
Slim Bodied
Slim bodied Goldfish are one of the hardiest fish you can purchase in the hobby. They can be placed in home aquariums or outdoor in ponds. They will tolerate a wide range of temperatures. They are fast swimmers, very active, and aggressive eaters. They cannot be kept with Fancy Goldfish as they will out-compete them in an aquarium with how fast they swim around and eat. Below are a few types of slim bodied Goldfish:
The common Goldfish is also known as your “feeder” goldfish at pet stores. They are also the Goldfish you used to get at fairs as prizes. This Goldfish most resembles their original ancestors, the carp. They can grow as long as a foot if given a large enough aquarium or if housed in a pond. They are very hardy, very cheap, and long-lived fish.
The Comet Goldfish is a variant of the common Goldfish that has a long fancy tail. They share the same hardy characteristics of the common, but with more flash with their tails. They will also get a foot long and are fast swimmers. They a relatively cheap fish to purchase.
The Shubunkin Goldfish is a multicolored goldfish. These you will usually see placed in ponds as they get long and command a higher price tag than the former 2 mentioned. Some varieties of Shubunkin will grow fancy tails and fins.
Fancy
Fancy Goldfish are selectively bred fish that have been created over the years. They are not found in the wild and exhibit multiple unique characteristics depending on the type. They are fish with a lot of mass on them and are generally clumsy in nature. They have long elegant fins and are generally slow swimmers. Because of the slower swimming speed, they do not mix well with slim-bodied Goldfish as they will be unable to compete with them for food.
These egg shaped fish are valued for their looks. They tend to be more delicate than slim bodied Goldfish, but there are several varieties that are hardy and appropriate for beginners. A few examples of Fancy Goldfish types are:
The Fantail, Black Moor, and Ryukin Goldfish are great fancy varieties that are appropriate for beginners. The Lionhead and Telescope Goldfish are varieties that would be considered more delicate and better suited for experienced Goldfish keepers. The main difference between the first three and their others is what stands out with the two other fish. The Lionheads are so modified that their dorsal fin is missing. Their fleshy-like head and clumsy nature make them sensitive to injury. For the Telescope, it’s the eyes. The eyes give them limited vision and make them delicate. It’s another Fancy that is not for beginners.
I go into more detail on fancies in this blog post, but I wanted to help you identify what is a hardy Fancy Goldfish and which ones aren’t. The less modified features of the fish, the more likely it will be better suited for a beginner. Of all the Fancies listed here, my personal favorite is the Ryukin. It is bold, elegant, and hardy. It is a wonderful addition to a Fancy Goldfish aquarium.
Putting It Together
We have discussed a lot about Goldfish Tank care, food, housing, and types of Goldfish. It’s time to put everything we have learned today and make a comprehensive setup. In this setup, we are going to set up a Goldfish tank with live plants. You can opt not to use plants and save yourself on upgrading your light.
Tank – 55 gallon for 60-gallon breeder
Lighting – Add another light strip to host low-light plants
Rocks – Margo Garden Products 3-5″ Rain Forest Large Rocks (available on Amazon)
Substrate – Caribsea Super Naturals
Fancy Goldfish – 2 of your choice (after the tank has been cycled)
Water Conditioner (To treat tap water) – SeaChem Prime
To save on money, we can purchase a 40 gallon breeder to 55 gallon tank during Petco’s dollar-per-gallon sale. All the other components fit very well for this setup and for what we want to house. If you opt for a 55 gallon tank, you can house 3-5 fancy goldfish. You will want to anchor your plants to your rocks so they don’t get stirred up by your Goldfish.
If you opt for a dollar-per-gallon sale tank, you are free to select the light of your choice. I would recommend an led light like the Serene Pro LED if you are selecting a light for a planted aquarium setup.
Additional Resources
There are many books out there that go beyond the scope of this blog post. However, not all are created equal. There is one book I recommend when it comes to Goldfish care.
Fancy Goldfish: Complete Guide To Care And Collecting
This Book Written by Dr. Johnson goes over diseases, prevention, health, breeding, and proper fish selection. It contains over 100 color photos of Fancy Goldfish. The information contained in this book is a full deep dive into the world of Fancy Goldfish. You will become an expert in knowledge after you read this book. It does have some outdated information given it was published back in 2001, but the majority of the information in this book I would consider evergreen.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who really wants to keep the more exotic Fancy Goldfish or considering expanding into larger display tanks.
FAQs
What Size Aquarium Do They Need?
The minimum size tank that a goldfish needs is 20 gallons. For each additional goldfish after the initial one, you will need at least 10 gallons. The best starter size to house multiple goldfish would be a 55 gallon tank.
How Long Can They Live In A 1 Gallon Aquarium?
A goldfish will not thrive and may not live very long in a 1-gallon tank. These tanks are too small for them. Goldfish do not have a labyrinth organ like a betta fish. This is how betta fish can live in small containers. Even then, it’s not ideal to place a fish in such a small tank. Consider placing your goldfish in an appropriately sized tank for its long-term health.
Can They Live Without A Filter Or Air Pump
Yes, goldfish can live without a filter or an air pump. However, it’s risky to do so. Without a filter, a goldfish tank may experience ammonia spikes.
Closing Thoughts
Goldfish go way beyond the fish in the bowl that money of us have seen in the past. There are many varieties of Goldfish with some of the exotic Fancy types selling for hundreds of dollars. They are large fish with personality and unique aesthetics. They do require larger tanks long-term, but they are long-live fish easily living over 10 years in more aquariums. I hope I showed you what Goldfish can offer you as a pet by reading this post. If you have any questions, leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Freshwater Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for freshwater species, care tips, tank setup, and more.
Betta fish are sold in cups at chain pet stores, kept in tiny bowls on office desks, and marketed as “low maintenance” pets that barely need water changes. After 25 years in this hobby, I can tell you that framing does bettas a real disservice — and it’s why so many of them die within months of purchase. A betta kept correctly, in a heated filtered tank of at least 5 gallons with clean water and a varied diet, will live 3 to 5 years and display a personality that genuinely surprises people. They learn their owner’s face. They hunt live food with precision. They build bubble nests when content. None of that happens in a bowl at 65°F. This care guide covers what bettas actually need — not the minimum they can survive, but what lets them thrive.
The Betta Fish for some of us fish keepers was our first experience with a pet fish. It was our introduction to this wonderful world of aquarium keeping. Betta Fish after all has a lot going for them that makes them great pets. They have a great personality and come in a variety of colors. They can exist in smaller tanks and can be relatively hardy as long as the environment is properly cared for.
Key Takeaways
Betta fish are considered the best beginner fish to start your aquarium journey with
A 5-gallon aquarium is a minimum needed for a single adult Beta fish
Betta fish require heaters as they prefer warmer waters
Betta fish are aggressive to other Bettas but can be bullied by many tropical fish
There are a vast variety of Betta fish varieties available with many of the rarer variants being better acquired via online stores
A Quick Overview
Scientific Name
Betta splendens
Common Names
Betta Fish, Siamese Fighting Fish
Family
Gourami
Origin
Thailand
Diet
Omnivore
Care Level
Beginner
Activity
Slow to Moderate
Lifespan
2 – 5 years
Temperament
Peaceful (Aggressive to own kind)
Tank Level
Middle to top
Minimum Tank Size
5 gallon
Temperature Range
76°-81°F
Water Hardness
5 to 20 DH
pH Levels
6.5 – 8.0 (for most varieties)
Filtration/Water Flow
Low
Water Type
Freshwater
Breeding
Egg-layer
Difficulty to Breed
Easy to breed
Compatibility
Community tank (with properly selected species)
OK, for Planted Tanks?
Yes
All About Betta Fish Care
The Betta Fish’s scientific name is Betta splendens. They are also known as Siamese Fighting Fish. They originate from Asia and were kept in the past for their fighting nature. They were originally brought into aquariums by locals who caught on rice paddies. They were first imported to the US in 1927. These days, Bettas are primarily kept for their appearance. They have been selectively bred over the years into many different colors and tail types. They are now known as the designer fish in the freshwater hobby.
In the wild, Betta splendens originate from Southeast Asia. They are native to areas that are visited by frequent flooding that will also go through periods of intense droughts afterward. As a result, Betta evolved to become a labyrinth fish. A labyrinth is a fish that has the ability to take in oxygen from the air as well as take oxygen from its grills. Because of this adaption, Bettas have the ability to live outside of water for short periods of time and can breathe the air around them provided they can stay moist. This is the reason why you tend to see Bettas in small containers at the pet store or at home (though I would not recommend this — more on this as we through this post).
Here is a short video on Betta for a quick intro from my YouTube Channel. If you like it, please subscribe for more great videos!
Betta is pronounced Bet-tah. It is very common for newcomers to pronounce it as Bay-tah. They received their name from the ancient Asian “Bettah” warrior clan. They were discovered in Thailand. Their Thai name is Iken Bettah, which is translated as “biting fish.” They are also known as Siamese fighting fish. This name was taken from the word Siam, with Siam being the former name of Thailand. They became very popular in the mid-1800s for their fighting. The fighting sport became so popular that the King of Thailand ended up regulating the sport and taxing it. The sports competitions were actually measured on the fish’s bravery versus the damage they inflicted on their opponent, however.
Male and Female Differences
Males and females are distinctly different when it comes to Betta Fish. The males are generally more colorful with larger fins. Females have shorter fins and are generally duller in color. Male betta fish also tend to have a more torpedo-shaped and larger body. Female betta fish also have an Ovipositor on the undersize of their body. These are tiny tubes that release eggs.
The International Congress (Competitions)
Betta Fish breeding has been very popular over the years with breeders raising some of the most beautiful fish you will ever see in the hobby. In fact, there are competitions for the show Bettas (pronounced Bet-uh) hosted by the International Betta Congress (IBC). Below is a video by DocAquaTV showing an IBC competition in full swing. There is a huge community when it comes to Betta Fish, and seeing these unique-looking and high-quality Betta is a real treat.
I would highly encourage anyone who is passionate about keeping these fish to look into a scientific-based community like the International Betta Congress and maybe even think about joining to deep dive into the Betta world. They offer a lot of benefits like their membership forum and magazine. They have been around since 1967 and really take efforts to bring education and care to Bettas all over the world.
The Major Factors We Need To Know
Now that we know a little bit about the Betta itself and the scientific-based community that supports them let’s talk caring for your betta. We are going to split care for a Betta Fish into the following elements:
Housing
Filtration
Heating
Decor
Diet
Tank Mates
Aquarium (Housing)
I’m going to be very upfront and clear to my readers here with this statement. The best aquarium to start with for a Betta is a 5-gallon tank. That’s correct, 5 gallons. You may be a little taken aback by this statement as you may have visited your pet store and seen many of the “Betta tanks” available for sale. Many of them are badly undersized.
I encourage anyone who is keeping a Betta Fish long-term to invest in a proper five Gallon tank like the the ones offered by Marineland and Fluval. Betta fish live best in a good-sized tank and you want the best for your pet. Invest in the proper tank so your fish can thrive.
We also want to limit the number of male bettas in our aquariums. We should only have 1 male betta in our aquarium unless we are using tank dividers to keep our male bettas separated. Keeping more than 1 male is going to require more than 5 gallons. A 20-gallon tank is best for housing multiple male bettas – 3 to 4 are best for a 20-gallon tank using a 1 betta for every 5 gallons approach.
Aquarium Filtration
Contrary to what you may see in the chain pet stores, Betta fish are not best served in a fish bowl. We want their tanks filtered. This will make it easier to maintain as a fish tank without a filter is going to need a water change every 2 to 3 days. This can get very old fast! We want to make tank maintenance easy to do rather than a major chore. Having proper filtration that houses a lot of beneficial bacteria in your tank will provide a proper nitrogen cycle for your fish tank and for your Betta. This will cut down the number of times you will need to change the water int he tank every month and give your Betta a better environment to grow and thrive. I would recommend a Power Filter if you are not using an aquarium kit or all-in-one tank. The best power filter for a small tank like this is going to be a Penn Plex Power Filter or AquaClear as these companies design power filters at this size and both are adjustable.
When using a power filter, keep in mind that you will still need to protect your Betta. Bettas are known for having delicate fins and being very curious. It’s pretty common for them to get sucked into a filter accidentally or have one of their fins damaged. You will want to dampen the intake of your betta fish filter by putting a sponge over it and adjusting the flow to make it calmer and suitable for the Betta. Bettas prefer calmer waters, and some power filters on the market are designed for a higher gallon-per-hour applications. Adjust it down for your Betta and let them adjust to the flow. Another alternative is to use a low-flow canister like an Aquael Multikani.
Tap Water
Because Siamese fighting fish have labyrinth fish, it is a common misconception to put them in any type of water. While we can use tap water, we want to make sure we have the right type of tap water. Tap water needs to be chlorinated with a proper water conditioner produce like Seachem Prime. Water conditioners like Seachem Prime will remove chlorine, harmful chemicals, ammonia, and nitrite from your tap.
Never stick a Betta in straight tap water. Always make sure to dechlorinate tap water to keep your fish safe.
Tank Heating (Water Temperature)
It may not seem like it because you see many of these Betta for sale at pet stores in bowls or small tanks, but they are actually tropical fish and betta fish need water water. They are most comfortable with water temperatures at 75 to 82 degrees with 78 degrees being your target temperature. I would recommend choosing a quality heater from our Best Aquarium Heaters Reviews post. Eheim heaters are one of the most reliable heaters on the market and are worth a look. Neo Therm Heaters are great as well. They have a smaller footprint that works better with the smaller size of the Betta Fish tanks and will fit in all-in-one tank chambers. Both heaters are accurate up to 1 degree of water temperature, the best in our industry.
I would also highly recommend that you get a Digital Thermometer as a backup for your heater’s internal thermometer. If you have the budget, you can invest in a proper Aquarium Heater Controller for a more foolproof water temperature regulation system.
Tank Decorations
There are two parts of the Decor for Betta’s tank: plants and hardscape (rocks and branches). For plants, specifically artificial plants (I’ll touch on live plants later in the post), we need to be very selective about what we put in our Betta Fish tank.
Silk plants like the Marina Naturals Plant shown above are what we want to purchase for our Bettas. Traditional plastic plants you will see at the pet store are not safe for a Betta Fish. This is because many will contain sharp edges and do not give way if the Betta runs into them. This leads to the delicate fins of the Betta Fish getting torn up which in turn causes injury and possible infection. We want to prevent as much harm to the delicate fins of our Betta, so let’s stay away from the hard plastic plants if we are going to shop for artificial plants.
For hardscaping like rocks, we again want to watch out for sharp edges. Hardscaping for Betta Fish needs to be soft or round. You should be able to run your fingers through the hardscape and not get your fingers caught. If your fingers get caught, you have rough edges that will be dangerous to your Betta. Either consider sanding down the hardscape or picking another one.
Another factor to consider with Betta decorations is to watch out for rocks and other hardscaping with lots of small holes. Betta Fish have a tendency to get caught or stuck in holes. I would recommend that you purchase smooth round rocks or rocks with larger holes that your Betta will not get stuck in.
The image above is a good example of a hardscape that is suitable for a Betta Fish. A Coconut shell decoration you can find at a pet store is smooth and the hole is large enough to fit the Betta without it getting caught or stuck inside. Lastly, the water surface should have space for your Betta to build bubble nests.
Diet (Feed Them Right!)
A Betta Fish is a fish with lots of vibrant colors. That is why it’s vital that your betta fish eat quality food to be happy and achieve brighter colors. The fish food hierarchy in today’s hobby is frozen food, fried dried, pellet, then flake food. We want to be selective in what we feed our Betta fish so I will help with the breakdown. Let’s feed your Betta the best food available.
Frozen food is at the top of our list because you can get some of the highest-quality blends and mixes. Unfortunately, frozen foods are going to be the one food you will have a hard time finding online. Even if you do find it, the shipping costs can be expensive to the point where it is not worth it. Do yourself and your local store a favor and pick these up locally. I would recommend frozen blood worms, black worms, and daphnia. All can be found at your local pet stores.
Next would be freeze-dried. For freeze-dried, I would recommend either freeze-dried Bloodworms or Blackworms. The great thing with freeze-dried foods is because they are dehydrated foods, they will soak up vitamin supplements. Consider supplementing your food with a product like VitaChem to boost their immune system and to keep betta fish healthy. Mixing VitaChem plus Blackworms is a great nutritional mix to feed your betta fish.
One thing to note in this blog post is that I am not recommending brine shrimp as a food source. You may be wondering why I don’t when many fish stores and bloggers are happy to recommend it. I do not recommend brine shrimp because there are way better food sources you can feed your fish. It’s great if you are in pinch, the store doesn’t have much else, or if you have a picky fish. Brine shrimp are just low on nutritional value. We can do better, so why not?
Pellet food would be the next food I would touch on. There is really only one pellet food I would recommend for a Betta. That would be NorthFin’s Betta Bits Food.
Pellet fish should be presoaked before giving to your Betta. This will prevent the pellets from expanding in your Betta’s stomach and causing issues like bloat or constipation. You can also soak pellet food with vitamins.
Flake food I generally tend to avoid. Many types of flake food in our industry are simply not up to snuff for our fish and it’s hard to soak them in vitamins. If you want to go with flake food to feed your betta fish, I would consider flake food with probiotics. One such flake food that comes to mind would be Cobalt Aquatics Tropical Fish Color Formula. It is flake food loaded with probiotics and one of the mainstream flake foods around that I would be okay with recommending.
The main benefit of live food is the live beneficial bacterial cultures that you are feeding your Betta. These are priceless nutrients that your betta fish need and truly can extend their lifespan and quality of life. However, there are major cons with live food.
The biggest issue is disease and poor quality live food. You really need to do your due diligence if you are going to feed live foods to your Betta fish. It may even be better to grow them yourself if you really want or find a very trusted retailer who sells them. For live foods, I would highly recommend blackworms. Earthworms are also another natural source that you can pull from your garden and feed to your Betta if you are willing to cut them into bits. Microworms would be another live food to look at. All three of these can be cultured at home if you are willing to do so. I included a video from AquaStudent below explaining how to keep blackworms. It’s probably more relevant to Keeping Cichlids given how much you can grow, but I wanted to provide it anyway for your reference. If you take care of live food, you can have success with them. It’s just not something I would not consider for a beginner.
Tank Mates
I’ll start this section with a very honest statement. Not every Betta is meant for a community tank. There is also the size of the tank you need to consider as tank mates in a Betta Fish aquarium should not be considered unless you have an aquarium 10 gallons or larger in size. To maintain the lowest levels of aggression possible with these mixed setups, a planted tank setup is going to be key to keeping the fighting down.
I’ll provide a list below and then explain after. I’m going to start from safest to riskiest. The best tank mates for a Betta Fish are community fish and inverts like:
Snails are going to be our best test tank mate to start with. Snails are low risk to add to an aquarium and we can take time to observe our Betta’s reaction to them. If your Betta is nipping at the antennas of the nails, this is a likely sign that your particular Betta is not going to accept tank mates readily.
If snails are not harassed, then we can attempt the next set of possible tank mates. These would be Freshwater Aquarium Shrimp like Cherry, Amano, or Ghost shrimp. If your Betta is not attacking snails, there is a good chance they will leave pet shrimp alone. The great thing with shrimp is they are colorful and can be used to contrast your Betta colors. Be careful of overpopulation though as shrimp can breed rapidly. There is a chance they could eat the shrimp. A bamboo shrimp is the safest shrimp you can pair with a betta.
The next set of teammates would be bottom-dwelling fish like Corydoras and Pleco. Because we are working with fish who inhabit a different section of our tank area, it is likely that both sets of species will leave each other alone.
The final and riskiest set of tank mates are going to be school fish like Tetras and Rasboras. The activity level of these fish may actually stress out the more calm Betta. We have to observe their interactions and watch for warning signs. It is very possible to have a Betta that lives happily in a tank with schooling fish.
Bettas are naturally solo fish though. To add tank mates into an aquarium with a Betta is asking the fish to adapt outside of its natural tendencies. Take your time and be patient. Be ready to make changes with your tank mates if things do not work out well for you.
Another thing I forgot to mention in this section is DO NOT place two males in the same tank. Males fighting is where the Bettas got their Siamese Fighting fish came from. Two males will fight to the death in an aquarium. Avoid placing two males in the same aquarium at all costs. There is only one exception – which I cover in this post and is reserved for seasoned aquarists.
Male Bettas will also show aggression to females. It is best if you want multiple Bettas in your aquarium to go female only. Females are not as colorful as males, but a group of 5 females will complement the colors of your tank as they have unique colors and fins in their own right. Keep in mind that a group of female Bettas will require a larger tank and there are really no guarantees of their compatibility as they reach maturity.
Lastly, avoid fish like tiger barbs that enjoy nipping at long fish.
Live Plants
Live plants are a wonderful addition to your Betta to simulate natural habitat. Not only do they add natural hiding places for your Betta, but they are also natural filtration in your aquarium. I recommend live plants for most freshwater setups because they are great for improving water quality. Some plants are also known for being natural water conditioners as they can remove harmful chemicals in your water.
I would highly recommend Low Light Aquarium Plants for your aquarium. Keep in mind that if you do decide to go with live plants, get a Planted Tank LED fixture that can grow plants. I am recommending low-light plants because they are easy to grow and keep. However, many lights that come with starter aquariums will not have the proper light to grow even low-light aquarium plants.
For tanks these small, there is a Finnex FugeRay model that is available that will adequately cover a standard 5-gallon tank. Another option is a Fluval Plant Bluetooth Nano. The Fluval Nano is a perfect light for desktop aquariums.
With one of these lights, you are set to grow just about any low-light aquarium plant you can acquire. For low-light plants here are several you can obtain that would work well in a Betta tank:
There is actually a large variety of Betta Fish available for sale in our hobby. For most of the Bettas, you will see that the pet store will not have a specific breed or type listed. There are actually large numbers of available varieties with Bettas. Many have exotic colors and fins. I’m going to talk about several here to show you the vast variety of Bettas available today. If you are shopping online for exotic-style Betta Fish, I would highly recommend that you purchase from a place that offers What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) fish for purchase and from a place that offers you a multiple-day guarantee.
Veil Tail
The Veil Tail Betta is the most common Betta you will find at a pet store. They are often labeled as Siamese Fighting Fish at chain pet stores. It is very likely if you are reading this article after you have purchased a Betta yourself that you have a Veil Tail. They are the most widely available Betta in the hobby. After all, this was the original domestic Betta that was brought over to the US. They are also one of the easiest Betta Fish to breed. These Bettas are known for their easy-going nature and are one of the better candidates for a community aquarium.
Half Moon
The Half Moon Betta is a Betta that is bred and raised in captivity. It gets its name its tail that spreads 180 degrees to form the half-moon. It is a very striking Betta to have. It is notorious for being a very challenging Betta to breed. They are becoming one of the easier-to-find exotic Betta types nowadays due to their popularity. It was first bred in the 1980s. Half Moon Bettas are also known for their aggressiveness. They are best suited to be solo in an aquarium. Many of the fancier Bettas tend to be only available through local breeders, specialty fish stores, or online.
Rose Tail
A Rose Tail is a variation of the Half Moon. The ends of their tails are more ruffled creating a striking appearance. As the Half Moon, they are also very difficult to breed. It requires a genetic mutation to occur to get the look and as a result, they tend not to be as hardy as other Betta fish species. They are an amazing-looking Betta
Plakats
Plakats are a short-finned version of the traditional Betta you find in stores. Plakats are the original Betta and very close to the ones you will find in the wild. They are known as the ancestors of all Bettas in the trade today. They tend to be more actively swimming fish over the other fancier varieties and tend to do better in larger tanks as a result. It is actually possible to find a Halfmoon Plakat from a breeder. Given the fact the Plakat Betta is closer to a wild Betta, they tend to be hardier, less prone to injury, and more energetic than fancier Bettas.
Purchasing a fancy Plakat fish is a good balance if you want a fancy Betta, but would prefer a hardier and more active sub-type. The picture above is a Halfmoon Plakat. Another popular variety of Plakat are Koi Bettas.
Elephant Ear
These Bettas get their names from their pectoral fins that look like the ear of an elephant. These are one of the more exotic and striking Betta you will find. These varieties can also be found in the wild (though with less bold colors than their captive-bred varieties). They are aggressive Betta and best suited as a sole specimen. They slow down a lot later in life, so a calm tank alone is the best for them.
Crowntail
This unique-looking variety has web fins that resemble a crown. It is one of the new varieties among breeders debuting in 1997. This Betta variety produces some of the most exotic colors and mixes available in the trade. Because of its breeding though, this also makes it one of the more difficult Betta to find and take care of. They are more delicate than the other Bettas on the list. It requires exceptionally higher water quality for its fins to stay healthy.
Putting It Together – Creating An Amazing Aquarium
We spent quite a bit of time talking about Bettas, their care requirements, food, and types of Bettas. It’s time to put it all together and built a set up for you. I’m going to use a Fluval Spec V for this build. It is an all-in-one tank with 5 gallons as its volume. The tank really solves a lot of issues for us, namely the filtration and the lighting. The lighting that comes with the unit can grow Low Light Aquarium Plants and the aquarium size is ideal for our Betta. You can use any Aquarium Substrate you want since both Java Fern and Java Moss are water column feeders so either will do fine without an active substrate.
Tank – Fluval Spec V
Lighting – Fluval Spec V light is perfect :). No changes are needed!
Aquarium Filter – Fluval Spec V stock filtration
Heater – Cobalt NeoTherm
Hardscape – Coconut Shell or Fluval Driftwood
Plants – Java Fern and/or Java Moss (Micro Swords and Crypts work as well)
Substrate – Activ Betta Gems Live Gravel
A single Male Betta of your choice – Once the tank is cycled!
We can either use a simple aquascape or get fancy with some Driftwood, to ensure it has no sharp edges by sanding down any rough spots. If we go with driftwood, we can attach the moss and ferns to the hardscape with either thread or superglue. Below is a video by Fishaholic showing how to attach Java Fern to driftwood.
Tank Water Quality
Now that you have your Betta tank, you may have questions about water quality. Bettas in general are hardy fish, with fancy sub-types begin to be more sensitive. We want to keep our water quality in good condition when taking care of a Betta. I would recommend doing water changes weekly about 15-20%. You can reduce the water changes if your water quality is high. I always say water changes based on your water parameters. Get used to testing your water conditions every week using a high-quality aquarium water test kit and always use a water conditioner on your tap water.
Some tanks can go bi-monthly or monthly depending on how well the tank is filtered, which your aquarium test kit will hope you monitor when you should make a water change. Check for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels. Ammonia levels and nitrite levels should be at 0 and keep your nitrates below 25.
For pH, Bettas are pretty tolerant of neutral to soft water. They are best with a neutral pH of 7. They will do fine in a slightly acidic pH if accumulated to it, but as close to 7 as possible is ideal.
Maintenance Checklist
Here is a quick maintenance checklist guideline that will help keep your Betta fish happy and to have a long and healthy life.
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Check water temperature (76 – 81 F)
Change 25-50% water in the tank
Replace filter media or filter cartridge (mechanical and chemical)
Observe fish and check for signs of ill health
Siphon out uneaten food and water
Wash media in aquarium water (if reusable)
Check equipment to see if it is working (heaters, filtration system, pumps)
Test water parameters
Clean rocks, decor, and/or driftwood
Feed your fish
Check plant health and prune overgrowth
Check water levels to see if topping off is needed
Clean off algae from glass
Additional Resources (Books To Read)
There are some incredible books available about Bettas that go beyond the scope of this blog post. I would encourage you to look into these books and purchase them if you are serious about taking your Betta Fish keeping to another level.
The Betta Bible is the source when it comes to knowledge about Betta Keeping. It is an expensive book, but well worth it. It is loaded with detailed and expert-level information. It has information about the genetics of Bettas, breeding, and the history of the Bettas in our hobby. It is loaded with over 150 pictures of various types of Bettas and the style of writing is very down-to-earth.
Written by Dr. Brammah, this book has been known in the hobby as the book of all books. It’s a must-buy in my opinion. The kindle version is a steal at the price if you can get that. It is everything you would want to know and more about Bettas jammed packed into 300 pages.
The Simple Guide
If the Betta Bible is too much to start with, the Betta Fish book by Walter James is a good alternative. Weighing in at only 124 pages, it is a more digestible deep dive into Betta Fishkeeping.
Where To Buy
Betta fish can be purchased at local fish stores, chain pet stores, and online fish stores. You will usually get the best selection from an online store as they will have many varieties that other stores won’t carry. You can go wrong either way. Bettas tend to ship in good condition due to their hardiness and ability to breathe air outside of the water.
Yes, Betta fish are one of the easiest freshwater fish to care for. They have a labyrinth organ, which allows them to tolerate smaller spaces and water with high nutrient content. That being said, Betta fish should still have a tank at least 5 gallons in size, a quality filtration unit, heating, and regular feeding and tank cleaning.
Can They Live In Tap Water?
Yes, a Betta fish can live in tap water if you condition the water prior to putting your new fish in your tank. You will want to use a conditioner like Seachem Prime. If you are thinking about using purified water, avoid distilled water or RODI water. You can use that type of water if you use an aquarium materializer, but most aquarists do fine with tap water + a water conditioner when it comes to running a Betta tank.
How Often Should You Change The Water?
If you keep your Betta in an aquarium, you should consider changing your aquarium water every 7-10 days. I know some people do keep Bettas in bowls. If you are keeping them in a bowl, you should consider changing the bowl water every other day.
How Often Should I Feed Them?
You should feed your Betta fish twice per day. Keep in mind, that you need to have the filtration to feed them that much. Test your tank water to see if your levels are stable. If not, you can feed them less. It’s also okay to have a freshwater fish fast for a day every week. Fasting is actually good for their digestive system!
Closing Thoughts
A Betta Fish tank is in my mind the best way to introduce yourself to the wonderful world of aquarium keeping. A Betta tank can be small and low on maintenance making it a lower barrier to entry than other aquarium setups. There are a large variety of Betta breeds and colors. It is difficult to really get bored keeping Betta because there is so much variety and they are loaded with personality. If you have any questions, leave a comment below. Thank you for reading.
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Betta Fish Guide — your ultimate resource for betta care, types, tank setup, feeding, tank mates, and more.
Reef LED lighting is one of the most important — and most confusing — equipment decisions you’ll make. The wrong fixture wastes money and stunts coral growth; the right one can keep SPS thriving for years. I’ve run a 125-gallon reef and evaluated a lot of fixtures over the years, so I have a clear sense of what separates good reef LEDs from the overhyped ones. Here are my top picks across different price points.
Are you struggling trying to find a quality lighting system for your reef tank?
In this blog, we share the best products for reef tank lighting, from LED Lighting systems to hybrid systems. I will also include PAR ratings as I have them available.
With over 25 years of experience in the aquarium hobby, I’ve assisted countless clients, hobbyists, and readers like you in overcoming their lighting issues with their corals (and believe me, it’s complicated navigating this just relying on what manufacturers tell you). I’ve personally tested these products in real world scenarios, installed several of these systems in client tanks and my own to determine the best LED lighting for reef tanks on the market.
There are a lot of light choices that fit multiple budgets and needs, but you may be wondering what I would suggest off the bat. Since, reefer needs differ, we have the following recommendations based on the criteria below:
The list below contains the best LED lights for reef tanks available for purchase today and the ones we considered in our review. The lights listed here cover all types of reef tank setups as well as all budgets.
The best reef LED on the market. The first fully complete LED unit that actually will work with SPS tanks. Complete with APEX integration and diffusors
A manufacturer finally address all the issues and hang ups I’ve ever had about LEDs in reef tanks. The new Neptune Sky reminds me of the feeling I got when I first saw the SICCE Syndra SDC, the best aquarium return pump I’ve seen. Like DC pumps, LED lights have major drawbacks that manufacturers are unwilling to talk about. The main issue is shadowing when it comes to SPS tanks.
Previous manufacturers tried to get around this by amping up the PAR in their lights, using various lenses, and working through the spectrum issues. It wasn’t until EcoTech released their G4 units that you had a competent LED that you could be comfortable with SPS tanks.
The Neptune Sky takes it a step further though. EcoTech’s Radion G5 held this top spot for a few years. I would recommend that light to anyone who was very serious about growing corals like a pro. I can say that the Neptune Sky has upended EcoTech’s Radion as the best reef LEDs on the market. Let’s look at some features that Neptune lays out. They are very aware of the past limitations of Reef LEDs.
The video from Neptune openly admits the looming problem LEDs have how for years. Deep down, metal halides and T5s have been the gold standard for spectrum and coral growth for years. Nothing, not even the highest quality LEDs could do what this combo did for SPS corals.
LEDs by their very nature are focused lights, which are not ideal for SPS corals. It creates shadowing and hotspots. The Sky changes all of this. It is an attempt to mimic how the sun interacts with the ocean. You get 104 LEDs in the unit with an integrated diffusor. For the life of me, I could not understand why for so many years LED manufacturers didn’t put in a diffusor while planted LED systems like Twinstar did (because plants naturally shadow!).
This is also the first unit I’ve seen that can handle more than a 24″ footprint. The Sky can handle up to 36″ per unit, making this effectively cheaper than the EcoTech for 3 and 6 foot long reef tanks. Say bye to the disco effect from lower quality lights and shadowing from other fixtures. This is a complete light for the serious coral enthustiast.
The Sky, if you can afford it, is the ultimate reef light. If you are on a lower budget, there are other options that can accommodate you. It’s also best for mixed and SPS coral reefs. If you are looking to grow low light corals, it’s probably overkill unless you desire designer soft corals like bounce mushrooms and fancy zoas.
Best For: SPS and high end reefs
Pros
A complete LED light for SPS tanks
Neptune APEX integration
Covers 36″ per light
Cons
Expensive
Not beginner friendly to setup
2. Current USA Orbit Marine IC Pros – Comprehensive Unit With Controller Package
The Current USA Orbit Marine IC Pros are newly improved with a mobile app and bluetooth compatibility. This light comes with its very own app that can power not only the aquarium LED system itself, but can control the Orbit Marine EFlux Wavemaker and EFlux Return Pump for a completely integrated package. I feel that these IC Pros have its best value with their 36″ and 72″ model as it represents a VERY attractive purchase for those of us with 3 and 6 foot long mixed reef tanks.
The Current USA Orbit Marine controller itself runs off a mobile app and is pretty easy to use and program. It comes with a ramp up and ramp down feature that is is a standard 2 hour ramp up and ramp down. You can adjust the daytime, sunset, and night settings so your reef tank can adjust it’s lighting accordingly as the day goes on. Check out this sneak peak video from current on how it works.
When paired with the Eflux Wavemaker, you can you can adjust the flow and use the gyre settings when using 2 wavemakers and even use a feed feature that will shut off the pumps when feeding. There are other features of the aquarium led light like a lighting and cloudy weather feature, but I feel they are more for the cool factor than function.
The lights themselves are moderately powerful, which makes them idiot proof for beginner reefers as Orbit Marine publishes PAR output information on their website for easy reference and tuning. This makes the Current USA Orbit Marine one of the best user friendly led lights on the market. You can see the PAR ratings below. This makes them perfect for softie, LPS, and easy to care for SPS corals.
The final great point for the Current USA Orbit Marine is the mount. The led aquarium light can be rim mounted for a very clean and modern look. Most lights that cover this long of a tank have to be hung on a ceiling or mounted on the tank with brackets which both have downfalls (some people don’t want to put holes in their ceiling and the bracket mount can look ugly).
The cons I have this unit is that you will need to purchase the Current USA Orbit Marine Heavyweight mount if you have a larger glass rimmed tank like a 125 gallon tank as the standard rim mount will only work for rimless a marine aquarium. Now that the Pro model is available with the bluetooth package, it is a greater value than it was in the past!
As you can see from the photo above, this unit is perfected suited for a mixed reef tank. This system has great value for those looking at 3 and 6 foot tanks. The Current USA Orbit Marine IC Pros are best for mixed reefs up to mixed reefs with starter SPS corals.
For Mixed Tanks with some SPS (starter SPS only)
Pros
Great value – especially for larger tanks
Love the integration of the controller to their wavemakers and return pump
Can be rim mounted giving a very clean and modern look
PAR output readily available from Current USA Orbit Marine
Cons
Not suited for heavy SPS tanks
The lights themselves are easy to crack since they are so lightweight
Heavyweight mount rim accessory for larger tanks can be a little pricey
3. Viparspectra – Budget Unit With a Quality Black Box
The Viparspectra LED Aquarium Light is your traditional “Chinese Black Box”, but they have a more reliable name brand and recognition in the industry. What I like about these lights is that there are a lot of success stories using these lights in mixed reefs and SPS tanks. The main reason why they can work in SPS tanks is the how powerful they are.
The PAR output of these led lights is in the Radion territory. So you are getting a cheap light with the power behind that with proven field cases where they have grown high end and more difficult to keep corals. The price for this led light are hard to beat!
The price comes at a cost though. The LED light is very bare bones as it only has a timer built in and a dimmer to tone down the intensity. There is no ramp up or ramp down and there is no mobile app that powers this. They are traditionally bulky units , like all black boxes, so they do not look pretty when hung and really are best hidden in a canopy vs. a rimless marine aquarium setup. For those of you concerned with the electronics rating, the competiting Mars Aqua unit is UL rated. I just prefer the Viparspectra.
A note for those of you running heavy SPS tanks. These units are best modified by removing the lenses to reduce the hot spots, reduce the disco effect, and spreading out the PAR distribution. Here is a video showing how to perform such a function. The video is a Mars Aqua light, but the operation is still the same.
It pains me to drop the Radion to a #4 spot, since there is a reason why big time coral sellers like World Wide Corals and major pro reefers use the EcoTech Radion G5s to light their reef tanks. Two reasons why – full spectrum controllability and power.
The EcoTech Radion controllability is second to none in the industry. The Radions led lights are powered by a cloud-based command center known as EcoSmart Live that runs off a web browser. The software updates the lighting system automatically and there are various lighting modes available from many hobbyists.
The Reeflink that is separately available allows you to connect your Radions via smartphone vs. through the standard USB functionality that the unit comes with. The spectrum of the lights can be changed, the intensity can be adjusted, the lighting schedule can be modified. It’s really unlimited flexibility with these units.
The Radions can be mounted with various options including rail mounted or our favorite, rim mounted. A diffuser kit is can also be purchased separately in order to reduce PAR and eliminate hot spots and mitigate shadowing.
Power is what it is all about with these units. They are VERY powerful and can easily burn corals when running at 100%. As a result, a lot of tuning is required and recommended with a PAR meter, but this unit is made for hardcore reef junkies so the intensity makes sense.
The biggest con with this unit is the price. They are the most expensive led lights on this unit as well as the most feature rich. They are not plug and play and require tuning to get correct. For more information – see our full review.
Best For: High End Mixed Reefs, SPS Dominant (with diffuser and hybrid solutions), Commercial Use
Pros
Nearly unlimited customization
Powerful lights – can handle hardcore light intensive corals
Industry standard among commercial coral growers
Cons
Very expensive
Not plug and play – requires tuning though not as much as the G4
5. Hipargergo Aqua Knight – Incredible Value and a Great Choice for Smaller Tanks
If you are building a nano reef or similar under 40 gallon reef tank, the Hipargergo Aqua Knight is a strong consideration for the light of choice. It is a very affordable light, being the least expensive unit on this list, but also very powerful and competent to be used in most mixed reef setups.
It is a small aquarium light with a small light spread, making this a perfect light for nano reef tanks under 40 gallons. What I really love about this led light is the manufacturer completely backs up their lights with a 30 day money back guarantee and are happy to answer your questions 24-7. You really can’t go wrong with this light if you have a smaller reef tank. In fact, Inappropriate Reefer used this light in his 10 gallon nano reef build.
The main drawback of this aquarium light is its size. This is a very affordable led light, but it serves only nano reef tanks. The touch sensitivity can be annoying because they don’t always read correctly when you touch them. It’s so bad sometimes you have to pray that the light is reading your touches.
Finally, while it does come with a rim mount, the mount itself can be too long for some nano reef setups. Overall though, this is the choice if you are building a nano reef and well below name brand offerings like the AI Prime HD and Kessil A80.
For Nano Setups
Pros
Cheap price
Powerful for their size and “idiot proof” to use
Adjustable 2 channel light system
Cons
Small light spread, best for nano reefs
Touch sensitive controls can be a bit finicky
Mount is too long for some nano tanks and doesn’t adjust
6. Hydra Series – A Cheaper Radion With Lots of Customization
For those of you interested in a EcoTech Radion, but are slightly out of budget for one, the Hydra Series LED Lights by sister Company AquaIllumination are a light to look at.
The big advantage over the Radion is that all Hydra series lights do not need a controller. They function of a wonderful smartphone app. The app for this led light has incredible customization, allowing you to modifying your spectrum settings, manage up to 30 lights at once, and set up timers. There is even a coral accumulation setting that allows you to introduce new corals safely into your system. All of this on a smartphone that you can use anywhere in the world and at no additional cost!
The Hydra series comes in both the Hydra 32 and Hydra 64 models that will satisfy the vast majority of reefer’s need. AI makes a number of different led light mount options with a rail kit, rim mount kits, and even a flex arm solution so you can work with what they have to pull off the look that you want.
They even come in white or black. For those with smaller aquariums like nano tanks, the AI Prime HD offers similar functionality. In 2020, a new Hydra 64 model debuted with more features, more power, but at a higher price.
So what are the drawbacks of this led light? Well, even though it’s cheaper than the Radions, they are still on the expensive side for many reefers. PAR wise, they aren’t as powerful as Radions and will definitely need a hybrid solution for heavy SPS as a diffuser kit is not available. The Hydra led light will serve the vast majority of reefers well alone though and are well worth the money.
For Mixed Corals
Pros
Included mobile app is easily the best on this list with great customization
AI makes various light mounts that fit your needs and looks
Many purchase options available for your tank setup even for nano reefs
Cons
Still on the expensive for many reefers
No diffuser kit for heavy SPS tanks – you should go hybrids for heavy SPS
Kessil is very well known in the industry with high quality lights best suited for mixed reefs that are about as plug and play as you get. Kessil’s next gen A360X is an upgrade of the original A360offering 25% more light output with a 30% smaller package. Kessil’s design on this led aquarium light have already been pretty bulletproof and nothing like other units you have seen.
This Kessil led aquarium light is sealed. I have witnessed old A360s accidentally getting dropped in water and still working like nothing happened!. Kessil’s roots go further back than just reef lighting. They are a professional company started by a biologist, computer scientist, and physicist. The parent Company is Dicon Fiberoptics. The Company has been specializing in elite quality lighting for over 30 years and they have a quality manufacturing and QA process.
While Kessil does sell a spectrum controller, the default spectrum that Kessil supplies you with has been heavily researched by their R&D department. You shouldn’t need to adjust it as Kessil really goes out there to make sure you have everything you need to succeed with their led aquarium light out of the box. The intensity and spectrum can be adjusted on board with the knobs on top of the unit. In addition to the A360X, Kessil offers a similar built A80that is ideal for nano reef tanks.
My main gripes with this next gen model is the price. I was expecting these new models to be around the same price as the old A360 led aquarium light, but they are still at a premium price that venture into Hydra territory. This puts them it out of reach for some reefers.
The PAR output still isn’t that high, but that has always been Kessil’s thing as they design these led lights for mixed reefs and know that heavy SPS tanks need a hybrid system with LEDs. You still need a spectral controller to adjust your spectrum and a mobile app would have been nice.
However, at the end of the day this is a Kessil branded led aquarium light. Kessil’s construction and commitment to quality is top notch. Their reputation speaks for itself.
For Mixed Corals
Pros
Bullet proof design – these units can take a beating!
Top of the line spectrum colors
Still idiot proof like the last gen, no need to adjust like other high end units
Cons
The next gen model is more expensive than the old 360s
The Kessil AP9X is Kessil’s top of the line led aquarium light. It still offers the idiot proof plug and play out of the box functionality like other Kessil units, but in a larger comprehensive light that is ideal for 36″ x 24″ for SPS tanks and 48″ x 24″ for mixed reefs.
This light addresses my biggest gripes with all Kessil aquarium led light systems, the lack of a fully functional mobile app. The AP9X comes with a mobile app that has all the features that you want. It has a manual mode, program mode, a coral accumulation mode, lunar cycle, weather effects and more!
The main drawback of this aquarium led light is the price. While a single unit can serve a 48″ long mixed reef well, it still is a pretty expensive led lighting system. It also is not as compact as the Kessil 360Xs and the PAR performance is mildly powered like most Kessils (since they are all designed to run without adjustments out of the box).
For Mixed Corals
Pros
Plug and play idiot proof pro level light
Great mobile app included with full customization
Multiple mount options including a rim mount
Cons
Expensive
Not compact
Not as powerful PAR wise as the Radions
9. MicMol Aqua Air Smart System – A Cheaper Aquamaxx Prism
Some of you may have heard of the AquaMaxx Prism LED lights. Well, the dirty secret is MicMol is the original creator of the led and AquaMaxx private labels these lights from them. The MicMol Aqua Air Smart LED Reef System is a plug and play aquarium LED designed for Softy and LPS tanks. These are an upgrade to the original Aquamaxx Neolights, which was reviewed by Reefbuilders with PAR figures showing ideal PAR for softies and LPS.
This new generation led lighting system is about 30% more powerful than the Nemolight. This puts the light in the sweet spot of most LPS corals so for LPS dominated tanks this is an ideal light that is ready to go without any adjustments. The MicMol lights are more popular over in Europe versus the US.
They just don’t spend a lot of time marketing their lights, but it’s a very affordable light with highly quality chips and leds. This particular model has no fan which will make them extra quiet over fanned models. Since the light is not super powerful, the built in heat sinks are adequate for the light.
This led lighting system comes with it’s own controller that comes with a variety of settings like a clock, timer, and channel special effects. That’s a lot of features for this price range and very welcomed for these plug and play models.
The main drawback with these lights is they are not very powerful so they are best for LPS and softy tanks. It’s a great light nonetheless.
With the release of the new Kessil 360X led lighting system, the price range has gone out of the window for some. In fact, there has been a big gap in the market for a pendant light that has reliability, a brand name, while having the PAR output to handle a high demand system or hybrid setup.
Reefers didn’t have many options. They could try a AI Prime, but the PAR wasn’t strong enough to work in a hybrid setup. This meant you had to look at Kessils and other expensive lights like EcoTech. Where was the value option here?
Enter the Current USA R24. This special pendant light finally answers our questions for a cheaper light that has the PAR to be a serious option in a hybrid system. The PAR output below are higher than the AI Prime with nearly the same watts.
While the mobile app is not at the same level as the AI Prime, the Current app is capable and easy to use. It’s designed to be dummy proof and accessible for all levels. The industrial design is actually really favorable for newbies.
Ever drop an LED in your aquarium water? If you have, it can be a disaster to have your pedant get completely destroyed by taking that accidental dip. In the past, only the Kessil’s industrial design was able to survive a dip in water. Now, the R24 has the same durability. Having a cheaper pendant light that can survive a drop is peace of mind, especially if you are prone to having butter fingers!
That added durability comes with a price. It not as pretty as an AI prime mounted with a goose neck mount. These units are built to last. Current has been working with a lot of public aquariums designing fixtures that are built to last. Units that are built to last may not have the fanciest look – which I’m reminded of when I see fixtures like the Kessil.
The other thing that bothers me is the fan. I don’t really like fans myself on LEDs, but it is a sacrifice you make when you are dealing with higher output and more durable LEDs. The fan is actually pretty silent. Your protein skimmer and return pump will likely make more noise than this fan. I feel it’s a livable sacrifice to have a unit as durable as this.
So if you are looking for that mid-market pendant unit that won’t break your bank that you can use on your nano reef tank, mixed reef, or hybrid setup look no further!
For Mixed Corals
Pros
Competitive price
Better PAR output than the Prime
Mobile App
Can survive being dropped in water!
Cons
Has a Fan (Thought it’s super silent)
Bulky
11. Aquatic Life T5/LED Hybrid Mounting System – The System of Choice for Stickheads
You have seen all these LED systems, but for those reefers with heavy SPS, the major issue with LED aquarium systems is spread and shadowing. A hybrid system like the Aquatic Life T5/LED Hybrid Mounting System is the best solution to go with when it comes to making a fully distributed lighting system for stick heads.
This unit comes with a T5 system that holds 4 T5s in total. The middle section of the unit is to mount the LEDs. The unit comes with a pendant mount that will work on the original Kessil 360 and a universal mount bracket that will work for EcoTech Radions, AI Hydras, and even the Current R24s. Aquatic life even sells a cabinet mount if you do not want to mount the unit to the ceiling.
The main drawback for this unit is that you have to purchase the T5s and the LED units separately. It would have been nice if there were bundles available to purchase, but with all the MAP polices of all these brand names, it makes sense that Aquatic Life cannot offer a bundled system. I also wish they made this unit as 72″ model for us 6 foot long tank reefers. You have to purchase two 36″ units for a 6 foot long tank which is a bummer.
Other than that, this is the unit of choice for stickheads who want the electricity saving and control-ability advantages that LEDs provide without the shadowing issues.
This used to be my favorite reef light to sell. In fact, I used to sell them to LFSs across the country because I was easier to contact then the manufacturer 😅. Unfortunately, the manufacturer was shut down during the COVID pandemic and as a result they are out of business with no future production in site. I’ll keep this review up so others know what’s going on because it is hard to find information on the Company and I rank for their keywords.
The Ocean Revive T247-B is a black box in value, but not in looks. Far cheaper than the EcoTech Radions and AI Hydra, this unit can compete with the Hydras in power and what it can grow as evidenced as being the light of choice of Pacific East Aquaculture, a Maryland licensed coral aquaculture facility providing high end corals to reefkeepers since 2000.
Knowing that facilities and even some LFS (to save money but they will still try to sell you Radions and Hydras ^_^) use these units says a lot about them. They have the power to grow all types of corals from soft corals and anemones to Acroporas and the unit comes in a sturdy package that does not look cheap.
Ocean Revives are also one of the few units on this list that actually get cheaper the more units you buy. Because of how the manufacturer prices their stock, they grant sellers like us the ability to give bulk discounts to reefers so if you are looking to purchase 2 or 3 units you can save even more money!
The Ocean Revive, however, is a no frill LED light system. It has no ramp up or ramp down features. Like most black boxes, there is not a readily available rim mount. There is no spectrum adjustment, but the unit has a full spectrum led layout that does not need to be adjusted. Either a ceiling mount or ugly looking bracket mount are your standard choices.
All the functions of the unit are on board with the light itself as there is no separate controller or mobile app to run. Its functionality is really much like the old T5s fixtures from back in the day, but the light is a very powerful and functional unit that will server reefers well and save you lots of money over the brand names.
For Mixed Corals
Pros
A pro level light at a very reasonable price – better value with multiple units
Very powerful and great spectrum
Does not look cheap like other black boxes
Cons
No ramp up/ramp down features
No rim mount
No mobile app to control unit or spectrum customization
No longer available 😥
Benefits of LED Lighting for Reef Tanks
Before we go through the various reef LED lighting systems, let’s talk about why LEDs have gotten so popular with reef tanks. In the past, reef tanks were run with VHOs or T5s that were equipped with manual timers. They provided great even spread of light with no shadowing, but they did not produce a lot of light intensity (PAR). Then came metal halides which produced a lot of light intensity and you have hybrid halide and T5 systems.
These systems provided a great environment for all reef tanks, but consumed a ton of power and kept tanks hot sometimes to the point of requiring fans or a chiller to keep the temperatures down.
LED came out with an promise to decrease the energy cost for a reef tank. They are far more energy efficient than metal halides and T5s. They also have unique drivers that allow them to be customizable. Many aquarium LED fixtures will have electronic timers built in that will turn on and turn off the light for you. They will have dimmable features and will ramp up and ramp down simulating morning and night time effects. Others will even run on your smartphone via an app!
Are They Safe to Use?
One of the main advantages in safety that reef LED lighting systems have is are the construction. LED lights are not made of metal filaments or gas that halides are made of.
Since manufacturers have been embracing LED lights in reef tanks, you are starting to see additional safety features. Some marine aquarium LED light fixtures are splash proof or even water proof. A good example are Kessil LED light systems, which have been know to survive falling into the tank and not electrocuting the tank or shorting out.
It Can Be Compact
The compactness of several reef LED lighting systems is the very reason they are the ideal choice for nano reef and smaller tanks. Many reef aquarium LED lighting systems are made in “pucks” which means the unit is far more compact than traditional T5s. They are also lightweight, which means many can be mounted on the rim of the marine aquarium creating a very clean and modern look on rimless tanks where a canopy can be left out.
FAQs
How many watts do I need for a coral setup?
How many watts of LED lighting you need will depend on the size of your marine aquarium and type of corals you will be keeping. Most LED systems are actually overpowered PAR wise for many corals. It’s mostly about footprint. The vast majority of systems will power a 24 x 24 footprint. Measure your PAR in the tank for best results.
Can you grow coral with these units?
Yes, you can grow coral with LED lighting. Many pro growers and aquaculture suppliers are now using LED systems to grow out corals. This is due to the cost savings due to lower energy costs.
What visible spectrum is best for corals?
Blue and violet have been proven to be the best light spectrum for corals. Many of these lights in this review roundup have the correct spectrum to grow corals. Ensuring that the manufacturer you select has done the proper R&D and field results are available from other hobbyist will instill confidence in your purchase.
What is a good schedule for a reef tank?
For a reef tank, I would recommend 8-10 hours on your lighting schedule to start. You can adjust from there as you get a feel for your tank. Systems with ramp up and ramp down features can be turned on longer since the intensity will very over the course of the day.
What Do You Feel Are the Top Systems for These Tanks?
I hope after this article you are able to make an informed decision on what aquarium LED lighting system works best for the reef tank you are planning. The major brand lights are all very high quality, built to last, and all have ideal spectrum to grow lights. The cheaper lights we have provided in this post will definitely grow corals and have high quality spectrum, just not as functional as the name brand lights. Please let us know in the comments your thoughts about what lights have worked for you. Happy shopping :).
🔧 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Aquarium Equipment & Gear Guide — your ultimate resource for filters, heaters, lights, pumps, tanks, and more.
Dutch aquascaping is the most plant-dense, visually complex style in the hobby — think lush layers of color, contrasting textures, and meticulously planned plant streets that create depth. It originated in the Netherlands in the 1930s and remains the most demanding style to execute well. I’ve studied Dutch layouts extensively and find them fascinating precisely because the challenge is so high: no rocks, no driftwood, just masterful plant selection and placement carrying the whole design. If you’re ready to step up your planted tank game, this guide covers exactly how Dutch aquascaping works and how to approach it.
Key Takeaways
Dutch aquascapes are an aquascape style that focuses on stem plants
They require CO2 injection and heavy fertilization in order to thrive
They are one of the most prune-heavy scapes to maintain due to the number of stem plants used
They require more intense lighting than other scapes and shadowing is a concern due to stem plants
History
The Dutch Aquascape or Dutch Style’s roots originates all the way back to the 1930’s in the Netherlands. It is the oldest aquascaping style in our hobby. The aquascaping style originated with the creation of the Dutch Society of Aquarists or NBAT. It wasn’t until 1956 the the NBAT published the initial set of guidelines of what defined the Dutch Aquascape. They would run annual contests with these guidelines and the judges would actually visit the aquariums instead of working with submitted photos.
Concepts of the Dutch Style Aquascape
The Dutch Aquascape is based on the following principles
No more than 1 plant species per 4 inches of tank length
No duplication of the same species in another group
A shoal of fish should be issued with at least 12 fish from the same species
The rules of the Dutch aquascaping style is very restrictive. Many of the dutch aquascapes you see these days are actually Dutch hybrids with just variations of the rules above. The general rule is to keep about 70% of the aquarium floor planted.
Layout
A Dutch Aquascape is all about the plants. There is no hardscaping to do with this style as we are going to use the plants to setup our landscape. The main thing with this style is obtaining a taller tank as you will be using certain plants that do get tall and you want to allow them time to grow and show their length before pruning. We want to aim for at least 18-24 inches in height for a Dutch scape. Dutch scapes also tend to be a bit wider usually in the 3 to 4 feet range. The 40 gallon breeder tank is a great consideration to use. If you want a serious competition like tank setup, consider a rimless tank.
A Dutch style aquascape does follow the rule of two thirds concept like the Iwagumi, but it’s a bit trickier to pull off. It’s really about impact with this style. The main technique you need to know with Dutch style is terracing and spacing. You will want to place the biggest and brightest plants at your focus points. You can also choose to not follow the rule and then have the option of 4 focal points.
Terracing
Terracing is used with Dutch Style aquariums to convey depth in the aquarium. This is also to create focal points in the aquascape.
Terracing traditionally in agriculture would be creating mounds of soil to create raised sections in the landscape. With the Dutch style or aquascape we position the substrate in a way where we slope it. We start almost flat at the bottom and increase the depth of the substrate as we go from the front of the tank to the back. This is the way this aquascaping style is done in modern times because it allows us to be more flexible with our setup.
Another way of doing is by keeping plant groups on different heights. Space is key as well. We want to space groups of plants at least a half inch between groups of plants. This gives the plants breathing room and room for growth. They will also expand to their best appearance and make pruning a bit easier to do. Spacing to spread out density is also known as streeting in the Dutch Style. Streets are spaces between your plant groups that help create depth and perspective in your aquascape.
Plant Selection
Plants are everything with the Dutch Aquascape. They are your feature pieces. We have to select a variety of plants to have an eye popping aquascape. This means we have to look at shapes, texturs, and colors with our plants. We also need to plant in an order to contrasts our plant mix so our piece does not end up looking dull or overdone. Most of our plants will also be stem plants, meaning they will feed on the nutrients in our substrate. Let’s breaking down our plant selection to the following:
When discussing Dutch Aquascapes, we need to drive into stem plants a bit more. The dutch style will use the most stem plants of any aquascape style. Stem plants growth patterns are vertical with branches. Many will grow tall and will keep growing in the aquarium until they reach the top of your tank.
Because of this, they require the most management of any plants in our hobby. It is not uncommon for these plants to require weekly pruning. If left unchecked, it is very possible that these plants will cover the top of your aquarium and will end up shadowing your entire aquarium. You can see an example from Tropictank YouTube Channel of an overgrown Dutch aquascape that badly needs to be pruned:
Stem plants will also require strong Aquarium Lighting and AquariumInjected CO2 Systems to grow their best and to display their best colors. Shadowing is a concern with Dutch style tanks.
The good thing with stem plants is they can be easily propagated by cutting off nodes and simply replanting them. This can make a fully planted Dutch Aquascape more fun as you can trade with friends or trade your plants to your aquarium store for credit to help fund your hobby.
Tension vs. Harmony
We talked about this earlier on the Iwagumi style. We know to create visual interest and energy that we need to balance tension and harmony.
So what is tension in a dutch aquascape? This is going to do with the leaf shape ,structure of our plants, shape, and color. Plants with more textured leaves and sharper leaves versus round will create tension. Plants that grow tall versus round will create more tension.
Color is really what stands out from other aquascape styles with the Dutch style. Let’s discuss how this works. In color theory, we have what we call warm and cool colors. Warm colors have the following emotions tied to them: happy, excitement, bright, and angry. They have shorter wavelengths on the light spectrum which makes them feel energetic to us
Cool colors have the following emotions tied to them: Calm, soothing, relaxing, and harmony. They have longer wavelengths on the light spectrum which makes them feel more calm then warm colors.
Contrasting warm and cool colors creates are our tension in our aquascape. We have many things to work with on balancing our tension and harmony balance. Color is just going to be the most obvious, which is why I am touching on it. If you want to learn more about color theory here is a video below from Purple Pretty Door for your enjoyment.
Your goal as the aquascaper is to create that blend of balance with your tension and your harmony. Too much tension and the viewers eye will be over the place. Too much harmony and your aquascape will look boring and too uniform. Research your plant selection careful and draw out a plan for where you are going to plant everything and what plants you are going to use.
Obtaining Your Plants (Tissue Culture vs. Aquacultured)
We discussed it earlier in our Iwagumi Aquascape post. Always lean on tissue culture stem plants. You have less risk with pests and nuisance algae going this route versus purchasing aquascultured plants. They are good value for the money and lab grown.
As with the Iwagumi, you will want to purchase all your live plants at once. You will want to plant densely to start, you will want to plant densely to start.
Setting Up for This Style
Because of the type of plants will be using for a Dutch Aquarium, we cannot utilize the dry start method. We will need to densely plant and flood our tanks when we start up.
This aquascaping style is one type of scape you will not be able to dry scape. It requires more research on the plants and their grow patterns then other styles because of it. Take time to learn your plant’s grow patters so you know where to put your plants to create a proper foreground, background, and middle section of the tank. Use the tension and harmony discussion below to balance your visual impact and create your focal points.
Revisit the discussion about Dutch Style Terracing so you can create proper depth, focal points, and grouping for your plants. For an example Aquascape setup. See the video below by Yulia below:
Lighting
Dutch Aquascapes will use the most light intensive plants in our hobby. We not only want to select a light that encourages a lot of growth, but we have to keep in mind coverage. Coverage and spread is a major and critical consideration in our light selection. Because we are using stem plants that will go large and spread through our tank, we will have an issue with shadowing as plants grow. If you know about LEDs weakness, you will be familiar with shadowing issues with them.
For example with hobbyists with SPS coral tanks, shadowing is a major issue as corals grow. Such will be the case with a Dutch Style aquarium.
Because of this, a T5 fixture is going to be the best choice for our dutch aquascape. T5s strength is from its spread and uniformity. A cheap route that works for our Dutch Style setup is an Odyssea T5 Quad Fixture or Hydrofarm T5s.
Bulb selection is very important with T5 setups. For bulbs I would recommend Giesemann bulbs. 2 x Giesemann Super Flora and 2x Giesemann Topic T5s will create a combo of spectrum and proper color tones.
CO2 Systems
The Dutch Style will have some of the most demanding plants in our hobby. They will require CO2 supplementation in order to display their best colors and shape. Without CO2, our Dutch Style attempt will simply fail. There is no way around it with a Dutch Style tank, they are simply a high tech planted tank at their core.
These hungry plants will want a proper CO2 regulator, CO2 bubble diffusor, and an appropriate sized CO2 canister. Check out our Best CO2 Systems Reviews for insights on CO2 systems and why CO2 is so essential for your success.
Because we are going to be planting stem plants that will feed on the soil of our aquarium, an active substrate is a must. We want to have an active substrate that can hold lots of nutrients to help our plants grow to their best potential.
In our Best Planted Tank Substrates blog post, we talked about how ADA Aquasoil is the name in the game when it comes to planted tank substrates. This is the go to soil for planted that require heavy feed. It is a substrate that will allow for regular replanting.
The ADA Aquasoil is going to give us an excellent start with our Dutch Aquascape and will provide a soil for our plants to feed off of. However, a Dutch style is an aquarium that will require a heavy amount of feeding to the plants so we will be using so may of them. Red plants also make this more complex as they have higher demands than most green plants. Plants in your Dutch Aquascape will grow fast, demand food, want great lighting, and require a lot of CO2 supplementation.
The good thing is thatAPT Complete is actually designed for Dutch Style aquariums. It was designed by a hobbyist who grows Dutch Style tanks. This is the main supplement you will want to use for your dutch style tank. You can use the full dosage recommended on the bottle and adjust from there.
APT Complete is a all in one fertilizer that is designed for heavily planted, heavy demand aquariums. To learn more about fertilizers, see the Best Aquarium Plant Fertilizers blog post for details on macro and micro nutrients.
Like the Iwagumi tank, fish are not center point in a Dutch Aquascape. Our focus is on the plants and creating a work of art. The fish compliments our piece, not take it over. Due to this, we are again look at schooling fish like Tetras, especially a Neon Tetra. What I like about Neon Tetras is that they contain the blue we are lacking in our plants. As you may recall, blue is a cool color that unfortunately we are not able to obtain through our plan selection.
Neons offer a perfect opportunity to obtain that rare blue that is available in our aquascape. Not only that, they move in our aquarium so they will work within your aquarium to contrast your tank. It really comes with my highest recommendations when it comes to creating a eye popping Dutch Aquascape.
There are also people who will use Angelfish or even Discus in Dutch Aquascapes. These can work, but the size of the fish can really take away from your aquascape. The decision; however, is all up to you.
Filtration
Dutch Aquascape setups are even more high demanding than the Iwagumi style. It’s one of the most intensive planted aquariums you can keep. A top of the line filtration unit should be considered.
As such, I’m going to recommend the Biomaster Thermos Series of Canister Filters. It’s a complete, durable unit with an aquarium heater built into it. It is the go to now for high tech planted tanks in today’s age.
So we have talked about the history and concepts of the Dutch Aquascape, plant selection and color theory, the best plants, how to setup up the tank, and the fish. Now let’s bring it all together build a setup. Let’s create our shopping list.
The major issue with Dutch Aquascapes is pruning. There is so much pruning that needs to be done with your tanks as the plants grow fast and you need to main shapes so your streets look clean and your tank is presentable. One such saying I have heard over the years is someone saying that the only time their Dutch Aquascape looked good was the first day after a pruning. They really do require a lot of upkeep just like any well groom landscape garden. Be prepared to purchase Pruning Aquascape Tools. The video below by Tropictank YouTube Channel illustrates what happens if you let your aquascape go too long without a pruning!
Closing Thoughts
The Dutch Aquascape is a classic aquascape style for freshwater planted tanks. It is one of the most challenging setups you can work with, and also one of the most rewarding. It’s a purely planted tank at its core. You can really flex your planting muscles with this style of aquascape. The Dutch Style reminds me of flower gardens in your home. If you have any comments, please leave them in the comments section. Thank you for reading!
🌿 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Planted Tank & Aquascaping Guide — your ultimate resource for aquarium plants, aquascaping styles, substrates, and more.
Saltwater algae control is a challenge I’ve dealt with across every phase of reef keeping, and having the right cleanup crew makes a genuine difference. I’ve tried most of the common saltwater algae eaters in my 125-gallon and know which ones actually earn their spot — and which ones cause more trouble than they solve.
Today’s post is about Algae eaters for your saltwater tank. Before we get into our list of 7 best, I want to talk about the 3 key steps in implementing an algae control system. When most people have an outbreak, the first thing one might do is buy livestock to fix the issue. However, livestock is not the fix, but actually the control. Livestock controls algae and prevention measures fix outbreaks. Knowing prevention, the types of algae, and how to combat them will ensure that you implement the right algae control measures in your tank
Step 1 – Know How To Prevent Outbreaks
The first step in controlling algae is preventative. Virtually all algae comes from the following sources:
Age of tank
Excessive Nutrients – Phosphates, Nitrates Silicates, TDS in source water
Age of tank is usually the first issue. If your tank is establishing or just got out of its cycle, it is very common to get nuisance algae. Usually this starts with diatoms and then moves to hair algae and red slime. You get outbreaks because your bacteria cycle is still maturing. As you perform proper maintenance, your nutrient levels should stabilize. Stay patient if you are a newcomer experiencing your first bloom
What Causes It?
To answer the question about what does algae eat, let’s talk about excessive nutrients. The most common cause of Saltwater Aquarium algae outbreaks is poor source water. Water from the tap can be filled with silicates, phosphates, and nitrates that make nuisance algae thrive in your tank. Algae thrives no this nutrients as this is their food source and they will grow to consume these nutrients in your tank. These nutrients will then get “trapped” in the algae, meaning you will not be able to remove these nutrients out the system until you remove both the algae and the source of these nutrients.
After learning about the age of the tank, the second question I also ask hobbyist when they have an outbreak is where their source water is coming from. If you are not using an RODI System((Please note, this post includes affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase), you will have outbreaks unless your source water is very pure. Even with an RODI system, one can still have outbreaks and sometimes this is due to not replacing your RODI parts timely.
This brings us to the next part with nutrient control – maintenance. You need to have a proper maintenance schedule in order to prevent high nutrient levels. This means water changes, cleaning equipment, changing light bulbs if you use T5 fluorescent lighting, having a proper protein skimmer, and not overfeeding or overstocking your tank.
Poor lighting is another factor that is usually fixed easily. This is common with T5 fluorescent lighting as the spectrum and intensity degrades as the lights age. If you have older bulbs, you should replace them with fresh bulbs. If you have a light fixture that does not produce the correct spectrum, you should consider getting an appropriate reef light.
Hitchhiking algae is our last culprit. Macroalgae, Byropsis, and Macro Algae are usually the types of algae that make their way through Hitchhiking. You can avoid most of these issues by investing in dry rock instead of live rock. This leaves corals as your only source of introduction. You can limit your exposure by purchasing frags, inspecting corals before purchase, and only purchasing from reputable local or online stores.
Prevention is the first step in algae control. Our next stop is knowing your algae.
Step 2 – Know What Type You Are Dealing With
When combating algae, you need to know what type of algae you are dealing with, how they come about, and how to limit or eliminate them. I will be going over the following algae below:
Diatoms
Dinoflagellates
Film Algae
Red Slime (Cyanobacteria)
Hair Algae
Bubble Algae
Bryopsis Algae
Calerpa Algae
Diatoms
Diatoms are brown algae that usually appear when a tank has just completed its cycle. They can cover sand, rocks, pumps, glass…pretty much everything. They are unsightly, but harmless in your tank. Diatoms feed off silicates. You can prevent silicate by using an RODI system and keeping up with the maintenance. Even with proper maintenance though, they can still appear via additives, salt mixes, or using improper sand.
Film
This is a common algae in a tank that grows due to nutrients in the tank. They are not harmful, just unsightly and easily removed manually or eaten by algae eaters.
Dinoflagellates
Also known as brown slime algae. This type of algae is some nasty stuff. They release toxins, will kill sensitive inverts like snails, and will feed off what they kill. Eliminating them in the tank requires a mult-prong approach involving granular activated carbon, black out periods, raising pH, reduced feedings, and manual removal. It’s not an outbreak to be taken lightly. More on How To Get Rid of Dinoflagellates.
Red Slime (Cyanobacteria)
Often called algae, this is actually bacteria. Cyanobacteria is another common nuisance that pops up in a newer tank. While not harmful to fish, they are harmful to corals – especially soft corals. It is something that will always been present in your system. It is all about nutrient control with Cyano. The key parameters to control are phosphate (below 0.05 ppm) and nitrates (below 10 ppm). Nutrients can be locked in the red slime, so a common frustration point with reefers is their parameters test well, but the cyano is holding the nutrients until they are removed.
Other factors are lighting and low flow. Redirect power heads and wavemakers or add more to eliminate dead spots. If the tank is overtaken, you can manually remove by siphoning the cyanobacteria. Chemical options would include using Chemi-Clean ,which can be used as a good way of wiping out Cyano while address the long-term issue.
Hair Algae is an algae that thrives on nutrients. Having high phosphates and nitrates will cause this algae to thrive. Like Cyanobacteria, it can always be present in the tank, but can be controlled and virtually eliminated with good maintenance practices and algae eaters. You can also purposely grow in a container filtration unit like an Algae Scrubber where it can be used to keep phosphates and nitrates low and pH stable at night.
Bubble
Bubble algae is usually introduced in the tank as a hitchhiker from either purchased live rock or corals. The best way to prevent it is to carefully inspect all of your rock or coral purchases for this hitchhiker. If you do end up with bubble algae, work to eliminate it early. You can manually remove it (but be careful about popping the bubbles or you will have it reproduce everywhere) or enlist algae eaters that specialize in eating this algae.
Bryopsis
Bryopsis Algae is a fern-like algae that usually gets introduced in your aquarium from live rock or purchased corals. It is very difficult to get rid of and there are all sorts of horror stories about this algae. This is an algae unfortunately that many algae eaters will not touch.
The best way to get rid of it is to raise your magnesium levels using a supplement like Kent Marine Tech M. You would want to increase your magnesium to the 1500 levels gradually over a week and keep it consistent until the Bryopsis is wiped out.
Kent Marine Magnesium is a safe, high-quality ionically balanced magnesium supplement that supports both the health of your coral reef inhabitants and the growth of healthy corals.
Calerpa Algae is another algae that finds its way to your tank as a hitchhiker. It is another algae that is difficult to get rid of, but there are algae eaters that will happily eat away at this algae. If it has over taken your tank, it is best to manually remove what you can and then implement the help of an algae eating crew to keep it contained. This algae, like many others on this list thrive on nutrients so keeping phosphates and nitrates low will limit its growth rate.
Chaetomorpha
Chaetomorpha Algae is a single celled algae that is actually used as a beneficial type of algae in many saltwater aquarium setups. While not considered a nuisance algae, I listed this on here to saw that not all algae is bad algae. Chaetomorpha algae is usually placed in a sump and grown in a separate section of the sump to help control nitrates and phosphates.
While it is fine in a sump, they do happen to hitch hike in the display aquarium when you purchase corals or live rock. They can quick grow out of hand if they grow in your display tank if there is nothing in the tank to eat it and may require manual removal to keep it in check.
Step 3 – Add Them To Your Aquarium
We have gone through preventative measures and identification. Since algae is always present in our systems, you should implement some algae eaters to control the algae that does make itself present. Step 1 and 2 were guides on how to prevent an outbreak. Step 3 is about how to implement the best crew to control the algae that does show up. Check out our video from our YouTube channel.
Below are the list of my recommended algae eaters:
The Top 7 Control Livestock for Saltwater Tanks
Let’s go into further detail about each algae eater. Below is a short description of each of your crew member candidates.
Contrary to belief, the Nassarius Snail does not directly eat algae. So why would it make this list? Because as we had discussed earlier, algae control is mostly about nutrient control. These are savaging snails that do an incredible job of eating detritus in the tank, keeping your nutrients in check, and algae at bay. They do most of their work in the sand, so they will only be compatible with tanks with a substrate.
The Cerith Snail makes it to our honorable mention. Many reefers would put these to the top of their list, but I have it an honorable mention for a few reasons. The first is that they can reproduce in the aquarium and you can have dozens of snails in a short period of time.
The second is their size – they tend to be pretty small which can be a bad thing if they get sucked into your overflow box and cause some issues with plumbing.
Aside from that though they are a great hybrid cleaner. They clean on the rock, glass, and sand. They all are most active at night so they tend to avoid getting eating by fish who like to snack on snails. Their small size makes them ideal for nano reef tanks. They are also dirt cheap to get in large qualities. Just check out this deal on 100 cerith snails.
Target Algae – Cyanobacteria, Diatoms, Film Algae, Macro Algae
The Mexican Turbo Snail is the ultimate reef snail for larger tanks. It will mow down several types of nuisance algae, grow sizable, and have the ability to flip itself over. Its shell shape makes it difficult for crabs to eat it as well. It does not take many of these snails to establish a good clean up crew in a tank. Every reefer should consider these snails. The only downfall with them is they get large. For small saltwater aquariums, I would recommend you go with Ceriths instead.
Most hobbyists think about the lawnmower blenny when it comes to an algae eating blenny. I tend to shy away from the lawnmower primarily due to its max size of 5″. The Tailspot Blenny has all the algae eating characteristics of the lawnmower blenny but in a smaller, more colorful, and more peaceful package. They have great personalities and are a great addition to your tank.
The Kole Tang makes our list for a few reasons. It is one of the smaller tangs you can put in your aquarium, which means that those with a medium sized tank can house them. They tend to be less aggressive in smaller aquariums than yellow, purple, or scopas tangs.
Kole tangs will eat film algae though in some cases will eat hair and macro algae. For those with larger tanks, a yellow tang or a foxface/rabbitfish would be a viable candidate for hair and macro algae. If you have a much larger tank mixing both a bristle tooth tang like a Kole and a zebra species tang or foxface/rabbitfish make for a solid algae control team.
The best companion for an algae destroying fish duo is a Kole Tang and Foxface. The Foxfaceis an amazing algae eater in saltwater aquariums. They will chew up any hair algae in the aquarium and will happily eat most macro algae. Combining them with a Kole tang covers more algae you will face in a saltwater tank. It is also one of the most the hardy herbivores you can purchase for a saltwater aquarium. Their thick slime coats make them very resistant to ich and bacterial infections.
There are some significant drawbacks with a Foxface however. The main one is they are venomenous. They have spikes that can leave a nasty sting, though not as dangerous as a lionfish or scorpion fish. They get pretty large at 8″ and grow very fast. They also can develop a taste for some corals and inverts – specifically clams. If a Foxface gives you pause, a Scopas Tang could be a good alternative. A Scopas is the most hardy Zebrasoma species tang you can buy.
The emerald crab is well known for eating bubble algae. It is a scavenger that will feed on uneaten foods and many types of nuisance algae. They are generally a peaceful invert, but can become an opportunistic eater if food sources are low. This invert should be part of any clean up crew in a reef tank. If you are going to get an emerald crab, ensure that your crab is guaranteed to eat bubble algae.
There are some clean-up crew sellers out there that guarantee their crabs will do so, and those are the ones you want. You will also want to make sure you purchase a female as they are typically less aggressive than males. A picture is shown below so you can tell the difference:
Which Have You Used?
So that’s my list folks. These 7 aquatic animals I feel are the best algae control livestock you can add to your saltwater aquarium. If you want to go the equipment route, I would highly recommend an algae turf scrubberfor controlling all types of nuisance algae growth.
Did I miss any of your favorites in the list above? Share what I missed in the comments below and please share this post with others if you found it helpful. Thanks for reading!
Damselfish have a reputation problem — and honestly, some of it is deserved. But after 25 years in the saltwater hobby, I’ve kept enough species to know that lumping all damsels together is a mistake. A handful of species are genuinely peaceful enough for community reef tanks, and knowing which ones can save you from the nightmare scenarios most reefers associate with the group.
Damselfish get a really bad rap in the saltwater aquarium hobby. They are highly aggressive, bite your hand if you put it in the tank, have been known to harass timid tank mates to death, and are a pain to remove if you have to take one out of your tank. Check out the video below from our YouTube Channel.
So why would anyway ever consider a damsel for their fish tank let alone a reef tank? Well they are several:
They are an extremely hardy marine fish
They will eat just about anything you feed them
They have an exclusive blue color that is difficult to find
Back in the day before fishless cycling was common practice, the Damselfish was the fish you would use to cycle a saltwater tank because they could tolerate levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates that would kill off many other saltwater fish. Of course, nowadays one should never consider cycling with damselfish. However, they are extremely hardy in a tank and are a very forgiving fish for a novice.
Damselfish will eat just about anything you feed them in the tank. They do not require a specialized diet and will do just fine with any food you buy them.
Damselfish have a blue color that is very hard to find for a reef tank. Think about it for a second. How often have you thought about looking for a blue colored fish to compliment your coral reef tank setup? Let’s think about likely candidates:
Blue Reef Chromis – The most suitable candidate, but get 5″ long and should be grouped
Wow, that was pretty quick. So unless you have a large tank or pretty skilled at reefing already, your options are pretty limited for a blue fish.
Most Damsels stay very small. Only a few members get large and should be avoided for a community tank as they get very aggressive. Their compact size makes them attractive for smaller tanks, especially those under 75 gallons.
Damselfish are reef safe, but have to be introduced in the correct manner. This means that you have to introduce them last and with the right tankmates, I’ll get into this in detail later in this article.
So we have established the reasons why a Damselfish could be a good candidate for your saltwater aquarium, but we have all heard the horror stories of their aggressive nature. Is there such thing as a sane Damselfish? The answer is – YES!
Introducing the Chrysiptera Damselfish Species
Scientific Name
Chrysipertera
Common Name (Species)
Damselfish
Family
Pomacentridae
Origin
Indo Pacific
Diet
Omnivore
Care Level
Easy
Activity
Active
Lifespan
Usually to 10 years
Temperment
Semi-aggressive
Tank Level
All Areas
Minimum Tank Size
30 Gallons
Temperature Range
73 – 81 Degrees F
pH Range
8.1 – 8.4
Filtration/Flow Rate
All
Water Type
Saltwater
Breeding
Egg-layers, Difficult to breed
Compatibility
Semi-Aggressive tanks
Ok, For Reef Tanks?
Yes
Ok, For Inverts?
Mostly Yes
These Damsels comes from the family pomacentridae and hail from the indo Pacific. There is a genus in the Damselfish family called Chrysiperta. They are just as pretty as other other Damsel relatives but far more peaceful. They will bring the lively nature and action of Damsels without the aggressiveness.
I will break down 4 of the more colorful Chrysiperta Damsels that fit the exclusive Damsel blue that many hobbyist love:
Azure Damsel
Starck’s Damsel
Yellow-Tail Damsel
Springer’s Damsel
Azure – Tank Bred and tame
Max Size – 3″ Minimum Tank Size – 30 gallons
The Azure damselfish species is the most mild-mannered of the group. It has a wonderful disposition in the group and has rarely caused disruptions in aquariums. It is the best Damselfish to choose if you are considering one that is blue. In larger tanks, they have been kept in groups. It is as of the date of this post, the only Damselfish of the 4 that is available as tank bred.
Starck’s – The Beauty of the Group
Max Size – 4″ Minimum Tank Size – 30 gallons
The Starck is more aggressive than the Azure but still far less than many other Damsels. It has a brilliant blue body with a broad yellow band running along the top. It can almost pass as an Angelfish to a layperson’s eye. Unfortunately the Starck’s Damsel is a hard Damselfish to find usually available part of the year and commanding a price tag equivalent to Dwarf Angelfish like Flame Angels.
Yellow Tail – The “Dory” Substitute
Max Size – 3″ Minimum Tank Size – 30 gallons
This is the most aggressive of the four and has the most horror stories behind it. It’s on the list for two reasons. First, many of the stories I have seen have been involving timid saltwater fish or where the yellow tail was placed in first and established its territory. Both are incorrect ways on how to introduce a Damselfish. Second, the its yellow tail fin and color is often mistaken as a “Baby Dory” by children and with it’s hardiness can withstand a novice hobbyist or parent purchasing a “Dory” (AKA Blue Tang) for their children.
I personally have recommend this marine fish to potential Blue Hippo Tang buyers along with a lot of education about the care and maintenance required to successfully keep saltwater fish. The suggestion was so common, that I actually was interviewed by the Huffington Post about my experience with this aquarium fish.
Springer’s – The Coral Pest Slayer
Max Size – 3″ Minimum Tank Size – 30 gallons
Of all the damsels on this list, the Springer’s Damsel offers pest control abilities. This Indo Pacific fish is well known for wiping out flatworms in a reef tank, their ability to wipe out pests have been compared with Wrasses like Six-line and Malnanrus Wrasses. The great thing about a Springer’s damsel is they are just as docile as Azures so you can get a small pest control fish without the attitude of a Six-line Wrasse in a small system! In a smaller system they cannot be beat for pest control. Keep in mind though as they mature they will look at your hands as threats to their territory and will likely attack your hands!
So I have outlined the four best Damselfish. Now let’s break down the best practices for adding a Damsel to your tank.
Best Practices for Adding Them
I’m going to break this done into 3 parts:
Introduce them last
Have other semi-aggressive fish in the tank
Have lots of rockwork
Damselfish are often going to be the most aggressive marine fish you will add to your tank. Because of this, you need to introduce them last into your tank where territory has already been established by your other tankmates. This will prevent your damsel from becoming the alpha fish in your tank.
Semi-aggressive fish need to be in the tank in order to be successful in the tank. If you have timid tank mates like firefish, damsels should be avoided. Here is a quick list of semi-aggressive fish that suit a damsel’s nature:
Semi-Aggressive wrasses like Malnarus. Caution with flasher wrasses
Bottom Dwelling Gobies
Rockwork is the third factor on our list. You are likely going to have a lot of rockwork if you have a reef aquarium so you will likely be okay. This is mostly a consideration if you have a fish-only setup.
When selecting damselfish for your aquarium, you pretty much won’t go wrong with these guys if you’re looking for a community setup. Just make sure you have a tank that is suited for the species of fish you are getting, add them last, and pay attention to tankmates.
Care Guide
The damselfish on this list, with the exception of the Starcki Damsel, will grow to about 2-3 inches in length. The Starcki will be a bit bigger topping out at 4 inches. Give their more aggressive nature, it is best to keep them in a 30 gallon aquarium or larger with length being a major factor as damsels tend to claim an area of the tank as their own.
Water temperature should remain at 73 to 81 Fahrenheit, which pH levels at 8.1 to 8.4 and salinity at 1.020 – 1.026. Open spaces are ideal for them as damsels are open swimmers. The rocks you keep in the tank should have plenty of hiding places to reduce aggression.
Best Food For Them
What makes damselfish great in saltwater tanks is that they tend to not be very picky eaters, but doesn’t mean that you should just feed the first fish food you find at the grocery store! Damselfish should be offered a complete diet. Let’s talk about the hierarchy of saltwater aquarium food.
Best – Fresh/Raw Food, Enriched Frozen Food
Better – Fried Dried + Nutrient Soaked Food
Good – Enriched Flake/Pellet Food
The Best Frozen Food for Them – LRS Nano
There are not many of us in this hobby who will go make fresh seafood for our marine fish. There are videos available on how to do this, but I’m going to assume it’s just not realistic for you to make your own. It’s a pretty smelly process! The next best option would be live black worms if you can somehow get it locally and grow a culture, but again your significant other may not be a fan of you keeping worms around the house or in the fridge ;-).
So this brings us to frozen food. Without a doubt, LRS Nano frozen is the best frozen food you can get on the market. It is only available at your local fish store so if you are fortunate to have a store that carries it buy it today! The rest of the items are available online with Amazon (Affiliate Links Below) being the best way to get them quickly.
The Best Freeze Died Food for Them – Fried Dried California Blackworms + Selcon
California black worms have been praised by long-term reefers as a great source of nutrition and the most pickiest of fish will eat them. At least for the live black worms, but as I stated before live is tough to get and this is the next best thing you can get at a reasonable price. These freeze dried California black worms are ready to go for your Damselfish to eat
It is highly recommended to soak them in Selconprior to feeding. The great thing about freeze dried food is they take vitamin soaks like Selcon very well so you know your fish are getting a vitamin rich diet!
The Best Flake Food for Them – Cobalt Aquatics Marine Omni Flake Food
While you can make a very good case for pellet food, in our experience damselfish have an easier time eating flake food given their smaller mouths. Pellets are a more appropriate food for their large cousins, Clownfish. What makes Cobalt Aquatics Marine Omni Flakes stand out is their food contains probiotics. The mix of the flake is also very comprehensive containing highly quality ingredients like squid, spirulina, plankton, krill, and mussel. The product is made in the USA and it’s highly palatable formula are great for finicky eaters and avoids the digestion/nutrition issue common with low quality flake foods.
Contrary to common belief that all Damsels are evil, we have listed several damselfish that are compatible in a reef community tank. As long as you add them last and pick the correct species of fish to mix them with, you should have a little blue marine fish that you can enjoy! Thanks for reading!
📘 Want to learn more? This article is part of our complete Saltwater Fish & Reef Guide — your ultimate resource for marine fish, coral care, reef setup, and more.
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 best reef safe fish 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.
My Criteria For Selecting These Fish
The fish on my list selected using the following criteria:
Does not require a large tank (more than 4 feet tank)
Well known for being reef safe (won’t nip at corals)
The Ocellaris clownfish is 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. Ocellaris clownfish 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. They are 100% reef safe and hardy fish 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, will spawn in captivity, and are very hardy. 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. They are excellent for reef tanks and will not bother any tank inhabitants or corals. They are ideal beginner saltwater fish.
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 reef tank.
Fortunately, the Orchid Dottyback is not one of those. They have a mild temper in a community reeftank and are the great tankmates. 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. They are reef safe and actually do a good job at eradicating bristle worms from an aquarium.
A striking blend of colors and personality make up this beautiful saltwater aquarium fish. The Royal Gramma 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 Gramma in the same reef aquarium so pick the one you prefer. I lean towards to the Orchid Dottyback because they are available as tank bred. The Gramma is more mild mannered than the Orchid. They will not bother any corals
The Blue Green Chromis hardy long-lived saltwater fish that will school together. They are the neon-tetra of saltwater aquarium fish. You cannot go wrong putting this fish in your tank.
The Firefishis the go to saltwater 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 tank mates. They are model citizens in a reef aquarium. They are safe for all corals and invertebrates.
Wrasses are very active fish. The Sixline Wrasse is no exception. A reef safe and hardy saltwater aquarium fish. The only downfall with this wrasse is they are a on the aggressive side and will harass easily intimidated fish. It’s best to keep them with other semi-aggressive fish like clownfish and to add them last to avoid any tank drama. They do an amazing job at removing various pests from corals while still remaining reef safe.
The Yellow 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″ sand bed available and purchase a small shrimp like a candy cane shrimp. Seeing the interaction with watchman goby and a pistol is a joy. The goby works to keep the shrimp safe which the shrimp does it’s work on the sand and gather food.
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 saltwater fish in the tank. They have no swim bladder so they are consistently moving and have an eel like look when swimming.
The McCoosker’s Wrasse is 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. These wrasse fish are known to be jumpers so a cover is recommended.
Also known as the Kupang Damsel, this is easily the most controversial fish on my list. Here me out before you react though. Not all damselfish are horrible. You can check our damselfish article for more details about it. Among all the damels available in our hobby, the Azure is the best option for a community reef fish.
They will still be careful considerations to be made to ensure you have success with their more aggressive nature. If you take the right steps, they make the cut on my list. You cannot have more than one of these per 18 inches of reef tank length as they will bully each other to death. They are great color additions as they contrast a number of reef aquarium fishes with their blue colors. They also look amazing under actinic reef lighting.
Honorable Mentions
These fish could have made the list, but we ran out of room to talk about them in the article
Mandarin Goby – Tends to strive in a tank unless it’s large and full of copepods
Maroon Clownfish – Aggressive as an adult
What Does The Term Mean?
You would be surprised being on this post how confusing this term can be. I’m going to define this for you so you can determine how best you want to build your reef.
What Does It Mean In The Hobby?
The general term reef safe means that the fish you purchase will not brother corals and other sensitive invertebrates. Because the general term means the fish won’t bother corals and inverts, you will get a lot of “with caution” in our trade. To help, Let’s break it down further with fish that won’t eat corals and fish that won’t eat inverts.
The Ones That Won’t Eat Corals
To me, this is what I define as reef safe to truly be. These fish will not eat corals and do not pose a danger to them. The following fish species are generally not going to eat corals:
The Ones That Won’t Eat Corals, But Will Eat Inverts
The list above are the usual fish species you will see listed as safe, but we can take it even further. These fish will not eat corals, but may pose a danger to inverts like shrimp and small fish.
Notice that our list got a lot bigger. Yes, you can get pretty creative when you open up your reef tank to fish that will eat inverts, but will not bother your corals. You will need a larger reef tank to house this fish, but you can add more color and more aggression to the tank with these choices. If you don’t believe me, check out this video by Robs Koi Pond. His snowflake eel is happily house in his reef tank.
FAQS
Which Ones Go Well With Corals?
Generally any fish that does not have a taste for corals are your best bet. These types of fish would generally be damsels, clownfish, most tangs, blennies, cardinal fish, most wrasses, and gobies.
Note when it comes to the term reef safe – there are two types. Reef safe meaning they will not eat corals and another classification meaning they will not eat inverts like crabs and shrimp like cleaner shrimp.
Knowing this, there are some fish like Lionfish that will happily eat small fish and small inverts, but will not bother corals.
Which Is The Most Peaceful Saltwater Species?
Most blennies and gobies are considered the most peaceful saltwater fish you can buy. Cardinalfish are also a great choice. Some fairy wrasses are also considered timid and will not bother most fish.
Which Is The Easiest Saltwater Species To Keep?
In general, clownfish are going to be the easiest and least demanding fish you can keep in a saltwater aquarium. They are semi-aggressive, but are generally hardy and come tank bred. They are reef safe and are small enough to be comfortable in most saltwater tank sizes.
What Are Your Recommendations?
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. I’m sure a lot of new and potential fish keepers would love to hear your feedback :).
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