If you are looking for the best saltwater fish for 55 gallon tanks, then this list is just what you need. There are many different species of saltwater fish that work well in smaller tanks like this. Below, we will provide a list of the 11 most suitable choices for your tank!
The saltwater fish that is best for a 55 gallon aquarium tank will depend on the type of equipment you have. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but it’s important to know what your options are before making a decision. For example, some types of tanks work better with small fish and others work better with large fish.
Best Saltwater Fish For 55 Gallon Tank
Clownfish
Clownfish are fish that live in warm oceans. They can grow up to four inches long and they hide during the day inside anemones, which are sea animals with tentacles.
Clownfish are a type of Anemonefish. They live together in groups as part of a symbiotic relationship that works well for both the clownfish and the anemone. The clownfish protects the anemone from other sea creatures who might want to eat it, and the anemone provides a home for the clownfish.
A 55 gallon tank is perfect for housing one or two adult Clownfish. They need at least 30 gallons of water in their environment, so you’ll also need some live rock for decoration and hiding spaces if you want them to feel comfortable.
Damselfish
The Damselfish is a colorful fish that can be found in coral reefs. These fish have a bright yellow body, bluefins, and spines on their head. They usually grow up to 3 to 12 inches long.
Damselfish are a family of fish that has an elongated body and live in the reefs. The color of these fish can range from black, brown, green to blue. Their size can be anywhere from a few inches to 12 inches.
Coral Beauty Angelfish
The Coral Beauty Angelfish are some of the most beautiful fish in the sea. They are usually red and white with blue dots, and they come in a variety of shapes.
They (also known as Centropyge bispinosa) are marine fish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is distributed in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, the Red Sea included.
Dwarf Angelfish
Dwarf Angelfish are a group of small species of angelfish. They have the same basic shape as other angelfish, but they range in size from 2-4 inches (5–7 cm) and live at depths between.
The dwarf angelfish is a unique and colorful fish that can easily be managed in the home aquarium.
Flame Angelfish
The Flame Angelfish is a species of marine angelfish in the family Pomacanthidae. It can be found in shallow waters and coral reefs in the western Pacific, from Indonesia to Fiji and Tonga.
It has an average lifespan of 6-8 years and can reach sizes between (5-8 inches). This species lives in tropical waters, more precisely between 15 and 85 feet deep.
Longnose Hawkfish
The Longnose Hawkfish, also known as Rock Beauty or Yellow-Tailed Hawkfish (Hawkfish chamaeleolis), is a species of hawkfish found from the Red Sea to South Africa. It is brownish yellow with two brownish-yellow vertical stripes. It has a long snout with an upturned tip and sharp teeth that it uses to feed on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, bivalves, and brittle stars in the wild.
The longnose hawkfish is a saltwater fish that has the ability to change colors. It changes from brown to grey, and occasionally white.
Flame Hawkfish
The Flame hawkfish, also known as the red-tailed hawkfish or orange-tail flame hawk, is a species of marine fish in the family Pseudochromidae.
The Flame Hawkfish is the only hawkfish known to exhibit social behavior. Some are even born and live their entire lives in pairs or small schools.
Four-Spot Wrasse
The Four-Spot Wrasse is a saltwater fish native to the Indian Ocean. They are known for their colorful bodies and stripes, as well as their large mouths. They eat algae and other small sea creatures, so they’re great to have in an aquarium.
Cleaner Wrasse
The cleaner wrasse is a type of fish native to the ocean. It is an omnivore and mainly eats algae. The cleaner wrasse live in the coral reefs and it can be found in both Pacific and Indian Ocean. They are the only type of fish that have been observed cleaning other marine animals, such as sea turtles and larger fish.
Coral Beauties
So you want to keep a coral reef aquarium at home? You’ve chosen wisely. These beautiful habitats are fascinating to watch and easy to maintain, but there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to keeping your aquatic pets healthy. The coral beauties are a colorful and diverse family of stony corals. These hardy animals have adapted to live in shallow oceans around the world, even in waters that contain highly concentrated salt.
Royal Gramma Basslet
The Royal Gramma Basslet is a stunning fish with bright yellow and white stripes. Its body can reach up to five inches in length, which makes it one of the largest Gramma species. Royal gramma basslets can grow to a length of 8 inches, and are the most colorful fish in the family Grammatidae.
Bangaii Cardinal
The Bangaii Cardinal is a medium-sized, red bird that you can find in east Africa. The males and females have different appearances: the male has an orange beak with black around it while the female’s beak is yellow.
Purple Firefish
The Purple Firefish (“Pterois mombasae”) is a marine fish that is found in the tropical waters of South Africa. It feeds on other fish, and humans should not touch it due to its venomous spines.
Midas Blenny
The Midas Blenny is a species of fish that can be found in the Atlantic Ocean. It is commonly known as the Golden Blenny and there are currently three different species under it: the Common, Cuban, and Goldentail Midas Blemish.
Bicolor Blenny
Bicolor Blenny is a brackish water fish that can grow up to fifteen centimeters. It lives in the western Atlantic, along the East Coast of the United States and Canada, from Florida northward through the Gulf of Maine to southern Nova Scotia.
The Bicolor Blenny is brown to dark green with silvery spots and a line of white on its side. Breeding males have red eyes, blue lines along the sides, and orange accents on their fins.
Watchman Goby
The Watchman goby is a type of fish that can be kept in saltwater tanks. It may grow to up to 5 cm in length and around 1 g in weight, but most specimens will only reach between 2-3 cm or .78-11 oz.
Watchman goby or Pointed snout goby, “Cryptocentrus cinctus”, is a species of fish in the Gobiidae family. It can be found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including southern Europe and North Africa (including
FAQ
How many saltwater fish can I put in a 55 gallon tank?
A 55-gallon aquarium would best house only about 12 inches of fish, so to be safe, limit it to holding three 4-inch fish or two 6-inch long fish. A vast majority of reef fishes require a “house” or someplace to hide either to sleep or to retreat to when they feel threatened.
How often can I add fish to my saltwater tank?
It’s important that you add fish slowly over time and not all at once. There is no set limit for determining how many fish or how often fish should be added. Every system will be different. But as a general rule, you should plan to add only 1 new fish every 10-14 days.
Conclusion
If you have a 55 gallon tank and are looking for the best saltwater fish for 55 gallon tank, we hope our list has helped. We’ve tried to include some of the most popular species as well as those that might be new to many people who are just starting out in this hobby.
One thing all these varieties have in common is their high demand among aquarium owners because they make great additions to any home or office setup!
