In my experience, some of the easiest saltwater fish to keep are Clownfish, Damsels, and many of the Goby species.
That said, "easy" is always relative.
A lot depends on things like:
• Tank size
• Whether the aquarium is newly established or mature
• Tank mates
• Water quality and stability
All of those factors can quickly turn an "easy" fish into a challenging one—or vice versa.
When I started reefing years ago, I was fortunate to have a great mentor. I probably asked thousands of questions, and one piece of advice I heard over and over was:
"Start with damsels."
And generally speaking, that's not bad advice. Damsels are hardy, adaptable, and relatively inexpensive. If something goes wrong while you're learning, losing a $10 fish hurts a lot less than losing a $100 tang.
Looking back, though, some of my easiest early successes were actually Clownfish, Shrimp Gobies, and Pajama Cardinals.
I think part of the reason they do so well is that they're adaptable and usually accept common prepared foods right away—flakes, pellets, frozen foods, you name it. For a beginner, getting a fish to eat consistently is half the battle.
Of course, every tank is different, and every hobbyist has their own experience.
What was the very first fish you added to your saltwater tank?
And more importantly...
Was it actually easy to keep?
That said, "easy" is always relative.
A lot depends on things like:
• Tank size
• Whether the aquarium is newly established or mature
• Tank mates
• Water quality and stability
All of those factors can quickly turn an "easy" fish into a challenging one—or vice versa.
When I started reefing years ago, I was fortunate to have a great mentor. I probably asked thousands of questions, and one piece of advice I heard over and over was:
"Start with damsels."
And generally speaking, that's not bad advice. Damsels are hardy, adaptable, and relatively inexpensive. If something goes wrong while you're learning, losing a $10 fish hurts a lot less than losing a $100 tang.
Looking back, though, some of my easiest early successes were actually Clownfish, Shrimp Gobies, and Pajama Cardinals.
I think part of the reason they do so well is that they're adaptable and usually accept common prepared foods right away—flakes, pellets, frozen foods, you name it. For a beginner, getting a fish to eat consistently is half the battle.
Of course, every tank is different, and every hobbyist has their own experience.
What was the very first fish you added to your saltwater tank?
And more importantly...
Was it actually easy to keep?
