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Since everyone is always looking for suggestions of things to put in their saltwater tanks that are within the 20-30 gallon range, I figure I'll just write up a quick list of some of my personal favorites for easy access. It's nice to move away from damsels too, dont you think?

I'd like to note beforehand that this is just my opinion, I could be wrong. Also, keep in mind that some fish are more readily available in certain areas than others.

So, here it goes! I'd like to note beforehand that this list would never have been possible without help from Scott W. Michaels book, The Pocket Experts Guide to Marine Fishes. And as an added note, always buy tank raised specimens when you can!!!

COOKIE CUTTERS: Stocking Nano Tanks


Bass:
Serranus
S. baldwini- Lantern Bass
S. tortugarum- Chalk Bass

Dottybacks:
Pseudochromis
P. aldabraensis- Neon Dottyback
P. cyanotaenia- Bluelined Dottyback
P. diadema- Diadem Dottyback
P. flavivertex- Sunrise Dottyback
P. fridmani- Orchid Dottyback
P. paccagnellae- Royal (Bicolor) Dottyback
P. porphyreus- Magenta/Purple/Strawberry Dottyback
P. sankeyi- Sankey's Dottyback
P. springeri- Springer's Dottyback
Cypho purpurescens- Oblique-lined Dottyback

Grammas:
Gramma
G. brasiliensis- Brazilian Gramma
G. loreto- Royal Gramma

Assessors:
Assessor
A. flavissimus- Yellow Assessor
A. macneilli- Blue Assessor

Jawfish:
Opistognathus
O. aurifrons- Yellowhead (Pearly) Jawfish
O. rosenblatti- Bluespotted Jawfish
O. sp.- Goldspecs Jawfish
O. whitehurstii- Dusky Jawfish

Hawkfish:
Cirrhitichthys
C. aprinus- Spotted (Threadfin) Hawkfish
C. falco- Falco's (Dwarf) Hawkfish
C. oxycephalus- Coral (Pixy) Hawkfish
C. fasciatus- Blood Red Hawkfish
C. polyactis- Lyretail Hawkfish
Neocirrhites armatus- Flame Hawkfish
Oxycirrhites typus- Longnose Hawkfish
Amblycirrhitus pinos- Redspotted Hawkfish

Cardinalfish:
Apogon
A. leptacanthus- Threadfin (Bluestreak) Cardinal
A. maculatus- Flamefish
A. compressus- Ochre-striped Cardinal
A. hartzfeldi- Hartzfeld's Cardinal
A. novemfasciatus- Ninebanded Cardinal
A. pseudomaculatus- Twospot Cardinal
A. sealei- Seale's Cardinal
Sphaeramia
S. nemoatopera- Pajama Cardinal
S. orbicularis- Polkadot Cardinal
Pterapogon kauderni- Banggai Cardinal

Damsels/Anenomefish:
Amphiprion
A. nigripesp- Maldives Clown
A. ocellaris- False Perc (Ocellaris) Clownfish
A. percula- True Perc
A. perideraion- Pink Skunk Clown (Personal Favorite!)
Chromis
C. retrofasciata- Blackbar Chromis
C. scotti- Purple Chromis
C. vanderbilti- Vanderbilt's Chromis
C. viridis- Blue Green Reef Chromis
Chrysiptera [Note: Many members of this genus tend to grow aggressive with age, take caution]
C. parasema- Yellowtail Blue Damsel
C. talboti- Talbot's Damsel
C. taupou- Fiji Blue Devil
Dascyllus
D. aruanus- Humbug (Striped) Damsel
D. melanurus- Blacktail (Striped) Damsel
D. reticulatus- Reticulate Damsel
Pomacentrus
P. auriventris- Goldbelly Damsel
P. caeruleus- Caerulean Damsel
P. coelestis- Neon Damsel
P. moluccensis- Lemon Damsel
P. pavo- Pavo (Blue) Damsel
P. vaiuli- Princess Damsel
Neopomacentrus azysron- Yellowtail Damsel

Wrasses:
Paracheilinus
P. carpenteri- Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse
P. filamentosus- Filamented Flasher Wrasse (many variants)
P. angulatus- Lyretail/Angular Flasher Wrasse
P. lineopunctatus- Dot-and-Dash Flasher Wrasse
P. mccoskeri- McCosker's Flasher Wrasse
P. flavianalis- Yellowfin Flasher Wrasse
P. octotaenia- Eightline Flasher Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus
P. evandidus- Secretive Wrasse
P. hexataenia- Sixline Wrasse (Personal Favorite!!!)
P. octotaenia- Eightline Wrasse
P. tetrataenia- Fourline Wrasse

Blennies: as an added note, I left out the venomous blennies
Ecsenius
E. bicolor- Bicolor Blenny
E. gravieri- Red Sea Mimic Blenny
E. midas- Midas Blenny
Ophioblennius atlanticus- Redlip Blenny
Parablennuis marmoreus- Seaweed Blenny
Plagiostremus rhinorhynchus- Bluestriped Fang Blenny (I have an awesome article on these guys if anyone is interested)
Gobies:
Amblyeleotris
A. guttata- Orangespotted Shrimp Goby
A. randalli- Randall's Shrimp Goby
A. diagonalis- Diagonally-banded Shrimp Goby
A. latifasciata- Spottail (metallic) Shrimp Goby
A. periophthalma- Broadbanded Shrimp Goby
A. steinitzi- Steinitz's Shrimp Goby
A. wheeleri- Wheeler's Shrimp Goby
Cryptocentrus
C. cyanotaenia- Bluebanded Shrimp Goby
C. cinctus- Yellow Watchman Goby
Amblygobius
A. rainfordi- Rainford's Goby
A. phalaena- Brownbarred Goby
Gobiodon
G. okinawae- Yellow Clown Goby
G. evelynae- Sharknose (Cleaner) Goby
G. oceanops- Neon Goby
Istigobius decoratus- Decorated Goby
Signigobius biocellatus- Twinspot Goby
Stonogobiops nematodes- Blackray (Highfin) Shrimp Goby (also...variant, Whiteray (Clown) Shrimp Goby)

Dartfish:
Nemateleotris
N. decora- Purple Firefish
N. magnifica- Red Firefish
N. helfrichi- Helfrich's Firefish (Personal Favorite!!!)
Pteroleotris
P. evides- Scissortail Dartfish
P. hanae- Filamented Dartfish
P. heteroptera- Spottail Dartfish
P. microlepis- Green Dartfish
P. monoptera- Monofin Dartfish

Others:
Liopropoma rubre- Peppermint (Swissguard) Basslet
Dinematichthys riukiuensis- Yellow Brotula*

*Best left on the reef, doesn't have a good survival record in captivity

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish