The Best 10 Nano Reef Tank Fish: Tank Size, Care and Temperament

1. Neon goby

This goby needs a minimum tank size of 10 gallons and is considered easy to care for, and is very peaceful. They grow upwards of two inches, and a little fun fact about the neon goby, in the wild a portion of their diet consists of parasites picked off a larger reef fish, and this is also behavior that has been observed in a reef tank.

2. Royal Gramma

The royal gramma requires a minimum tank size of 30 gallons and is considered easy to care for, and most of the time is considered a peaceful fish. They can demonstrate territorial aggression towards other royal grammas, so it’s best to keep one per tank.

3. Tailspot Blenny

This fish is one of my most favored fish in the saltwater aquarium hobby, and this guy requires a minimum of 10 gallons is considered easy to care for and is of peaceful temperament. Its max size is 2.5 inches. One of the best things about the Tailspot Blenny, besides his personality, is it is known to help control algae within an aquarium. He constantly will feed no matter where it grows.

4. Highfin Goby

This fish is pretty cool and has often paired up with a pistol shrimp. They require a minimum tank size of 10 gallons. It is considered easy to care for and is a very peaceful fish. The Highfin Goby grows to a max size of 2 inches and is not aggressive towards other shrimp gobies. They have been known to even share the same borough with other species. The Highfin goby is a great addition to any nano reef tank.

5. Orchid Dottyback

This is an absolutely stunning colored fish, and they require a minimum tank size of 15 gallons. They are considered easy to care for, but are semi-aggressive, and grow to a max size of 2.8 inches. Being semi-aggressive and deemed a territorial fish, they are best to be added one of the last fish that you grabbed for your tank.

6. Yellow Watchman Goby

This goby is one of my personal favorites, and they require a minimum of 10 gallons. They are considered easy to care for and are peaceful. They will grow to a max size of 3 inches, but I have seen them a little bit bigger. They are definitely considered peaceful but can show signs of aggression towards other fish, when it has to do with protecting their little niche in the reef tank. There is an absolutely beautiful color, with pale blue dots on them they are very pretty and interesting fish.

7. Purple Firefish

This fish is one of the most beautiful of the firefish and requires a minimum of 10 gallons. It is considered easy to care for and is very peaceful. In fact, sometimes it’s a little too peaceful, and you definitely have to be careful of who the tank mates are with this fish. They grow to a max size of 3 inches and a not so fun fact about the purple firefish – you definitely need a lid on your aquarium to keep them from jumping.

8. Midas blenny

This Blenny is an absolutely beautiful addition to any larger size nano reef tank, and they require a minimum of 30 gallons and are considered easy to care for, and are of peaceful temperament. They grow to a max size of 6 inches, so it’s definitely larger of all of the Nano reef tank fish that we have on this list.

One thing you should be aware of with the Midas blenny is that they are known to go after firefish, and other gobies even though for the most part they’re considered a peaceful fish.

9. Ocellaris Clownfish

This is one of the most popular fish in the saltwater fish hobby, and they require a minimum of 10 gallons. They are considered easy to care for and are of peaceful temperament. They grow to a maximum of 3 inches, and why not, you have a saltwater tank? You might as well have a clownfish.

10. Blue Spotted Jawfish

This fish requires a minimum of 30 gallons, is considered moderate care level, and is of semi-aggressive temperament. It grows to a max of 3.5 inches. The blue-spotted jawfish should be fed multiple times a day, and that’s why it’s considered a moderate care level fish.