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List of marine aquarium invertebrate species
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Summary
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This is a list of various species of marine invertebrates, animals without a backbone, that are commonly found in aquariums kept by hobby aquarists. Some species are intentionally collected for their desirable aesthetic characteristics. Others are kept to serve a functional role such as consuming algae in the aquarium. Some species are present only incidentally or are pest species.
[[Annelid]]s
Common name(s)
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
last1=Sprung
first1=Julian
title=Aquarium Invertebrates: Featherdusters In The Aquarium
[[File:Spirobranchus giganteus (Red and white christmas tree worm).jpg
120px
center]]
Spirobranchus giganteus
Yes
Expert
Found living anchored in live coral colonies in nature. Each worm has two crowns, which come in a variety of different colors, and are spiraled in the shape of a Christmas tree.
This species grows in groups of up to 100 individual tube worms, living together in a single clump. The clusters of tubes adhere to a rocky substrate at a central point.
2.5 cm
Feather duster worm, Fan worm
[[File:Featherduster 300.jpg
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Sabellastarte sp.
Yes
Easy to Moderate
A sedentary (but it can scoot around), tube dwelling worm with a fan-shaped crown (radiole) that projects from the end of the tube. This can be white, tan, orange, sometimes with striping. They build their tubes out of sand, mud, and bits of shell.
20 cm
[[Arthropod]]s
[[Chelicerata]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Atlantic horseshoe crab
[[File:Limulus polyphemus (aq.).jpg
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Limulus polyphemus
Yes, with caution
Easy
A bottom dwelling animal that is actually not a true crab. Found burrowing in mud or sand flats in the wild, they need a deep sand bed in their aquarium.
60 cm
Sea spider
[[File:Sea spider.jpg
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Pycnogonids
No
Moderate
Not collected for the aquarium trade, but occasionally seen on live rock and corals as a hitchhiker. They can be pests in a reef tank, preying on soft coral, sponges and anemones.
Kept not as livestock, but rather to feed inverts and fish.
Sexy shrimp
[[File:Squat_shrimp_Nick_Hobgood.jpg
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Thor amboinensis
Yes
Easy
Snapping shrimp
[[File:Alpheus_distinguendus.jpg
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Alpheidae sp.
With caution?
Will make loud snapping sounds.
Peacock mantis shrimp
[[File:Odontodactylus_scyllarus1.jpg
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Odontodactylus scyllarus
with caution
Easy
Will eat shelled things and possibly fish. Some people say they will redecorate their tank including moving corals but people have successfully kept them in reef tanks. Not a true shrimp but a stomatapod with the smashing raptorial appendage
Coral banded shrimp
[[File:Stenopus hispidus 1.jpg
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Stenopus hispidus
Yes
Easy
Will eat small fish, in the wild they set up cleaning stations
A popular and readily available species that comes in many color forms. It should not be confused with fire corals of the genus Millepora.
Plating montipora
[[File:Leaf plate montipora.gk.jpg
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Montipora capricornis
Peaceful
Moderate
Staghorn coral
[[File:Hertshoon.jpg
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Acropora cervicornis
Peaceful
Difficult
A very rare species, it is generally not available to the average hobby aquarist due to its critically endangered status. They would likely make good aquarium specimens, but can only be obtained with a special license.
Soft corals
Common name(s)
Image
Taxonomy
Temperament
Care Level
Description
Max size
Cabbage leather coral
[[File:Sinularia dura.jpg
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Sinularia brassica and Sinularia dura
Semi-aggressive
Easy
last1=Fatherree
first1=James W.
title=The Stoloniferans: Clove Polyps, Star Polyps, and Pipe Organ Corals
[[File:Estrella de mar de espinas rojas (Protoreaster linckii), Zanzíbar, Tanzania, 2024-06-01, DD 06.jpg
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Protoreaster linckii
No
30 cm
Sand sifting sea star
Astropecten polyacanthus
Yes
Easy
Needs a large sandbed
20 cm
Tiled sea star, marbled sea star
[[File:Fromia monilis.jpg
120px
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Fromia monilis
Yes
Moderate
15 cm
[[Crinoid]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Feather star
[[File:Barren Island feather star and branching coral.jpg
120px]]
Himerometra robustipinna
Yes
Expert
One of the most difficult species to keep alive in a home aquarium
37.5 cm
[[Sea urchin|Urchin]]s
Common name(s)
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Black longspine urchin
[[File:Diademseeigel.jpg
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Diadema setosum
Collector urchin, Priest hat urchin, Sea Egg
[[File:T. gratilla collector (2).jpg
120px
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Tripneustes gratilla
Globe urchin, Tuxedo urchin
[[File:Mespilia globulus MHNT Bohol.jpg
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Mespilia globulus
Yes
Easy
Very common in the aquarium trade
7.5 cm
Slate pencil urchin
[[File:Gfp-state-pencil-sea-urchin.jpg
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Eucidaris tribuloides
Purple short spine pincushion urchin
[[File:Pseudoboletia maculata.jpg
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Pseudoboletia maculata
Red slate pencil urchin
[[File:Heterocentrotus mammillatus in situ from Hawaii.JPG
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Heterocentrotus mamillatus
Reef urchin, Rock boring urchin
[[File:Echinometra mathaei Landaagiraavaru.JPG
120px
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Echinometra sp.
Variegated urchin
[[File:Lytechinus variegatus.jpg
120px
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Lytechinus variegatus
[[Jellyfish]]
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size (bell diameter)
Blue Blubber Jellyfish
[[File:Blubber Jellyfish.jpg
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Catostylus mosaicus
No
Expert
This jellyfish actually ranges in color from white to dark purple to reddish brown. It has a dome-shaped bell which pulses at a quick, steady pace, making these jellyfish strong, active swimmers.
25 cm
Moon jellyfish
[[File:Aurelia aurita 001.JPG
120px
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Aurelia aurita
No
Moderate to Difficult
A whitish to clear jellyfish with a large dinner-plate shaped bell. They have a fringe of short tentacles around the edge of the bell, and four longer oral arms extending from around the mouth.
50 cm
Sea Nettles
[[File:Sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) 2.jpg
Sea nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) 2
120px
center]]
Chrysaora sp.
No
Expert
Range in color from white to striped orange and brown to purplish. Long tentacles trail behind the bell, sometimes for several meters.
30 cm
Upside Down jellyfish
[[File:fkeysmacro.jpg
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Cassiopea sp.
No
Expert
This jellyfish has a somewhat green or grayish blue coloration due to symbiotic algae living in its tissues. It resides on the bottom, exposing its tentacles (and the algae inside them) to the light. very similar to coral in behavior
30 cm
[[Mollusk]]s
[[Bivalve]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Atlantic Thorny oyster
[[File:Spondylus americanus.jpg
Spondylus americanus
120px
center]]
Spondylus americanus
10 cm
Bear paw clam
[[File:Hippopus hippopus.jpg
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Hippopus hippopus
Blue clam, Boring clam
[[File:Tridacna crocea.jpg
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Tridacna crocea
Yes
15 cm
China clam
Hippopus porcellanus
Electric flame scallop
[[File:Ctenoides ales by OpenCage.jpg
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Ctenoides ales
Yes
Flame scallop
[[File:Lima scabra.jpg
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Ctenoides scaber
Yes
3 in
Fluted giant clam
[[File:Tridacna squamosa (Giant clam) brown and blue.jpg
[[File:Spondylus varius Thorny Oyster Fiji by Nick Hobgood.jpg
120px
center]]
Spondylus sp.
[[Gastropod]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Abalone
[[File:LivingAbalone.JPG
LivingAbalone
120px
center]]
Haliotis sp.
Yes
Easy
12 cm
Arabian Cowrie
[[File:Arabian Cowry2.jpg
120px
center]]
Cypraea arabica
10 cm
Astraea snail
[[File:Astraea heliotropium.JPG
120px
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Astraea sp.
Yes
Easy
2.5-10 cm
Bumble bee snail
[[File:Engina mendicaria unilineata.jpg
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Engina mendicaria
Yes
Easy
1.5 cm
Cerith snail
[[File:Cerithium echinatum.shell001.jpg
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Cerithium sp.
Yes
Easy
3.5 cm
Gold ring cowrie
[[File:Cypraeaannulus.jpg
120px
center]]
Cypraea annulus
5 cm
Lettuce sea slug
[[File:Lettuce Sea Slug 11-03-2006.jpg
120px
center]]
Elysia sp., usually Elysia crispata
Yes
Moderate
A sacoglossan sea slug with folded parapodia (side appendages), that give it a lettuce-like appearance. They feed on algae, and incorporate algal chloroplasts into their cells. Color ranges from brownish to green, and can include blues, yellows, and pinks.
Aplysiomorpha sp., usually Aplysia sp. or Dolabella sp.
Yes
Expert
4-10 cm
Tiger cowrie,
[[File:Cypraea tigris 1.jpg
120px
center]]
Cypraea tigris
15 cm
Trochus snail
Trochus sp.
Yes
Easy
3-7 cm
Turbo snail
[[File:Turbo petholatus Voavah.JPG
120px
center]]
Turbo sp.
Yes
Easy
5-10 cm
[[Cephalopod]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Common tropical octopus
[[File:Octopus vulgaris2.jpg
Octopus vulgaris2
120px
center]]
Octopus vulgaris
No
Expert
Mantle: 25 cm Arms: 1 m
Dwarf cuttlefish
[[File:HPIM1795.JPG
120px
center]]
Sepia bandensis
No
Expert
Mantle: 45 cm
European common cuttlefish
[[File:Dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis).JPG
Dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis)
120px
center]]
Sepia officinalis
No
Expert
Mantle: 10 cm
[[Sea anemone]]s
Common name
Image
Taxonomy
Reef safe
Care Level
Description
Max size
Aptasia
[[File:Aiptasia.jpg
120px
center]]
Aiptasia sp.
No
A common pest species in marine aquariums which spreads rapidly and harms corals and invertebrates with their sting. Can sting fish, but fatalities are rare. Notoriously difficult to eradicate, but a number of organisms can be used for control, including peppermint shrimp and Berghia verrucicornis.
Bubble-tip anemone
[[File:Quadricolor.jpg
120px
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Entacmaea quadricolor
With caution
Moderate
A relatively easy to keep anemone species, it is very colorful, and has distinctive bubble-like swellings on the tips of its tentacles.
30 cm
Condy anemone
[[File:Tickle Me Pink (113158351).jpg
120px
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Condylactis gigantea
With caution
Moderate
Common anemone species in the aquarium trade. The base color is usually brown to white, often with color on tentacle tips. Many color variations exist, including magenta, purple, yellow, and green.
15 cm
Delicate sea anemone
[[File:Heteractis malu.JPG
120px
center]]
Heteractis malu
With caution
Difficult
Also known as the malu anemone or white sand anemone. Color tipped tentacles reach 4 cm in length. This anemone should not be placed on a rock, it prefers a sandy substrate to bury its base in.
20 cm
Long tentacled anemone
[[File:Macrodactyla doreensis at the Botanická zahrada Liberec (11).jpg
120px
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Macrodactyla doreensis
With caution
Moderate
50 cm
Magnificent anemone
[[File:Maldive anemonefish.jpg
120px
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Heteractis magnifica
With caution
Expert
One of the most difficult anemone species to keep healthy in captivity.
Not a true anemone (actinarian), but a member of the order Ceriantharia. Can make a very colorful aquarium specimen, colored with pinks, purples and sometimes shades of fluorescent green.
Alderton, David (2005). Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish (Second ed.). DK Publishing, Inc. pp. 286–297. .
Lougher, Tristan (2008) [First Published 2007]. What Invertebrates?: A Buyer's Guide for Marine Aquariums. What Pet? Books Series. Barron's Educational Series, Inc. . LCCN 2006933016.
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