Invertebrates

851 species

Invertebrates are a diverse group of animals without backbones that play various roles in a reef aquarium. They include cleaners like shrimps and crabs, sand sifters like sea cucumbers, and fascinating creatures like cephalopods and anemones. Many invertebrates form symbiotic relationships with other tank inhabitants, such as clownfish with anemones. They can help maintain tank cleanliness by consuming detritus, algae, and uneaten food. However, some may require specialized care, diets, or tank conditions. For example, cephalopods often need large tanks with secure lids due to their intelligence and escape tendencies, while tridacna clams require intense lighting to support their symbiotic zooxanthellae. It's important to research each species' needs and compatibility with tank mates before adding them to your aquarium.

Common name: Boring Sponge
Scientific name: Aaptos suberitoides
Common name: algae octopus
Scientific name: Abdopus aculeatus
Common name: Crown Of Thorns Sea Star
Scientific name: Acanthaster planci
Common name: Orange lumpy sponge
Scientific name: Acanthella acuta
Common name: Sponge Coral
Scientific name: Acanthella cavernosa
Common name: Sponge Nudibranch
Scientific name: Acanthella klethra
Common name: Vaillant's chiton
Scientific name: Acanthopleura vaillantii
Common name: Orangutang crab
Scientific name: Achaeus japonicus
Common name: Beadlet anemone
Scientific name: Actinia equina
Common name: Strawberry anemone
Scientific name: Actinia fragacea
Common name: Waratah anemone
Scientific name: Actinia tenebrosa
Common name: tree anemone
Scientific name: Actinodendron arboreum
Common name: Branching anemone
Scientific name: Actinodendron glomeratum
Common name: Branching anemone
Scientific name: Actinodendron plumosum
Common name: Bannwarth's Sea Cucumber
Scientific name: Actinopyga bannwarthi
Common name: Spiny Sea Cucumber
Scientific name: Actinopyga crassa
Common name: Brownfish
Scientific name: Actinopyga echinites
Common name: stone fish (holothurian)
Scientific name: Actinopyga lecanora
Common name: Surf redfish
Scientific name: Actinopyga mauritiana
Common name: Plump sea cucumber
Scientific name: Actinopyga obesa
Common name: Branching Hammer Coral
Scientific name: Adreus fascicularis
Common name: A nudibranch
Scientific name: Aegires minor
Common name: Green and black gill guard slug
Scientific name: Aegires serenae
Common name: orange elephant ear sponge
Scientific name: Agelas clathrodes
Common name: Brown Tube Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas conifera
Common name: Rough Tube Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas dispar
Common name: Fan Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas flabelliformis
Common name: Slimy Branching Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas gracilis
Common name: Mauritian Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas mauritiana
Common name: Gold Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas oroides
Common name: Elephant Ear Sponge
Scientific name: Agelas schmidtii
Common name: Branching tube sponge
Scientific name: Aiolochroia crassa
Common name: Trumpet anemone
Scientific name: Aiptasia mutabilis
Common name: pale anemone
Scientific name: Aiptasia pallida
Common name: Aldisa barlettai
Scientific name: Aldisa barlettai
Common name: Clam Worm
Scientific name: Alitta virens
Common name: Elegant squat lobster
Scientific name: Allogalathea elegans
Common name: brown snapping shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus armatus
Common name: Beautiful goby shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus bellulus
Common name: red snapping shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus bisincisus
Common name: Djeddah snapping shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus djeddensis
Common name: Immaculate Pistol Shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus immaculatus
Common name: fine-striped snapping shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus ochrostriatus
Common name: Pacific Pistol Shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus pacificus
Common name: Randall's Pistol Shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus randalli
Common name: Red-spotted Pistol Shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus rubromaculatus
Common name: Twin Snapping Shrimp
Scientific name: Alpheus soror
Common name: carrot-sponge
Scientific name: Amphilectus fucorum
Common name: erect rope sponge
Scientific name: Amphimedon compressa
Common name: Veined octopus
Scientific name: Amphioctopus marginatus
Common name: brittlestar
Scientific name: Amphiura filiformis
Common name: Holthuis' Shrimp
Scientific name: Ancylomenes holthuisi
Common name: Sarasvati Anemone Shrimp
Scientific name: Ancylomenes sarasvati
Common name: Manjano Anemone
Scientific name: Anemonia manjano
Common name: Snakelocks anemone
Scientific name: Anemonia viridis
Common name: Feather star
Scientific name: Antedon mediterranea
Common name: giant green anemone
Scientific name: Anthopleura xanthogrammica
Common name: Aperiovula juanjosensii
Scientific name: Aperiovula juanjosensii
Common name: Crater Sea Squirt
Scientific name: Aplidium crateriferum
Common name: Tabasco Tunicate
Scientific name: Aplidium tabascum
Common name: California seahare
Scientific name: Aplysia californica
Common name: depilatory sea hare
Scientific name: Aplysia depilans
Common name: mottled sea hare
Scientific name: Aplysia fasciata
Common name: spotted sea hare
Scientific name: Aplysia punctata
Common name: Yellow tube sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina aerophoba
Common name: Stove Pipe Sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina archeri
Common name: row pore rope sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina cauliformis
Common name: Vase Sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina cavernicola
Common name: Yellow tube sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina fistularis
Common name: Stove Pipe Sponge
Scientific name: Aplysina lacunosa
Common name: California Sea Cucumber
Scientific name: Apostichopus californicus
Common name: Warty sea cucumber
Scientific name: Apostichopus parvimensis
Common name: Burton's Starfish
Scientific name: Aquilonastra burtoni
Common name: Sand Sifting Starfish
Scientific name: Archaster angulatus
Common name: Indo-Pacific Beach Star
Scientific name: Archaster typicus
Common name: Regal Slipper lobster
Scientific name: Arctides regalis
Common name: Ardeadoris egretta
Scientific name: Ardeadoris egretta
Common name: Canary Damsel
Scientific name: Arthuria canariensis
Common name: dirty sea-squirt
Scientific name: Ascidiella aspersa
Common name: Japanese common starfish
Scientific name: Asterias amurensis
Common name: Northern Sea Star
Scientific name: Asterias rubens
Common name: Asterina Starfish
Scientific name: Asterina anomala
Common name: Nudibranch
Scientific name: Asteronotus cespitosus
Common name: sheriff-badge sea star
Scientific name: Asteropsis carinifera
Common name: Fire Urchin
Scientific name: Asthenosoma ijimai
Common name: variable fire urchin
Scientific name: Asthenosoma varium
Common name: Anderson's Sand Star
Scientific name: Astropecten andersoni
Common name: Royal Starfish
Scientific name: Astropecten aranciacus
Common name: Bispinosus Sand Star
Scientific name: Astropecten bispinosus
Common name: Sand Sifting Starfish
Scientific name: Astropecten jonstoni
Common name: comb star
Scientific name: Astropecten polyacanthus
Common name: Giant Basket Star
Scientific name: Astrophyton muricatum
Common name: Pale spine fire urchin
Scientific name: Astropyga magnifica
Common name: Blue-spotted urchin
Scientific name: Astropyga radiata
Common name: flag pen shell
Scientific name: Atrina vexillum
Common name: Robust sea squirt
Scientific name: Atriolum robustum
Common name: moon jelly
Scientific name: Aurelia aurita
Common name: New zealand sea cucumber
Scientific name: Australostichopus mollis
Common name: Aru Sponge
Scientific name: Axinella aruensis
Common name: Axinella cannabina
Scientific name: Axinella cannabina
Common name: yellow sponge
Scientific name: Axinella damicornis
Common name: branching sponge
Scientific name: Axinella dissimilis
Common name: Yellow Sponge
Scientific name: Axinella flustra
Common name: Axinella Polypoides
Scientific name: Axinella polypoides
Common name: Rough Sponge
Scientific name: Axinella verrucosa
Common name: Axinyssa ambrosia
Scientific name: Axinyssa ambrosia
Common name: corkscrew anemone
Scientific name: Bartholomea annulata
Common name: Curlycue Anemone
Scientific name: Bartholomea lucida
Common name: Berghia Nudibranch
Scientific name: Berghia stephanieae
Common name: Marten's Berthella
Scientific name: Berthella martensi
Common name: Social feather duster
Scientific name: Bispira brunnea
Common name: Banded Fanworm
Scientific name: Bispira melanostigma
Common name: Social Feather Duster
Scientific name: Bispira tricyclia
Common name: Feather Duster Worm
Scientific name: Bispira viola
Common name: Twin fan worm
Scientific name: Bispira volutacornis
Common name: Leopard Sea Cucumber
Scientific name: Bohadschia argus
Common name: Pale marbled sea cucumber
Scientific name: Bohadschia marmorata
Common name: Brownspotted sandfish
Scientific name: Bohadschia vitiensis
Common name: Bulb Anemone
Scientific name: Boloceroides mcmurrichi
Common name: green spoon worm
Scientific name: Bonellia viridis