Marine Species with Aquaculture Potential off the Coast of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
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Potential Ornamental Aquaculture Species

Fish with high ornamental potential for aquaculture

Identifying species with potential for the ornamental market is somewhat subjective. In addition, there are limitations on how large a species can be for home aquariums. Only 2% of saltwater fish owners have aquariums that are 100 gallons or larger (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Inc., 2002). For more information on the ornamental market click here.

The species identified in the tables below are suggested species with ornamental potential. This is not a complete list of all species that may be successful in the ornamental market. The tables below were assembled after speaking with experts in the fields of aquaculture, marine biology, and natural resource economics and taking the above cirteria into consideration.

Click here to view a list of interviewees.

Top Potential Ornamental Species
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Click here to jump to the Invertebrate Section

Fish Species

Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Goby
Blackeye Goby Coryphopterus nicholsi
Y
Y
 N
Greenling
Painted Greenling Oxylebius pictus
Y
Y
 N
Gunnel
Longfin Gunnel Pholis clemensi
Y
Y
 N
Kelpfish
Crevice Kelpfish Gibbonsia montereyensis
Y
Y
 N
Pipefish
Bay Pipefish Syngnathus leptorhynchus
H
H
 N
Pricklebacks
Decorated Warbonnet Chirolophis decoratus
H
H
 N
High Cockscomb Anoplarchus purpurescens
H
H
 N
Mosshead Warbonnet Chirolophis nugator
H
H
 N
Sculpins
Coralline Sculpin Artedius corallinus
H
H
 N
Grunt Sculpin Rhamphocottus richardsonii
H
H
 N
Mosshead Sculpin Clinocottus globiceps
Y
H
 N
Sailfin Sculpin Nautichthys oculofasciatus
H
H
 N
Silverspotted Sculpin Blepsias cirrhosus
Y
H
 N

Additional Species to Consider

Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Brotula
Red Brotula Brosmophycis marginata
Y
N
 N
Flatfish
California Halibut Paralichthys californicus
Y
N
 Y
Pacific Halibut Hippoglossus stenolepis
Y
N
 Y
Starry Flounder Platichthys stellatus
Y
M
 Y
Gobies
Arrow Goby Clevelandia ios
Y
Y
 N
Bay Goby Lepidogobius lepidus
Y
Y
 N
Greenling
Kelp Greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus
Y
N
 Y
Gunnel
Crescent Gunnel Pholis laeta
Y
Y
 N
Penpoint Gunnel Apodichthys flavidus
Y
N
 N
Red Gunnel Pholis schultzi
Y
Y
 N
Rockweed Gunnel Xererpes fucorum
Y
Y
 N
Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Perches
Barred Surfperch Amphistichus argenteus
Y
N
 Y
Calico Surfperch Amphistichus koelzi
Y
Y
 Y
Kelp Surfperch Brachyistius frenatus
Y
Y
 Y
Pile Surfperch Rhacochilus vacca
Y
N
 Y
Redtail Surfperch Amphistichus rhodoterus
Y
N
 Y
Sharpnose Seaperch Sharpnose Seaperch
Y
N
 Y
Silver Surfperch Hyperprosopon ellipticum
Y
Y
 Y
Spotfin Surfperch Hyperprosopa anale
Y
Y
 Y
Striped Seapearch Embiotoca lateralis
Y
N
 Y
Walleye Surfperch Hyperprosopona argenteum
Y
Y
 Y
White Seaperch Phanerodon furcatus
Y
N
 Y
Pricklebacks
Black Prickleback Xiphister atropurpureus
Y
N
 N
Bluebarred Prickleback Plectobranchus evides
Y
Y
 N
Monkeyface Prickleback Cebidichthys violaceus
Y
N
 N
Ribbon Prickleback Phytichthys chirus
Y
Y
 N
Rock Prickleback Xiphister mucosus
Y
N
 N
Snake Prickleback Lumpenus sagitta
Y
N
 N
Whitebarred Prickleback Poroclinus rothrocki
Y
Y
 N
Y-Prickleback Allolumpenus hypochromus
Y
Y
 N
Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Rockfish
Cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus
Y
N
 Y
Copper Rockfish Sebastes caurinus
Y
N
 Y
China Rockfish Sebastes nebulosus
Y
N
 Y
Sculpins
Bald Sculpin Clinocottus recalvus
Y
Y
 N
Bonehead Sculpin Artedius notospilotus
Y
Y
 N
Brown Irish Lord Hemilepidotus spinosus
Y
N
 N
Buffalo Sculpin Enophrys bison
Y
N
 N
Calico Sculpin Clinocottus embryum
Y
Y
 N
Darter Sculpin Radulinus boleoides
Y
Y
 N
Dusky Sculpin Icelinus burchami
Y
Y
 N
Flabby Sculpin Zesticelus profundorum
Y
Y
 N
Fluffy Sculpin Oligocottus snyderi
Y
Y
 N
Fringed Sculpin Icelinus fimbriatus
Y
Y
 N
Manacled Sculpin Synchirus gilli
Y
Y
 N
Pacific Staghorn Sculpin Leptocottus armatus
Y
Y
 N
Padded Sculpin Artedius fenestralis
Y
Y
 N
Prickly Sculpin Cottus asper
Y
Y
 N
Red Irish Lord Hemilepidotus hemilepidotus
Y
Y
 N
Rosylip Sculpin Ascelichthys rhodorus
Y
Y
 N
Roughback Sculpin Chitonotus pugetensis
Y
Y
 N
Saddleback Sculpin Oligocottus rimensis
Y
Y
 N
Scalyhead Sculpin Artedius harringtoni
Y
Y
 N
Sharpnose Sculpin Clinocottus acuticeps
Y
Y
 N
Slim Sculpin Radulinus asprellus
Y
Y
 N
Smoothhead Sculpin Artedius lateralis
Y
Y
 N
Spotfin Sculpin Icelinus tenuis
Y
Y
 N
Thornback Sculpin Paricelinus hopliticus
Y
Y
 N
Threadfin Sculpin Icelinus filamentosus
Y
Y
 N
Tidepool Sculpin Oligocottus maculosus
Y
Y
 N
Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Sea Chubs
Halfmoon Medialuna californiensis
H
N
 N
Opaleye Girella nigricans
H
N
 N
Stickleback
Threespine Sickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus
Y
Y
 N
Tilefish
Ocean Whitefish Caulolatilus princeps
H
N
 N
Toadfish
Plainfin Midshipman Porichthys notatus
Y
N
 N
Tubesnouts
Tubesnout Aulorhynchus flavidus
Y
Y
 N
Wolffish
Wolf-Eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus
H
N
 N

Invertebrate Species

Common Name
Scientific Name
Ornamental Market
(Public)
Ornamental Market
(Private)
Food Market
Cnidarian
Jellys Variety of species
Y
Y
N
Sea Anemone Variety of species
Y
Y
N
Crustaceans
Box Crab Lopholithodes foraminatus
Y
Y
Y
Hermit Crab Paguridea species
Y
Y
N
Mole Crab Emerita analoga
Y
Y
N
Rock Crab Cancer productus
Y
Y
Y
Tanner Crab Chionoecetes species
Y
M
N
Echinoderms
Brittle Stars Variety of species
Y
Y
N
Purple Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus
Y
Y
Y
Red Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
Y
Y
Y
Sea Stars Variety of species
Y
Y
Y
Mollusks
Chitons Polyplacophora (class)
Y
Y
N
Limpets Variety of species
Y
Y
N
Octopus Octopus species
Y
M
Y
Northern Abalone Haliotis kamtschatkana
Y
Y
Y
Red Abalone Haliotis rufescens
Y
Y
Y
Snails Variety of species
Y
Y
N
Porifera
Sponge Porifera phylum
Y
Y
N

The collage at the top of this page was created using photographs from a variety of photographers.
For more information about the photographs in this website go to the reference section.

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© 2003 Stephen Sempier