Mixing anthias

[brcolli2]

I was hoping to get people's thought on mixing anthias. My tank is an 80 gallon reef (4'x2') that has been running for 2 years. It is currently empty. I had a velvet outbreak and am leaving the tank fallow for 12 weeks. The first fish I will be introducing to the tank will be a pair of dwarf Angels. I also have a yellow tang and a diamond watchman goby that are being treated in quarantine.

 

I want to add a small harem of princess anthias and a small harem of resplendent anthias (3 of each). Couple questions. Do you feel this will work? Should I add all females or a male of each species? Should all the anthias be introduced at the same time?

 

Thanks in advance. Brian

[ctenophore]

Unless you've had a lot of experience with anthias, I'd stay away from P. smithvanizi ("princess").  They are tricky to get on frozen food, and need fed many times per day.  P. pulcherrimus ("resplendent") may be a little easier depending on where you get them from.  I'd try some Bartletts also.  Get all females.  They will elect one of themselves to turn male, which usually only takes a few days to a week if they are healthy and eating well.  Put them all in at once (after QT & feeding conditioning of course).

[brcolli2]

Thanks for the response. I know I need to do more research, but my understanding from reading live aquaria is that it is difficult to get the princess anthias adjusted and through quarantine, but that they are relatively hardy once acclimated. Do people feel differently than that?

 

My plan was to talk to Marco about handling the quarantine process. I am hoping I can get them eating flake/pellets since I have an auto feeder. Otherwise I can feed frozen twice a day. Would that be sufficient?

[Crob5965]

Thanks for the response. I know I need to do more research, but my understanding from reading live aquaria is that it is difficult to get the princess anthias adjusted and through quarantine, but that they are relatively hardy once acclimated. Do people feel differently than that?

 

My plan was to talk to Marco about handling the quarantine process. I am hoping I can get them eating flake/pellets since I have an auto feeder. Otherwise I can feed frozen twice a day. Would that be sufficient?

 

I bought 3 Anthias from Marco about 6 -9 months ago, they will eat anything, including flake food

[DuffyGeos]

Unless you've had a lot of experience with anthias, I'd stay away from P. smithvanizi ("princess").  They are tricky to get on frozen food, and need fed many times per day.  P. pulcherrimus ("resplendent") may be a little easier depending on where you get them from.  I'd try some Bartletts also.  Get all females.  They will elect one of themselves to turn male, which usually only takes a few days to a week if they are healthy and eating well.  Put them all in at once (after QT & feeding conditioning of course).

+1, I would listen to Justin's advice.

[zygote2k]

the wise fish god ^^^ has spoken, heed the advice.

[brcolli2]

I appreciate the advice. Sounds like the Princess anthias is not for me. I had a trio of bartletts in the past, and wanted to go a different route this time. What about the red saddled anthias (Pseudanthias flavoguttatus)? I am assuming I will run into the same issues as the Princess anthias. Thanks

[ctenophore]

Thanks for the response. I know I need to do more research, but my understanding from reading live aquaria is that it is difficult to get the princess anthias adjusted and through quarantine, but that they are relatively hardy once acclimated. Do people feel differently than that?

 

My plan was to talk to Marco about handling the quarantine process. I am hoping I can get them eating flake/pellets since I have an auto feeder. Otherwise I can feed frozen twice a day. Would that be sufficient?

Pretty much any anthias is relatively hardy if conditioned to eat frozen/dry food.  Some will rarely make that transition, for example purple queen due to preferred food item size.  All of the "small mouth" anthias have evolved to stay in the water column eating plankton pretty much continuously, which is why they do best on 4-6 feedings/day minimum.  If Marco can get you princess anthias or flavoguttatus in good shape and eating frozen or dry food, then try it out.  Also, my male Dispars are some of my favorite fish.  They look nothing like the females, and all have transitioned to pellet food.  You might try them too.

[brcolli2]

Thanks Justin. I will talk to Marco when I am ready.

[sen5241b]

You could try some gold/yellow anthias and a Midas Blenny - they will swim together. The Midas Blenny is entertaining.

[miggs76]

I have truncate anthias. They are very pretty and hardy. The male barely agitates the female unlike when I had a trio of barletts.

[ctenophore]

I have truncate anthias. They are very pretty and hardy. The male barely agitates the female unlike when I had a trio of barletts.

Interesting.  I have about a dozen bartletts, two of which became males.  They spar with each other occasionally, but each keep to their own group of 4-6 females and never harass them.  They are some of the most peaceful fish in my tank.  The males look absolutely amazing; the pink & yellow is so vivid.  They have a light blue edge to their streamers on their fins and tail that is only brought out by blue LEDs, and is impossible (for me) to capture with a camera.

[miggs76]

My male Bartlett terrorized one of my females literally to death. I bet your tank is a lot bigger than mine and with 12 anthias he could spread out his aggression. Either that or I had one nasty fish.

[DuffyGeos]

My male Bartlett terrorized one of my females literally to death. I bet your tank is a lot bigger than mine and with 12 anthias he could spread out his aggression. Either that or I had one nasty fish.

 

One dozen....two dozen....I am not sure Justin knows how many anthias he has in that 550g tank.

[miggs76]

550 gallons...holy moly! I could lose a dozen in that tank and not even realize it!

[brcolli2]

My male Bartlett was a jerk. That's why I want to go with another anthias. Beautiful fish though. Maybe I will go back to the bartletts when I get my 550 gallon reef. I wish

[zygote2k]

there's almost 100 fish in there....