Adding more Anthias...

[TylerHaworth]

Current inhabitants of my 180
Bellus Angelfish M/F Pair
White Tail Bristletooth Tang
Yellow Tang
Percula Clown M/F pair
Blackcap Basslet
Lyretail Anthias Female x2

Story
I've been keeping Lyretail Anthias in all of my systems for years now, and never had a problem with maintaining health.

About six months ago I had a total of six Lyretail Anthias (1 Male and 5 Females.) Over a span of three days, three of the females and the male died without any warning. All were eating well with a nice full shape. No aggression, no fin tearing. I would feed in the morning, and then find one dead an hour or two later... I never found one in the process of dying, no labored breathing or lethargy of any type... Simply alive and then dead. The remaining two are still as healthy and energetic as ever.

I was heartbroken, I take the care of my livestock very seriously... But now I'm ready to get another set to fill the tank back out.

I'm worried now, though because of potential aggression... I have never added an already changed male to a tank with established females... Do you experts think adding a new male and a couple females to the mix is likely to give me grief?

 

[Triggreef]

Tough to say. I'd say add all females and let the natural dominant one turn male on its own. But I'd probably hold off until you come to a conclusion on the deaths. You could have flukes or something which would effect those and the angels prior to anything else. When was the last time you added any fish? Notice them scraping against objects in the tank or the sand? Seems odd that that many died in such close time frame.

 

[TylerHaworth]

Every time I look at the tank I wonder why they died, the six had been in the tank about six months when the four died. I have not added any fish since before those died. All of the other fish including the two remaining Anthias are fat and happy.

I saw absolutely no signs of flashing, scratching, or otherwise odd behavior to indicate any sort of problem... I've been absolutely stumped.

 

[eatbreakfast]

That is strange that 4 died so closely to each other.

If you do decide to add more, I would suggest adding a few females and letting them settle their hierarchy themselves.