Anthias

leepink23 · Aug 25, 2017

I currently have total of 4 fish in my 150 gallon mixed reef aquarium: Picasso clownfish, snowflake clownfish, green chromis and yellow tang. I am about to buy an algae turf scrubber so hopefully it will grow some pods. What are the better Anthias if the pods are low? I like the look of lyretail, also how many would I add?

Best Fish-Jake · Aug 25, 2017

Lyretails are definetly the species I'd reccomend. You could go with a group of 3-6 if you'd like. You could either go with a single male or all females- just be sure to not have 2 males in the group. I'd also reccomend feeding at least twice per day (with more always being preferable)

leepink23 · Aug 25, 2017

Best Fish-Jake said:
Lyretails are definetly the species I'd reccomend. You could go with a group of 3-6 if you'd like. You could either go with a single male or all females- just be sure to not have 2 males in the group. I'd also reccomend feeding at least twice per day (with more always being preferable)

That's good to know, twice a day feeding is tough because of my work schedule. I would want 1 male a 2-3 females. Going to wait and see if my scrubber starts growing alot of pods as well

eatbreakfast · Aug 28, 2017

Anthias don't pick pods off of the substrate, rather feed from the water column.

Lyretails and bartletts are the hardiest, and also the easiest to train to eat pellets, so an autofeeder can be used to get them multiple feedings a day.

zachxlutz · Aug 28, 2017

I've had some good luck with a trio of Bartlett's in my 120 gallon. Started with 4 but lost one due to an infection in QT. 4-6x pellets daily via auto feeder and 1-2x frozen mysis and calanus daily. They've been troopers. One had some serious popeye and thought I was going to lose her but she pulled through. With proper nutrition these guys have been super hardy! Never see them picking pods, they typically eat from the water column and from the surface where the pellets drop in.

leepink23 · Aug 28, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
Anthias don't pick pods off of the substrate, rather feed from the water column.

Lyretails and bartletts are the hardiest, and also the easiest to train to eat pellets, so an autofeeder can be used to get them multiple feedings a day.

I have an apex feeder, if I got them eating pellets then I could definitely feed twice a day, 1 x pellets, 1 x LRS reef frenzy.

leepink23 · Aug 28, 2017

zachxlutz said:
I've had some good luck with a trio of Bartlett's in my 120 gallon. Started with 4 but lost one due to an infection in QT. 4-6x pellets daily via auto feeder and 1-2x frozen mysis and calanus daily. They've been troopers. One had some serious popeye and thought I was going to lose her but she pulled through. With proper nutrition these guys have been super hardy! Never see them picking pods, they typically eat from the water column and from the surface where the pellets drop in.

I like the Bartletts also! Not sure which I like better, lyretail or barlett.

eatbreakfast · Aug 28, 2017

leepink23 said:
I have an apex feeder, if I got them eating pellets then I could definitely feed twice a day, 1 x pellets, 1 x LRS reef frenzy.

I would recommend fedding 3x's a day minimum.

leepink23 · Aug 28, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
I would recommend fedding 3x's a day minimum.

2 x day pellets and 1 x day Reef frenzy would be the only way I could. That's why I am waiting on my scrubber to get running to handle additional feeds before buying anthias.

reefboxerguy317 · Aug 28, 2017

Well I have groups of both in my reef so here are my thoughts. Both are fairly hardy, and originally I fed mulriple times a day. Now I feed once day and been doing that for couple years and theyve donw just fine. Took few tries to find type of pellets they would except.
As far as sexes, I woyld get all females and let them work hierarchy out. Also i teresting watching the dominant female change. With my lyretails I have one male and three femals. Unfortunately of my four bartleets, three changed to dominant, and sub-dominant males and only one female left.

eatbreakfast · Aug 28, 2017

reefboxerguy317 said:
Well I have groups of both in my reef so here are my thoughts. Both are fairly hardy, and originally I fed mulriple times a day. Now I feed once day and been doing that for couple years and theyve donw just fine. Took few tries to find type of pellets they would except.
As far as sexes, I woyld get all females and let them work hierarchy out. Also i teresting watching the dominant female change. With my lyretails I have one male and three femals. Unfortunately of my four bartleets, three changed to dominant, and sub-dominant males and only one female left.

Over time they can settle down to one feeding a day, but in the beginning you will have more losses faster by only feeding 1x a day than if starting them off with multiple feedings a day.

leepink23 · Aug 28, 2017

reefboxerguy317 said:
Well I have groups of both in my reef so here are my thoughts. Both are fairly hardy, and originally I fed mulriple times a day. Now I feed once day and been doing that for couple years and theyve donw just fine. Took few tries to find type of pellets they would except.
As far as sexes, I woyld get all females and let them work hierarchy out. Also i teresting watching the dominant female change. With my lyretails I have one male and three femals. Unfortunately of my four bartleets, three changed to dominant, and sub-dominant males and only one female left.

Thanks, I has originally planned to get a male and 3 females but that makes sense.

happyhourhero · Aug 28, 2017

I don't know if they are around much by my marcias are super hardy and were very easy to get to eat. I feed before I go to work before the lights even come on and then once when I get home.

I got 3 females and one had changed into a male. Great fish.

leepink23 · Aug 28, 2017

happyhourhero said:
I don't know if they are around much by my marcias are super hardy and were very easy to get to eat. I feed before I go to work before the lights even come on and then once when I get home.

I got 3 females and one had changed into a male. Great fish.

They are listed as easy on liveaquaria.com, only other anthias listed as easy is bicolor anthias. Good to know!

Baldguy · Aug 29, 2017

leepink23 said:
2 x day pellets and 1 x day Reef frenzy would be the only way I could. That's why I am waiting on my scrubber to get running to handle additional feeds before buying anthias.

As TJ stated, anthias really aren't pod hunters. Pods are a non-factor.