Choosing an anthias

ctyler85 · Nov 19, 2017

After years of trying and failing at keeping dispars, I decided I was going to give the carberryi's a try. Lately I've been leaning towards maybe going with the bartlets anthias. I have been trying to search and read about them but everything I can find are threads from years ago and wondering if the information was still accurate. My findings were that bartlets were aggressive and eventually they would all end up turning into males. I love the coloration of the bartlets but really want a nice school. Every carberryi I have seen in the local stores is super pale, like almost white and definitely not colored anything like the ones online. The bimaculatus is also a strong favorite but I haven't done and reading up on those because I would probably have to add 2-3 of those at a time due to cost. The wife then throws a curve ball at me that she like the lyretails the best. Just town on what to do with anthias. Any thoughts or inputs?
I would definitely like an active schooling fish that's pretty hardy and doesn't require a ton of feedings each day. I can feed in the morning and evening no problem. I know the lyretails are going to be the response but I feel like everyone has them and they coloration just really doesn't do a whole lot for me

XNavyDiver · Nov 19, 2017

ctyler85 said:
After years of trying and failing at keeping dispars, I decided I was going to give the carberryi's a try. Lately I've been leaning towards maybe going with the bartlets anthias. I have been trying to search and read about them but everything I can find are threads from years ago and wondering if the information was still accurate. My findings were that bartlets were aggressive and eventually they would all end up turning into males. I love the coloration of the bartlets but really want a nice school. Every carberryi I have seen in the local stores is super pale, like almost white and definitely not colored anything like the ones online. The bimaculatus is also a strong favorite but I haven't done and reading up on those because I would probably have to add 2-3 of those at a time due to cost. The wife then throws a curve ball at me that she like the lyretails the best. Just town on what to do with anthias. Any thoughts or inputs?
I would definitely like an active schooling fish that's pretty hardy and doesn't require a ton of feedings each day. I can feed in the morning and evening no problem. I know the lyretails are going to be the response but I feel like everyone has them and they coloration just really doesn't do a whole lot for me

I can't vote in your poll, as I have no experience with any of those anthias. I just wanted to reply to say I'm getting my first anthias ever in my tank coming this Tuesday. It's a male pleurotaenia. I'm a bit nervous, anthias are my favorite fish and I really want it to do well in my tank.

Maritimer · Nov 19, 2017

I had a go with Bartlett's a while back, had four or so in QT to begin with. Two eventually made it into the display, and the less attractive wound up forcing the prettier one (both males, as far as I could tell) into hiding, along with my linespot flasher wrasse. Both the wrasse and less dominant Bartlett's died from the stress and from not daring to come out of hiding at feeding times.

I may try Randall's or Resplendents in the future.

~Bruce

eatbreakfast · Nov 20, 2017

Can you pinpoint why the dispars? I have found them to be relatively hardy, hardier than carberryi for sure.

I have found bartletts and lyretails to be feisty. They are hardy, but don't really shoal all that well.

Bimacs are also quite hardy, but also don't hang out together for long in tanks.

Resplendent and randalls are quite social, but are comparable to dispars for hardiness.

happyhourhero · Nov 20, 2017

I have some Marcias and absolutely love them. They are pretty, eat well and seem to be very hardy. I love watching the male dive bomb display to his girls every evening.

ctyler85 · Nov 20, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
Can you pinpoint why the dispars? I have found them to be relatively hardy, hardier than carberryi for sure.

I have found bartletts and lyretails to be feisty. They are hardy, but don't really shoal all that well.

Bimacs are also quite hardy, but also don't hang out together for long in tanks.

Resplendent and randalls are quite social, but are comparable to dispars for hardiness.

No idea why, they were fairly shy and hid a lot but usually seemed to eat well at first but then slowly over time one would stop eating, and die, then another, over and over til non left, I've heard the dispars are some of the pickiest of the anthias, but for whatever reason I just couldn't seem to keep any for more then a few months