Question for the lyretail anthias keepers

[DIYreefer]

Hi everyone,

I have a couple questions for those of you that have successfully kept a harem of lyretails, long-term. What, and how often do you feed? Could I get by feeding via an auto feeder for a few days per month?

Due to my work schedule, there are 7 days per month where I couldn't be home to feed them for most of the day when the lights are on. I could get one feeding in when I get home but the rest would need to be automated for those days. Would that work?

It's my understanding that these guys need multiple feedings per day, and I won't even attempt them if I can't provide an ample environment for them.

Fwiw, I have a 125g sps dominant tank and am thinking about getting 5 or 6 lyretails.

 

[Griev]

I have a group of 9 in a 200. I feed pellets twice a day via an auto feeder and frozen once a day. Less than that and the aggression definitely increases. I used to feed 5x a day, but that was overkill.

 

[DIYreefer]

I have a group of 9 in a 200. I feed pellets twice a day via an auto feeder and frozen once a day. Less than that and the aggression definitely increases. I used to feed 5x a day, but that was overkill.

Thanks for the response! How long have you had them, roughly?

 

[MarineLunatic]

I've only got one but I feed him maybe 1/2 times a day max he likes pellets and flakes and brine shrimp and hates mysis (I've had him for two years)

 

[kdtorgy]

I just got a male and 3 females a week ago. So far feeding 2x a day with auto feeder pellets and once at night frozen. So far so good.

 

[Biddence]

I’ve had a group of 4 in a 135, feed once a day done fine for over a year

 

[areefer01]

I do not own Lyretail / Sea Goldies but do own 4 captive bred Pink Square Anthias from Biota. I feed 3 times a day with an auto feeder. 2 drum roll / cycles per feeding. I mix TDO small, large, PE mysis, Hikari A and S pellets. I've set the drop or distribution amount so it is enough to get carried away by the current for spread which allows the various fish to get food. Doesn't matter if it is the butterflies (zoster and pyramid) or scopas tang or gold line rabbit, or a few others to include gobies on the substrate. There is enough dry such that it is available for all. The anthias are quick, quicker than the butterflies, so they get fed a lot. At night I feed a mix of frozen. LRS reef, fish, brine, mysis, and oyster eggs. This is a bit larger of a feeding session to make up the primary food source.

I've traveled and only used the dry and no loss of life. Usually if I don't think I can have anyone feed frozen then I will increase the dry feeding to 4 times a day. This way it makes up a bit for the loss of frozen food. Sometimes I can have someone drop the frozen in but if not possible I increase the dry.

That is how I feed my anthias - and other fish.

 

[DIYreefer]

I do not own Lyretail / Sea Goldies but do own 4 captive bred Pink Square Anthias from Biota. I feed 3 times a day with an auto feeder. 2 drum roll / cycles per feeding. I mix TDO small, large, PE mysis, Hikari A and S pellets. I've set the drop or distribution amount so it is enough to get carried away by the current for spread which allows the various fish to get food. Doesn't matter if it is the butterflies (zoster and pyramid) or scopas tang or gold line rabbit, or a few others to include gobies on the substrate. There is enough dry such that it is available for all. The anthias are quick, quicker than the butterflies, so they get fed a lot. At night I feed a mix of frozen. LRS reef, fish, brine, mysis, and oyster eggs. This is a bit larger of a feeding session to make up the primary food source.

I've traveled and only used the dry and no loss of life. Usually if I don't think I can have anyone feed frozen then I will increase the dry feeding to 4 times a day. This way it makes up a bit for the loss of frozen food. Sometimes I can have someone drop the frozen in but if not possible I increase the dry.

That is how I feed my anthias - and other fish.

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I have two fully grown lyretail anthias, they get fed twice a day, mix of pellets and frozen. Eat like pigs doing just fine. 5 feedings is not even close to necessary

 

[Derrick0580]

I use an eheim auto feeder that feeds twice a day and I still feed frozen every other day. I had to do the tape modification to the outlet so it doesn’t dump a bunch of food at once

 

[areefer01]

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

You are welcome. General consensus from most is that Anthias require a lot of feed or feedings for longevity. I am not a marine biologist so only wrote what I do and what works for me.

Most of my fish are captive bred and/or raised so arrive on the smaller side of the size scale. Young, growing, I feed more. Also that is what they are used to coming from Biota. Also remember that Anthias will build social structures with the dominate female changing to male. That squabble is stress while they work on the hierarchy so some may not get as much food. Again why I feed multiple times a day.

Best of luck - Lyretails are beautiful.

 

[DIYreefer]

Also remember that Anthias will build social structures with the dominate female changing to male.

I'm going to get all females as I've read that is the best way to start. Then I suppose they will figure out who will be the dominant male themselves.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone,

I have a couple questions for those of you that have successfully kept a harem of lyretails, long-term. What, and how often do you feed? Could I get by feeding via an auto feeder for a few days per month?

Due to my work schedule, there are 7 days per month where I couldn't be home to feed them for most of the day when the lights are on. I could get one feeding in when I get home but the rest would need to be automated for those days. Would that work?

It's my understanding that these guys need multiple feedings per day, and I won't even attempt them if I can't provide an ample environment for them.

Fwiw, I have a 125g sps dominant tank and am thinking about getting 5 or 6 lyretails.

I feed 3-4X per day and I utilize a neptune AFS feeder and in there are Prime reef flakes, TDO pellets, garlic pellets and Formula pellets
Meaty frozen diets at night and I dont after 4 years with this group see need for constant feedings

 

[rgulrich]

I have one complete harem of Lyretail (1 male and 3 female) and one transitioning female from another subspecies of Lyretail (collected from a different locale). They are among a couple tangs, an angel, a shoal of blue-green chromis, and a number of other fish in a 300 reef. The system is fed every hour over a 13 hour period throughout the day, for about 40 seconds using a Plank feeder. The females tend to elbow their way to the front of the line and are, umm, moderately "Rubenesque" but very healthy. This approach seems to provide the balance for everybody in the reef - getting fed a little bit throughout the day.
Cheers,
Ray