Which Anthias would be best for my tank?

Patrick Cox · Mar 30, 2016

I recently started a 100G Reef aquarium. It is 48"L x 24"W x 20"H.

Currently I have the following fish...

One Spot Fox Face
Percula Clownfish Pair
Yellow Assessor
Possum Wrasse

After adding the Anthias I plan to add a Kole or Bristletooth Tang and maybe a Potter's Angel, but not certain on the Angel.

I am considering 3-5 of the following Anthias... (will choose only one variety.)

Lyretail
Disbar
Ignitus

Which of these would you recommend as being...

-The most hardy and easiest to care for
-Most likely to at some point eat dry food
-The most peaceful with my other fish.

Also, how many would you add for my tank?

Just fyi, I have about 5 years in the hobby.

Thanks!

eatbreakfast · Mar 30, 2016

I recommend either the dispar or ignitus. Care for both is identical, and while not quite as easy as lyretails, they are still an easier anthias species, and significantly more peaceful. They may take a few weeks to take pellets, but all the ones I have kept eventually ate dry foods.

bevans116 · Mar 30, 2016

I would also consider Bartlett anthias. I have found them pretty easy to keep.

abinder · Mar 30, 2016

bevans116 said:
I would also consider Bartlett anthias. I have found them pretty easy to keep.

Love the 5 bartlett anthias that I have in my 100 gallon tank. The pink and yellow colors are really nice.
You can see a couple of them in this video:

Allen

JakeK · Mar 30, 2016

abinder said:
Love the 5 bartlett anthias that I have in my 100 gallon tank. The pink and yellow colors are really nice.
You can see a couple of them in this video:

Allen

Beautiful. Do you know if they are the Marshall island or more common Christmas Island variant?

abinder · Mar 31, 2016

JakeK said:
Beautiful. Do you know if they are the Marshall island or more common Christmas Island variant?

Sorry. I don't know where they are from.

Allen

Patrick Cox · Mar 31, 2016

bevans116 said:
I would also consider Bartlett anthias. I have found them pretty easy to keep.

Thanks for the suggestion. I love the look of Bartlett's but I have read that Bartlett's can be less peaceful than the other varieties I mentioned. I read that they can all turn male and then fight. That is really why they are not on my list.

abinder said:
Love the 5 bartlett anthias that I have in my 100 gallon tank. The pink and yellow colors are really nice.
You can see a couple of them in this video:

Allen

How long have you had those in your tank?

eatbreakfast · Mar 31, 2016

Patrick Cox said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I love the look of Bartlett's but I have read that Bartlett's can be less peaceful than the other varieties I mentioned. I read that they can all turn male and then fight. That is really why they are not on my list.

This is true. Lyretails are slightly less aggressive, but not much.

abinder · Mar 31, 2016

Patrick Cox said:
Thanks for the suggestion. I love the look of Bartlett's but I have read that Bartlett's can be less peaceful than the other varieties I mentioned. I read that they can all turn male and then fight. That is really why they are not on my list.

How long have you had those in your tank?

About 4 months I think.

Allen

abinder · Mar 31, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
This is true. Lyretails are slightly less aggressive, but not much.

Mine seem to squabble amongst themselves a little, but it doesn't seem to really turn into an aggressive fight.

The key may be to have at least 5 of them.

Allen

eatbreakfast · Mar 31, 2016

abinder said:
Mine seem to squabble amongst themselves a little, but it doesn't seem to really turn into an aggressive fight.

The key may be to have at least 5 of them.

Allen

Larger numbers help disperse the aggression, but let's see how many are left after a year.

jetmaker · Mar 31, 2016

You can keep several of these together and my favorite and very hardy. My borb

abinder · Mar 31, 2016

Their aggression isn't that big so I'm pretty sure that they will all be around in a year unless some sickness takes them.

By the way eatbreakfast, do you even have bartlett anthias?

eatbreakfast · Mar 31, 2016

abinder said:
Their aggression isn't that big so I'm pretty sure that they will all be around in a year unless some sickness takes them.

By the way eatbreakfast, do you even have bartlett anthias?

Currently, I do not have bartletts anthias, but have had them on a few occasions, with more than just 5, and currently have a few customers whose tanks I take care of that have them, so I am more than passingly familiar with the behavior of bartletts anthias.

Patrick Cox · Apr 10, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
I recommend either the dispar or ignitus. Care for both is identical, and while not quite as easy as lyretails, they are still an easier anthias species, and significantly more peaceful. They may take a few weeks to take pellets, but all the ones I have kept eventually ate dry foods.

Hi
I found a local source for some Ignitus Anthias. Would you do 3 or 5 in my tank? Thanks!

ca1ore · Apr 11, 2016

eatbreakfast said:
Larger numbers help disperse the aggression, but let's see how many are left after a year.

Haha, yes, that's exactly right. All fine to 'proclaim' success after a month only to find the lowest fish in the pecking order missing, followed by the next one ......

ca1ore · Apr 11, 2016

I actually prefer bartletts to lyretails. I think they are a more attractive fish, and while 'chippy', I have had less trouble keeping a group long-term than with lyretails (that always end up picking each other off). I've currently got three, a dominant male, a secondary male and a female. They've been 'stable' now for two years.