Adding more lyretails

[Megatrev62]

I currently have a female lyretail anthias for the past 2 weeks and it seems to be doing fine. I have decided I want another one or two. What is the correct way to do this? Buy two more females or one male,one female? I'm thinking getting two females and a male will emerge? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks

 

[bigevill1]

I would do one more female, or one male. Every time I have tried to keep more than one female with a male the other females have slowly died off. I read an article on liveaquaria a few years ago that stated that groups of lyretails just dont do well in tanks. Of course I am sure others have had great luck.

 

[TankStudy]

Your male needs to be well established in order to get a good harem going.

I would recommend getting just one female as your next anthias. Let them sort out who will be male in the tank. After a true male arises, slowly put in females. To avoid to much collateral damage, I would recommend the newer female being much much smaller.

From multiple experiences in trying to build solid harems, the dominant fish, must hold control over most of the territory and must be interested in harem development. If you start with a male and let him become well established in the tank, you can usually add females in a few weeks. However, if you start with a female, you will need to let a male truly develop first before continuing which could take a couple months and then start adding more females.

 

[bigevill1]

He also only has a 75 gallon tank, so depending on the rest of the fish load......

 

[Megatrev62]

Thanks all. 90 gallon actually. Any other opinions? Thanks

 

[Megatrev62]

Definitely go with one more female? Let them sort it out? Is it possible to add two more lyretails or is that definitely not the way to go. Thanks

 

[Megatrev62]

SDguy do you agree with above? Just want confirmation, and you seem to know a lot about anthias. Not ignoring the input given and thanks to those who chimed in.

 

[anbosu]

Definitely add female(s). It's possible your solo fish has already started transitioning to male. I have 4 in my 90, but once they get bigger they will be transitioned to a bigger tank.

 

[Megatrev62]

Thanks.Females it will be. Maybe 2.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I would add a few females. Multiple fish spreads out any aggression among more individuals. I have a group of 5 Lyretails in my 90 now.

 

[TankStudy]

I would shy away from adding multiple females. You forget that these fish are still trying to see who gets to be the boss. The more females you put in, the more fish are involved in the royal rumble.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I would shy away from adding multiple females. You forget that these fish are still trying to see who gets to be the boss. The more females you put in, the more fish are involved in the royal rumble.

If you just want one more female, then go ahead and add one more. But if your eventual goal is to have a harem of several fish, I think it best to add them all at once. Every time a new fish is introduced, the whole harem dominance has to reorganize to accommodate the new fish. Just when they get it sorted out, here comes another one trying to work it's way in. This new female might have been second in command in the holding tank at the LFS, and might not want to give up that spot when its introduced to your tank.

If you introduce them all at once, all the cards are on the table from the start, they all figure it out together, once. I've introduced 4 harems of anthias (4-6 individuals) this way in tanks between 75-180 gallons and never had a problem.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

If you start with a male and let him become well established in the tank, you can usually add females in a few weeks. However, if you start with a female, you will need to let a male truly develop first before continuing which could take a couple months and then start adding more females.

I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here, but I don't think I agree. I have started harems both by adding a male and several females, and by adding several females and letting a male develop, and have noticed no difference between the two methods. My most recent harem was bought as 6 females. Within a week in QT I could tell beyond a doubt who was going to be the male behaviorally. Within another week this fish started taking on male coloration. By 6 weeks in, the fish looked completely male. I lost one of the 6 shortly after moving them to the DT, but the remaining group of 5 (plus a sunburst anthias) has been stable for 7 months.

 

[Megatrev62]

Appreciate the input. Right now I have one female. Really want more so the consensus seems to be to add more females, so was thinking of adding two more at the same time. They will be mail ordered and will tell J&L that I want two smallish females and see how it goes. Hoping for the best with this plan.

 

[SDguy]

Appreciate the input. Right now I have one female. Really want more so the consensus seems to be to add more females, so was thinking of adding two more at the same time. They will be mail ordered and will tell J&L that I want two smallish females and see how it goes. Hoping for the best with this plan.

I'd tell them small, not just small-ish. Tiny lyretails actually adapt really well to captivity, IME, and then there is no question that your original is boss (no fighting). Plus, they are super cute when they are small

 

[Megatrev62]

Will do. I'll stress that I want smaller than what I have now.

 

[Megatrev62]

Added two smaller females last week. They are the same size and half the size of the resident female. The resident female completely ignores them. Input?

 

[Megatrev62]

All good ya think? All will come together?

 

[SDguy]

The resident female completely ignores them. Input?

That's exactly what you want. Dominance is so obvious due to the size difference, that no action is needed by the larger fish.

 

[SaltWater226]

i bought 3 females and 1 male 11 months ago their still in my tank having a blast