Anthias Feeding Recommendations

[Dustin1300]

I picked up a group of Lyretail Anthias 3 weeks ago today and just completed a third round of PraziPro and starting Cupramine tomorrow before adding to 140 gallon frag tank (temporary home) until I get my 600 gallon DT up and running.

I've been trying to feed them heavy since day 1 and has been a mix of different food I think they'd take to. Ensuring that Ammonia/Nitrite don't spike I've done a 30-50% water change every 5 days to ensure they are keeping within a safe ammonia range. Until yesterday I had been feeding them 2-3 times a day with a mix of cyclop-eeze, mysis, ocean nutrition formula one, and Spectrum pellets that I mix up in a syringe of RO/DI and keep in refrigerator.

Feeding was never a chow down and this is the first time I've kept Anthias. Yesterday I picked up some Rod's food and I added that to the mixture and they went crazy on feeding last night. I work 8-5 so I feed them before I leave in morning and right when I get home. I ask the wife to feed them since she's at home during the day and works nights but I'm not confident she always does it.:headwally:

Now that I've rambled and shared my feeding schedule, any recommendations you'd have on feeding as well as what you do? Add selcon/vitamin enhancer, etc? Should I consider building a plankton culture that feeds the display tank throughout the day so they are able to eat more often since they have such a small digestive track?

I'm just always wanting to make sure I'm feeding and caring for the fish the best possible way I can while inside our reef in a box They're a part of the family, righ:spin3:

 

[cromedogg33]

I personally feed my anthias once daily and have never had a problem in the 2+ years.

My opinion is lyretails don't have the feeding requirements of say...purple queens. Once or twice a day should be plenty.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I personally feed my anthias once daily and have never had a problem in the 2+ years.

My opinion is lyretails don't have the feeding requirements of say...purple queens. Once or twice a day should be plenty.

I agree.

 

[snorvich]

I agree.

Yup. I feed carberryi twice per day and once during the day with something small like nutramar ova.

 

[Dustin1300]

Sorry but seems I failed to subscribe to my own thread.

So from what I read, I'm over-analyzing the feeding. Just always trying to give the best care possible but every article I read says feed them 3 times/day and was curious if that was the case with everyone.

Since we're on the topic, I'd like to add some other Anthias later down the road (ignitus, bartletts, carberryi, etc...) to the mix. Should I stay away from any such as the purple queens that have a strict feeding regimen?

 

[klepto]

Personally, I believe that most all reef fishes will benefit from numerous feedings spread throughout the day. Obviously, some of the large predators are exceptions.

Can you get away with less for certain species (like P. squamipinnis)?? Sure! Still, I prefer to spread feedings out in an effort to offer a more "natural" feeding regime. In the long run I believe that this will benefit the fishes' health and minimize my bioload.

Unless you plan to feed regularly or on setting up an autofeeder, I would skip the difficult species like P. tuka. Also, I would try to train the new lyretails onto Spectrum Small Fish formula or some other quality pellet of the appropriate size. That way your wife won't have to deal with frozen and keeping up with regular feedings will be less work on your part.


Just my thoughts!

 

[Dustin1300]

klepto, completely agree. I've been trying to coax them into eating the spectrum pellets by first mixing it in with the frozen foods. Hopefully they'll start taking to the pellets and then I can put them on the feeder to shell out 1-2 small servings throughout the day.

 

[roni]

klepto, completely agree. I've been trying to coax them into eating the spectrum pellets by first mixing it in with the frozen foods. Hopefully they'll start taking to the pellets and then I can put them on the feeder to shell out 1-2 small servings throughout the day.

That's what I've done with most of my fish. Pretty much everyone other then the mandarin will take the NLS pellets now.

 

[klepto]

I've been trying to coax them into eating the spectrum pellets by first mixing it in with the frozen foods. Hopefully they'll start taking to the pellets and then I can put them on the feeder to shell out 1-2 small servings throughout the day.

Sounds good. What size of NLS? I feed pellet first and then follow up with frozen. Starting with the pellet ensures that my fish get adequate vitamin and nutrition from the pellet that they aren't receiving from frozen foods (vitamin C for example which is lost in the freezing process; why enrichment is wise in my experience).

I've had good results with Spectrum alone. Using a clear turkey baster and basting the pellet into the tank works well to get fish trained onto the pellet. It seems to stimulate a great feeding response if used consistently.

Be careful to not over-soak the pellets (especially without enrichment), because the water soluble vitamins will dissipate out of the pellet into the surrounding water.

 

[TxReef472]

I have not seen any recommendations for Reef Nutrition. This stuff is grea,t it is all refrigerated and ready to go. I feed my Anthias (along with everything else) a mixture of Mysis and Arctipods and I throw in Oysterfeast for the corals. Everything goes crazy for this stuff. It is a little pricey and definately has an expiration date but I think it's worth it. Check out ReefNutrition.com

 

[WienerDog]

I also feed my pair of Square Anthias NLS pellets once a day and every other day I supplement with frozen mysis or plankton. Never a problem with them at all.

 

[SDguy]

My lyretails do fine on once or twice a day. In fact, IME, species like lyretails and bartletts will get pretty obese if they are in the same tank as more delicate feeders, which require multiple feedings per day. I've decided I will no longer mix such species...

 

[elegance coral]

I think this is partially dependent on the amount of natural food the system produces. My system produces very little in the way of pods, larvae, or zooplankton. I have fed Lyretails once a day, and over 6 to 8 months, watched them become bony, malnourished, looking fish. In my system, I have to feed them multiple times a day to keep them healthy long term.

 

[SDguy]

Perhaps the definition of "once a day" is in question here. When I say once a day, I mean this: I get home from work. Presoak some pellets in Vitachem or selcon, and add them to the tank. While the pellets were soaking, I mince up some frozen marine meat (scallop, shrimp, etc) or thaw some mysis or similar, which a add to the tank within 15-30 minutes of feeding the pellets. I suppose that could be considered twice a day, but it's one process for me

 

[Guillaume]

Good thread, I'm following on because considering to buy my first anthias and not knowing which type would be easier considering feeding patern.

 

[xxtriggermanxx]

I feed my Square spots and Lyretails once a day during the week but on weekends they eat two or three times a day . they have been doing fine like this for about three years .

 

[64Ivy]

Twice a day here. But as a result of the spawning behavior I observe quite often, I'm sure they grab a snack on their own from time to time.

 

[SPotter]

twice a day and I have lyretail and bimac anthias. I do add garlic extract to all of my food and have never had a problem with fish not eating. The first feeding is when I get home from work and thats pellets and then at around 10pm I feed a mixture of of selcon, garlic, phytofeast, cyclopeeze and then rotate between frozen brine and mysis pe.

 

[Announce]

I personally feed my anthias once daily and have never had a problem in the 2+ years.

My opinion is lyretails don't have the feeding requirements of say...purple queens. Once or twice a day should be plenty.

Please do not do this with your new anthias! I have a school of Barletts at home, and feed them once a day, but these are fish I have had for 2 years. New anthias will simply not survive on feedings once a day as their metabolism has not adjusted. In the wild these fish are constantly feeding, and often when you get them they have been starved for several days as it is.

Having worked in the industry for 4 years I can assure you fresh off the plane anthias need to be fed more than once a day, and we would frequently lose them when we forgot to feed them 3 - 4 times. Once your anthias are adjusted it will be fine with once a day. Obviously you don't have to be super strict about it but until you wean them down, the more the better.

 

[Garfield90]

I've kept 8 dispar anthias over near a year, successfully. Some days they didn't eat at least two times, but I try to feed them minimum 3 times/day.
I'm upgrading my tank, from 100 gallons to 1000, and I want to give a try to p. tuka and ventralis anthias... My actual plan is to add constantly artemia nauplii to the tank, combined with cyclop-eeze or nutramar ova to emulate their natural environment. What do you think, will it work??