anthias for a 75g tank?

[Moonstream]

I am hoping to keep a group of either anthias or chromis in my 75g display (100g system). before I decide I would love to have some first hand experience with what types of anthias have done well in peoples tank that were 75g or less.

I was hoping to have a harem of 1 male and 2-4 females.

 

[reef_enthusiast]

Bartlett's Anthias are easy to keep. However, if you are trying to keep a harem of them, you may have problems. If you do a search several people have tried (me included) and what I found was they turn on each other and start taking each other out.

In my 260 gallon display, I started off with 4 Bartlett's, a male lyretail anthias, a male Bimaculus Anthias, and 2 Ignitu Anthias. Still have the Bimac, the Lyretail, 1 Ignitus, and 1 bartlett's. The Ignitus stayed together but the one that died did not want to eat. The Barlett's on the other hand were eating and swimming out in the open from day 1. First 3 bullied 1 to death. Then from the remaining 3, some more fighting to eventually down to 1. When I put in the anthias I already had my juvenile emperor angel, adult majestic angel, purple tang, powder blue tang, and yellow stripped maroon clown. So, there were aggressive fish in there that would cause them to school but they still took each other out.

Hope this helps...

 

[reefknight]

I have a trio of Barlett's and a trio of Sunburst anthias in my 90gal along with a pair of B & W Aussie clowns and a Solon wrasse. Mine have all only been together for about a month or so, so I won't contradict the persons opinion before mine. I have a little aggression between "like" species but nothing that would cause death, or at least yet. I haven't even noticed a nipped fin or otherwise.
I went with the Bartlett's first because I couldn't obtain another two Sunbursts, then was able to get them. They're hardy, and fairly easy for an anthias species. Sunbursts are generally perceived as being more difficult, but I don't believe so. My first one (over a year old) was first in my 30gal cube and did awesome. I actually only fed about once a day or every other day. He only started to lose weight when a bully of a Mystery wrasse was introduced. He has quickly regained weight in the 90gal along with his new inhabitants.

As long as you get specimens that are eating and are healthy you should be fine as long as they stay well fed. I can't stress this enough. My dealer will actually hold any anthias for at least a week in QT to make sure that it is healthy and eating. I mix several foods together along with vitamins and feed twice a day.

HTH

 

[reef_enthusiast]

reefknight,

you are not contradicting me. you are just stating your experience. that is great if you are succeeding at getting them to harem together peacefully. good luck with them.

this is the 2nd time around i was trying to get a harem of bartlett's. i believe my problem was due to more than 1 of the bartlett's turning into a male at the same time.

joe

 

[Chibils]

That's really the reason so many have trouble with Bartlett's. They all want to be the male, and then they kill each other off because males won't tolerate each other in such a small space.

 

[Moonstream]

thanks! I tend to feed a cube of frozen mysis every afternoon, is this enough for anthias? I might try to get some chromis instead, not sure yet tho.

 

[mrwilson]

reef_enthusiast, I'd love to hear your thoughts on (or see pics of) your bimac. I never see any discussion about them, but in pictures I've seen, they appear to be just stunning. Is yours a male or a female?

 

[reef_enthusiast]

Moonstream,

As reefknight mentioned, you definitely want to try to feed several times a day when it comes to anthias. That can be tough with busy schedules. I feed my tank twice a day. Once I get home from work in the afternoon and then late at night before going to bed.

mrwilson,

i don't have a picture of my bimac. in this full tank shot he's the one in the middle of the tank. you will notice 2 bartlett's on the bottom right but down to 1 now.

I got a male. Have no issues with him. He was eating from day 1. He does bully the other anthias in the tank once in awhile but nothing too aggressive. Have him eating anything i throw into the tank which is a mix of spectrum pellets, ocean nutrition formula 1 and 2 small pellets, frozen mysis, and frozen spirulina enriched brine. Coloration wise, nothing spectacular. He lost some of his coloration. No female bimac with him right now. Thinking of maybe getting one but right now I have more of a wrasse bug (radiant wrasse behind bimac) Doing a water change this weekend, so I'll try to get a decent picture of him either this saturday or sunday.

Happy Reefing...

 

[mrwilson]

reef_enthusiast, thanks for sharing about the bimac. I'm really looking for a reasonably hardy fish that is all pink or almost all pink, with little or no yellow. I'd love to see a close-up of him if you get a chance. Thanks.

 

[reef_enthusiast]

mrwilson,

sorry for the delay. got busy at work and put off water change for a couple of weeks.

Here are a few ok shots I was able to get of my bimac...sorry not that great at taking pics and he kept on moving:

Here's one with other fish in the picture to get a feel of his size:

Hope that helps...

 

[mrwilson]

Thanks for the pics. Nice looking fish. Really good sized, too. What do you think, maybe 4 inches or so?

 

[reef_enthusiast]

i would definitely have to say about 4". My majestic and PBT are pretty big and he is almost as long as they are.

 

[xtm]

I have 4 Lyretail Anthias in my 75g for about a year now, and recently one of them has started to turn male.