Anthias or Wrasses?

[carb850]

I'm starting to put together my fish stocking list but I need to start off with the centerpiece and build around them. I really love the intense yellows, reds, oranges, and pinks which are commonly found in Anthias and many Wrasse's. If I were to pick a small group of one of those, which would be best to keep in a high flow high light 120G tank?

Anthais,
I wouldn't do anything exotic, probably a small group of Barlets or other which is identified as an easier group to keep. I fear Anthias though because I read many don't like intense light and require frequent feedings (3X a day). Also, do you have to worry about females changing sex and starting to fight for dominance?


Wrasse's.
I like Fairy Wrasses and particularly the Hawaiian Flame Wrasse. My biggest concern with these is that all of the ones I like I heard can be been very aggressive. I can deal with that by selecting other aggressive mates. If I went with reef safe wrasse's, I would like to get 4 or so with maybe one type having a pair.



Any experience keeping any of these fish? Which would you select? Would it be okay to keep a both? I also want to keep a Tang or two and a pair of clowns but those selections depend on the aggression of the above pics.

 

[package]

I have not had much luck with the wrasse due to aggression but I have only had a few types - 7 line, dragon, cloris (sp?) and an orange one with white spots/stripes. They were all very teritorial and picked at any smaller fish.

My experience with the anthias is similar to what you described. They did not seem to like the bright light, always stayed near the over hangs, but the Bartlett were better than others. I have kept Dispar (jumpers), Lyrtail (jumpers), Bartlett (jumpers) and Sunburst. The Sunburst were the worst for the light the others did not seem to be bothered as much by it. As for the feeding, that is tough also not due to much to the multi-day but the meaty type diet they preferred. It was like throwing cookies in the tank, everything wanted the mysis or brine shrimp as opposed to flakes or nori SO - pygmy angels, tangs, etc, stopped eating the algae and started developing lateral line issues.

If you go with the Anthias, go with 3-4 that helps the fighting. Once 1 turns the others fall in line they fight among each other some but not so bad if there are a few and introduced at the same time. The more there are the more the picking is spread out so 4-5 is better than 3-4 - I think.

 

[carb850]

Would a refugium producing pods take care of the multiple feeding issue? I would still feed manually once a day.

How aggressive was your Bartlett? I would be keeping it with a small tang or two, pair of clowns, basslet maybe, etc.

 

[package]

That is the way I tried to supply food to my Bartletts on my home tank. I do not think it matters if the pump chops them up or not, the refugium is a good plan. The barlett were not that aggressive, sort of like a Marine Betta, only beat on each other, never anything else.

The basslet on the other hand may mess with the anthias.

 

[carb850]

I used to have a Black Cap Basslet and it didn't have any aggression. Other tankmates at the time included a Chromis, Cardinal, and Yellow Clown Goby.

One of the reasons I'm trying to figure the Anthias vs Wrasses out now is because it might impact my Clown decision. With the Fairy Wrasses I figured I would go with Cinammon Clowns but with the Anthias I would probably opt for Percula' instead.