anthias questions

[jubjub]

i'm doing some research on next fish to get and im really interested in a trio of anthias's although i have some questions about different ones...they will be going in a 60*18*18(90gal approx) tank


lyretails:
---i hear these are the hardiest of all of them all, as far as hardiness is there a difference between the Maldive and regular lyretails?

dispar:
---how hardy are these? i really like the colors and what not. are they more orange then red? do the males differ in color as well?

purple queen:
---i hear these really should be left in the ocean they have a horrible survivability rate, any truth to this?



general question:
---is it really true you have to feed your tank 2-3 times a day for them?

 

[SkyPapa]

i'm doing some research on next fish to get and im really interested in a trio of anthias's although i have some questions about different ones...they will be going in a 60*18*18(90gal approx) tank


lyretails:
---i hear these are the hardiest of all of them all, as far as hardiness is there a difference between the Maldive and regular lyretails?

dispar:
---how hardy are these? i really like the colors and what not. are they more orange then red? do the males differ in color as well?

purple queen:
---i hear these really should be left in the ocean they have a horrible survivability rate, any truth to this?



general question:
---is it really true you have to feed your tank 2-3 times a day for them?

I have had a trio of Lyretails and one male bartlett for a couple of years now.
I had 2 bartletts but they both wanted to be male and one didn't survive.

All started as 2 inch fish . The squammis are now 2.75 in., 3.5 in. and the male is 4.5 inches. The bartlett is 3.5 in. or so.

The male is pretty aggressive to all fish except the foxface and hogfish but doesn't do any damage
.
I recently added 3 small dispar and 3 small squarespots.
All are fine at the moment.


As for feeding, I have gone on vacation for 2 weeks with a sitter feeding M-F without a loss.
But I am retired and feed my tanks 3-5 times a day.

I think anthias in general need multiple feeding per day, but especially small/young ones.


SDguy is the anthias king I think though,:fish1: maybe he'll chime in.

Here is a pic of a the lyres and the bartlett and some big chromis.

 

[boilermaker1]

dispar:
---how hardy are these? i really like the colors and what not. are they more orange then red? do the males differ in color as well?

I hear they're not hardy, but mine seem to be pretty good. I think the key is to get a good size group (I got 8).

They're not red, they're a pinkish orange color, kinda peach, with white bellies and a blue and red stripe on the side of the head. The male has a purple head and a very deep purple dorsal fin. Very colorful fish, I think as long as you can get them eating, you're good to go.
As for the 2-3 times/day feeding... buy an autofeeder.
I let the autofeeder do 2x a day with pellets, etc... and I feed frozen once a day.

 

[inktomi]

You can also get trios from Live Aquaria pretty often - that's where I got my Evansi Anthias.

I agree with boilermaker1 - get yourself an autofeeder. I have one, and that's how I get my 6 feedings per day. 4 autofeeder cyclops / pellet, and 2 frozen food (am and pm).

 

[jubjub]

wow with that much feeding do you have issues with ammonia or nitrates etc?

 

[inktomi]

I just don't feed a lot. I have the autofeeder on almost it's smallest setting - enough for my anthias, angel, and clowns to get food several times a day - but not enough for a lot to be swirling around the water without being eaten.

 

[inktomi]

Just thought I'd give you a heads up.. the Divers Den is going to have several trios/groups available today:

Bimaculatus Anthias (Trio)
African Lyretail Anthias (Trio)
Dispar Anthias (Group)
Four Spot Anthias (Trio)

 

[SkyPapa]

wow with that much feeding do you have issues with ammonia or nitrates etc?

I feed a LOT. Daily 6-7 cubes plus a teaspoon of cyclopseze and a chunk of rod's. Plus nori for the foxface and whoever else wants some.

NO3 <2, PO4 undetectable with salifert. Macro algae in my fuge, none in display.

I have about 250g water in 4 tanks but most of the food goes in the 180g with the anthias.