Anthias vs. Wrasses

magdelan

magdelan

Fish?
I am interested in a nice school of small fish. I've done chromis and damselfish, but they just kill one another till there are only a couple left.

I find myself more attracted to the color patterns of Wrasses, however there are a couple different species of Anthia that I like too.

-What are the biggest differences between Anthias and Wrasses?

-Is one better suited for a 4x2x2 120g reef tank than the other?

-Which species of Anthia do you like most?

-Which species of Wrasse do you like most?
 
If you're looking to get a single species, I think anthias would be your best bet. (I'm partial to lyretail anthias.)

That being said, if you can find them, one male with 2-3 females of any flasher wrasse species is awfully nice to watch (as long as your tank is covered).
 
I like the lyretail anthias too. Got three at ABCs frag meet but managed to kill them 2 weeks into QT. Make sure you read up on feeding anthias, thought I had but I did something wrong.
 
a couple of educational points

a couple of educational points

Chromis are a family of Damselfish.
The singular of Anthias is Anthias.

Certain Anthias and Wrasses are notorious carpet surfers- is your aquarium covered?
 
Gary, thanks for the tips ;)

My tank is covered very well. I am also aware of the Anthias feeding habits which is another reason why I am leaning toward Wrasses.

-How many Wrasses can school together comfortably?
 
not all Wrasses will get along with other members of the same (or different) species :)

Additionally, (as you recall this thread a couple of years from today), remember that (by nature) many Anthias and Wrasse species aren't long lived.
Don't expect to get much more than 4 years viewing pleasure out of many of these guys.

Personally, if you wanted a school of the same species I would choose a small group of Cirrhilabrus (Lubbock's!) Wrasses if possible. (Great fish at the right price!) Get juveniles- 3 or 4 of them. (I realize the odds of finding something like this are really really bad... it would probably require a special order.)
Juvenile Cirrhilabrus spp. wrasses are often all red but it won't take very long for the dominent fish to change into a male. The show will be amazing and it cannot be caught properly with a camera.

If going with Anthias I'd go with Lyretails or Ignitus.
The strain on your filtration system will be greater with Anthias than Wrasses.
 
recall this thread?

I have some good Anthias threads in the history books, too.

JMO but Ignitus are smaller than Lyretails and probably more appropriate for your aquarium, Mike. I realize there's a cost difference, though!
 
juvi Lubbock's

juvi Lubbock's

IMG_1484keeper.jpg
 
Gary, AWESOME information. Thank you. And I do remember that thread despite more than likely being drunk while posting in it (I've been taking it easier these days).

The Ignitus and Lyretail are very pretty however, I like how the Resplendent and Dispar have a deeper hue to them. As for the Wrasses, I really like the McCosker's Flasher, Yellowfin Flasher, and Longfin Fairy.

Is there any reason why these would not work well in my system?

I am doing 25g weekly water changes and plan on investing in an auto feeder to dump into my return section of my sump.
 
As per your request in a PM, here are a few facts I've learned about the McCosker's. I made the mistake of getting a single male first. Males seem to be abundant locally, but juveniles more scarce. After a while, he began to lose coloration. I guess they need the presence of a female to sustain their color. Once I got him a girl, his color returned. I highly recommend acquisition of these in a trio of one male and two females in quarantine at the same time. In my case, since I already had a male in the display, I had to put another male with two juveniles into quarantine. The second male was to keep either of the juveniles from turning male while in QT. After a few weeks in QT, the surplus male showed signs of Ich and eventually he died, in spite of copper treatment. One of the juveniles jumped through 1/4" mesh covering the QT, but the last female made it through quarantine and is now in the display where she has been perfectly healthy and active for several months. Live Aquaria or Diver's Den occasionally has a trio of these for sale and if I had it to do over again, I would wait for a threesome. They are breathtaking when they flash and I'm happy to have them.
 
Eileen, Thank you for sharing that! What is their feeding regimen like? Any special requirements?

I love that fish!
 
I feed the tank Spectrum Pellets in the morning, nori, mid afternoon and Hikari enriched Brine Shrimp just before lights out, because my Mandarin gorges himself on those. The Wrasses feed on everything I dump in there. They are lightening fast too, so they really get plenty of food. I have to reiterate the need for covering the tank for these fish. I'm convinced they jump for the sheer joy of it and my male has ping ponged himself off the mesh cover more than once.
 
I'm covered.

fish045.jpg


Is there any reason (other than price) why you can't add more than 3 at once?

What would happen if more were added after the initial 3?
 
I'm not sure if multiple males would fight, but juveniles will turn female as long as there is a male present, no matter how many you put in the display. Once a juvenile begins turning into a male, it cannot stop, so you have to be sure to get true juvies. Having more McCosker's than three would be perfectly fine, but do not expect them to either school or shoal. My two don't seem to make any particular effort to stay together, although they get along fine.
 
Hmmmmm.....all interesting. I'm definately learning here. They are beautiful but, I do want schooling fish. Are all wrasses like that? Would it be smarter to go with an Anthias then?

Boy oh boy.
 
These Anthias look good

These Anthias look good

Waitei Anthias (Luzonichthys waitei)
overview
The Waitei Anthias, also known as the Magenta Slender Anthias, occurs in large numbers among relatively deep water (65ft and greater) reefs in nature. They have a very slender body that is magenta in color with yellow fins. Their caudal fin is split, and some refer to anthias of the Luzonichthys genus as splitfins. The anthias within this genus do not differ in coloration between the male and female, making them difficult to distinguish. They are a very peaceful, and at times a shy fish, that will not harm other fish or invertebrates in the home aquarium.

An ideal aquarium for the Waitei Anthias is a 70-gallon or larger marine aquarium with plenty of live rock for feeding and hiding. These anthias will not harm invertebrates and are well suited for any type of reef aquarium. They enjoy being in numbers of 5 or more which seem to give them a sense of security. Do not house these anthias with aggressive or overactive fish, as this will more than likely cause them to seclude themselves.

Anthias species all share the trait of being hermaphroditic. If a dominant male perishes, the largest female of the group will often morph to take its place. Although because of the similarities in coloration, it is difficult to tell the difference between the sexes.

The Waitei Anthias needs to be fed a variety of meaty items including brine and mysis shrimp, chopped fish, frozen plankton and zooplankton. It may be necessary to offer them live foods such as live brine shrimp or freshwater ghost shrimp to begin feeding.

Approximate Purchase Size: 1-1/4" to 2-1/2"
 
all "slender Anthias" (Luzonichthys spp.) should be considered "expert only" Anthias IMO. These species are shy and difficult to keep alive. Best kept without other boisterous fishes for sure.
 
Mike - have you thought about Red Spot Cardinals? They eat well and don't need to all day feeding that Anthias require and don't jump as much as the wrasses.
 
Hi Ellery, I hope all is well with you and your family!

I haven't considdered them; I can't say I'm a big fan of their appearance.
 
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