Anyone keep Anthias?

[ktaylor660]

My wife and I are currently working on our new 120G in0wall reef. We want to keep Anthias, but I'm not sure which species are best. I'm also curious if it would be best to add them first so they get used to the aquarium before any fast swimming fish are added such as tangs etc. The tank will be filled with live rock from my current 135G that is being taken down once this tank is ready to go. Thanks in advance for any help and advice.

I will also have a build thread for my 120G soon, just trying to get all the pics and such in order.

 

[cee]

All are difficult, but lyretails fare OK. I have kept them with minimal problems. I also successfully kept purple queen anthais for better than a year but don't recommend them as it took a month to get a feeding response. Good luck.

Dave

 

[EvilMel]

We have good luck with the Lyretail anthias and the Carberryi anthias at the store.

Carberryi anthias stay a bit smaller but some people think the Lyretail are a lot prettier. If you go with Lyretails, look for a male that is "yellow breasted" as they are much neater than the regular males.

 

[ktaylor660]

Thanks for the replies. My wife prefers the Lyretail Anthias, so that will probably be our choice. Any opinions on when to add them? Nothing I have read online really says when to add them. I need 1 male and 4-5 females though correct?

 

[ct_vol]

I have 1 male lyretail and 3 females in my 120g... I have 1 Bartlett's in my 58g...

 

[EvilMel]

Since they tend to be a bit delicate AND since that's a lot of fish to add at once I'd wait until the tank is firmly established. Like Randy said...1 male and 3 females is ok too.

 

[morris2]

I have 1 male lyretail and 3 females in my 120g... I have 1 Bartlett's in my 58g...

Which are hardier the lyretail or the bartlett's, which do you like better? I have heard that the bartlett's will do better in a highly lit tank.

 

[ct_vol]

Lyretails are definitely hardier... I'm not sure that lighting has anything to do with a Bartlett's success...

 

[morris2]

Lyretails are definitely hardier... I'm not sure that lighting has anything to do with a Bartlett's success...

Not success, but I have read that Anthias in general do not like brightly lit tanks and the Bartletts are more likely to come out in the open water than some of the Anthias in a lot of light.

Could be hogwash just getting other's opinions.

 

[ct_vol]

Well, some Anthias definitely do not do well in bright light... Borbonus and Sunburst anthias in particular do not do well in bright light... I have not had any problem with my Lyretails in bright light...