Bartlets anthias

[Allmost]

Hello all,
so I was always looking for a nice group of anthias for my 200G SPS tank ...

2 days ago, a friend of mine picked up 3 bartlets for me ... but they all look the same with the yellow line on the back ! they stay out in the open and eat more than my anchilles ... but do not school !

are they all male ?

do anthias change sex ? should I expect 2 of the males to turn into females ? or does it work other way around ?

any recommendations ? the tank is big enough for them to each take a corner ... but ID like a school of them so would adding another 3, but females this time help ?

thanks

PS. can I mix different species of anthias ?

 

[Allmost]

N E one ?

 

[Reefnub]

In your 200gal you can house more than 12. haha
Anyways it sounds like you have all females at the moment which is good.
A male looks like this, it has the middle bar and the long fin on the top of his head when he flashes. I wouldn't keep a school of bartletts if I were you, they are quite aggressive towards each other. bartletts tend to all turn male over time. School of ignitus, dispar or carberri is a better idea imo.

 

[launchnukes]

I have 4 in my 300. 1 male and 3 f originally. Now 2m 2f. They pick on eachother here and there but not too bad. However I have seen the 2 males lock jaws but they don't fight all the time. They're out 90% of the time but don't always form a tight school (sometimes they do butnot too often)

When you say they have the yellow line is that verticle or horizontal? If verticle like pictured above, they're males

 

[launchnukes]

Beautiful fish. One of my favorites under$ 50. Im seriously considering a few more females.

 

[MIKE NY]

one of my favorite anthias..I only bought two females knowing that the more dominant one would turn male and it did...pic is alittle blurry, but here they are...

 

[cdipasquale]

They are great additions and yes you have plenty of room for more...shouldn't have any problems with other anthias. And the bartletts will start schooling for you, they just need some time.

 

[SDguy]

They are great additions and yes you have plenty of room for more...shouldn't have any problems with other anthias. And the bartletts will start schooling for you, they just need some time.

This is not my experience at all.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1132189

besides all the troubles listed in that thread, I ended up having my last trio turn 2:1 male female after almost 2 years. Lost both males for unknown reasons. Then that lone bartlett female turned male, and proceeded to kill 7 other anthias in the tank. As beautiful and hardy as they are, I've completely written off bartletts.

 

[Laddy]

I'm with Peter on this one. I've tried to keep small groups on two seperate occasions over the last decade and they've all ended terribly.

 

[holdyourlight]

this is not my experience at all.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1132189

besides all the troubles listed in that thread, i ended up having my last trio turn 2:1 male female after almost 2 years. Lost both males for unknown reasons. Then that lone bartlett female turned male, and proceeded to kill 7 other anthias in the tank. As beautiful and hardy as they are, i've completely written off bartletts.

i'm with peter on this one. I've tried to keep small groups on two seperate occasions over the last decade and they've all ended terribly.

+3