Bartlett's Anthias- more questions for those that keep them
- Thread starter Gary Majchrzak
- Start date
Giovanni
AKA Flippa
That is a good idea. My problem is I have a small prefilter over my Eheim to keep stuff out.
My food iin the tank usually get saturated in a few minutes after floating against the glass. When the pumps kick back on the food sinks.
As for pump life and cycling the pump. It is only a couple times a day. I believe some pump can handle it and some cannot. I figure the Eheim can handle it.
My food iin the tank usually get saturated in a few minutes after floating against the glass. When the pumps kick back on the food sinks.
As for pump life and cycling the pump. It is only a couple times a day. I believe some pump can handle it and some cannot. I figure the Eheim can handle it.
Laura D
Premium Member
Another idea.
A relative of mine feeds her fish flake by using a "feeding ring." It is a plastic ring that floats, and has a suction cup so you can stick it to the side of the tank.
Basically a "corral" for the flake food. Maybe you could stick one under your auto feeder to hold the dry food until it becomes saturated and drops into the water column. The fish also learn to go there to eat it while it is floating. That is, if you have fish that can figure out how to eat from the surface (many don't).
A relative of mine feeds her fish flake by using a "feeding ring." It is a plastic ring that floats, and has a suction cup so you can stick it to the side of the tank.
Basically a "corral" for the flake food. Maybe you could stick one under your auto feeder to hold the dry food until it becomes saturated and drops into the water column. The fish also learn to go there to eat it while it is floating. That is, if you have fish that can figure out how to eat from the surface (many don't).
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Thanks for all of the input so far. I feel much better for the safety of my shrimps.
I've had experience keeping several Anthias species (Cooper's, Lori's, Squarebacks and Lyretails) but not Bartlett's. IME Anthias will take food moving in the water column, but not any food floating in a feeder ring or sitting static on substrate.
My auto feeder dumps small size VibraGro (Saltwater Staple) pellets into a large funnel that's connected to a length of PVC leading directly down next to the intake of my Iwaki100 RLT in the downstairs sump. The food then sprays into the reef aquarium via water returns.
So far, I'm loving the results. My Midas Blenny is fat. So are my other fishes.
I've hand fed all my my fishes for many years, but it's very nice to
have an auto feeder take care of the task. I still manually feed some of the more "special" foods but I want my fishes to remain 'connected', if you know what I mean.
I've had experience keeping several Anthias species (Cooper's, Lori's, Squarebacks and Lyretails) but not Bartlett's. IME Anthias will take food moving in the water column, but not any food floating in a feeder ring or sitting static on substrate.
My auto feeder dumps small size VibraGro (Saltwater Staple) pellets into a large funnel that's connected to a length of PVC leading directly down next to the intake of my Iwaki100 RLT in the downstairs sump. The food then sprays into the reef aquarium via water returns.
So far, I'm loving the results. My Midas Blenny is fat. So are my other fishes.
I've hand fed all my my fishes for many years, but it's very nice to
have an auto feeder take care of the task. I still manually feed some of the more "special" foods but I want my fishes to remain 'connected', if you know what I mean.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
(IME) more so than fussy eaters, Lori's are very shy if you have other (even mildly) boisterous fishes in the same aquarium. There's really no comparison to other Anthias species I've kept- Lori's are not bold at all, even in large groups. They should take small frozen mysids or HUFA enriched artemia, but feedings can be a problem if you have other fishes.
FWIW Lori's are sometimes mistakenly shipped as "Tiger Queens".
FWIW Lori's are sometimes mistakenly shipped as "Tiger Queens".
Well, I'm planning to have a very timid tank (even avoiding bartlett anthias for fear of them being too bold) so perhaps I may give Lori's a try. And maybe some ventralis too.
And yes, Lori's are always sold as tiger queen anthias here in So Cal at least.
Thanks for the info Gary.
And yes, Lori's are always sold as tiger queen anthias here in So Cal at least.
Thanks for the info Gary.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I've seen Bartlett's attack larger Anthias in the same aquarium.
There's no way I'd try and keep Lori's with Bartlett's. Good luck- Lori's are very beautiful.
There's no way I'd try and keep Lori's with Bartlett's. Good luck- Lori's are very beautiful.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
Gary- I would recommend keeping cleaner shrimp with your bartlett's- mine loved them. They would all congregate and take therir turns being cleaned. In fact, this was the only time I saw real scuffling between them, when one "skipped in line".
I dont wholeheartedly agree with the "spread the beating" theory of overloading females. There will ALWAYS be a low fish on the totem pole, and that one will get it from everyone else. I had 1 male and 3 females in a 90 forever, and sold them to someone with a bigger tank (and because they were keeping all the other zooplankton feeders in the rocks). But they just accepted their position, and never steopped out of line, so they were all fat and happy.
I dont wholeheartedly agree with the "spread the beating" theory of overloading females. There will ALWAYS be a low fish on the totem pole, and that one will get it from everyone else. I had 1 male and 3 females in a 90 forever, and sold them to someone with a bigger tank (and because they were keeping all the other zooplankton feeders in the rocks). But they just accepted their position, and never steopped out of line, so they were all fat and happy.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
What other zooplankton feeders were your Bartlett's intimidating?
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
I had six chromis and 3 flasher wrasses that were quite established until the anthias arrived. Then the anthias kept them at bay. Albeit, only in a 120 gallon, but I though it wouldve been ok. I was wrong.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
sorry, i meant they were in a 90, not 120.
I had a small school of Bartlett Anthias. 1 male and 5 females. One by one the females turned into males and eventually they got chased out of the tank. To this day I still have my original male I bought as a male. Now he resides in a 280g with 8 female squampinnis and 1 male squampinnis. I also had an African golden Midas blenny who schooled along with all the anthias. Very cool to watch. I've never had any issues with shrimp either.
George
George
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
Not saying this was true in your case - but it reminds me that one thing that IMO is a common mistake when buying anthias - getting them all about the same size - better to get one larger and the others significantly smaller. i'd guess some size differences among the smaller ones could also be helpful - just tends to help the fish sort out a stable pecking order
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I've heard of this sex change happening with Bartlett's females. It has me concerned.
If you do a search, there have been several threads about this happening specifically with bartlett anthias (more than one female changing to male). In most cases the males didn't cause each other serious damage. In fact, geofloors is the first account of fatal aggression I have heard.
Angel*Fish
cats and large squashes
Yes, I know Bartlett's are known for being "changey" - I didn't mean yours - I was just suggesting this might be a wise course of action to try and prevent changing. Obviously this doesn't always work, assuming that it ever does with Bartletts -
As for having multiple males - it's a personal preference how much "action" you want in your tank - for my tank I prefer a more mild- mannered species.
