Lyre Tail Anthias Question

[Stolireef]

I've been in the hobby for quite a while and have had lousy results keeping anthias. I recently received a bonded trio of Lyre Tails from Diver's Den; one male and two females. They are quite healthy and appear to be doing well but the male doesn't shoal with the two females. They stay together and the male has staked out a different part of the tank. It's almost like they divided the tank in half.

Is this normal behavior?

Thanks.

 

[ca1ore]

Yes, quite normal. Only way, really, to be successful with anthias over the long haul is to feed the tank heavily and frequently. OK, there's always somebody that will chime in to say he or she has kept them with infrequent feeding, but I never could. Unless they're kept well fed they'll pick each other off - particularly Lyretails.

 

[Stolireef]

Thanks. I've set up feeding for five times per day. Fortunately, my tank has really strong filtration so I'm not really worried about nutrients. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing a small increase in my nitrates.

 

[falconut]

I've had lyretails 3 separate times over the years. Twice just a single male & once a trio (1 male & 2 females). Each time I only fed once a day, sometimes twice on the weekends. I believe they can eat more by are fine with once, but not a tijny feeding. They are 1 of the easier anthrax. I currently have 1 single male lyretail & 1 Bartlett. They're always out in the open & don't bother each other.

When I had my trio, the male stayed in the middle in the open & each female picked a side. Females came out for food, then mainly back to side areas. The male tended to chase them when they came in the middle area, just not during feeding.

Now it did take a small time getting them to eat enough in the beginning. I did feed more then so they got enough. Good luck with them. They are a nice active fish.