Lyretail Anthias addtions question

[jbvdhp]

I think this may have been asked before, and I can't find the thread, but I have 4 females in my tank now, and I want to add maybe 2-3 more females and a 3-3.5" male in hopes of keeping all the females in check.

The females actually get along pretty well, three group together and I have one that hangs out with tangs. During feeding time, they all four don't fight for food, other than that, they kind of leave each other alone.

I guess my question is if I add more females, will the four (maybe the tighter group of three) harass and kill the new females (I really don't know how animals like fish can even tell each other apart when they're all similar!)? Is it wise to get a male in there soon to hopefully keep the females in check?

Please advise me and tell me of your experiences. The ones I have are the African/Red Sea type. I wish I could just do an all anthias tank!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Anthias form a social heirarchy with a definite pecking order and lyretails can be fairly feisty to new additions to the group. What likely has already occurred is one of your existing females is beginning to take the role of the dominant fish, so adding a male could lead to a battle royale between a new male and an alpha female. With lyretails, I suggest adding a group at minimum equal to the number of existing anthias and more is even better.

 

[jbvdhp]

Anthias form a social heirarchy with a definite pecking order and lyretails can be fairly feisty to new additions to the group. What likely has already occurred is one of your existing females is beginning to take the role of the dominant fish, so adding a male could lead to a battle royale between a new male and an alpha female. With lyretails, I suggest adding a group at minimum equal to the number of existing anthias and more is even better.

oh yeah!! no objections to that. should i wait to see if that lone female turns male? and then add more females? I love their activity and color. :dance:

 

[zooman72]

Maybe add just 3-4 females and skip the male, waiting to see what develops?

 

[jbvdhp]

Maybe add just 3-4 females and skip the male, waiting to see what develops?

I think I may just do that. I was hoping adding a male would suppress the female's "need" for one to become male, but I also fear one of the females will turn male if a male is added

 

[zooman72]

I think I may just do that. I was hoping adding a male would suppress the female's "need" for one to become male, but I also fear one of the females will turn male if a male is added

I have read of that occurring, and in larger aquariums the two resultant harems co-existed, but I am not sure yours would be large enough...

 

[adamwheel]

I'd just get females as well. I watched the dominant female kill an added male. She then changed over the course of just a few weeks. She was probably already in the process looking back (she had the tall spiked dorsal fin).

 

[jbvdhp]

thx peeps! Will go for an equal number of females then!!!