Mixing species of anthias

snorvich

Team RC member
Team RC
Are there any guidelines for whether you can mix species of anthias? Or even guidelines for which ones you can or can not? Thanks in advance for any information!

:)
 
I don't remember the issue, but there was an article in Coral Magazine where the author stated his or her experiences with mixing different species of Anthias. That and Scott Michael's Reef Fishes book are the only places I've seen the topic covered.

Personally, based on what I'd read, figured mixing a few of the more peaceful species would work well. I've got groups of Dispar and Purple Queen together in a 75 gallon for the past 5 months now. There is and has been NO aggression between the 2 groups.
 
I'm not sure that Bimacs mix well with anything (well, maybe Borbonius) but I'm positive they don't mix well with Bartletts.
 
I've got an ignitus with a couple of dispars and a Plectranthias inermis, no aggression at all and the ignitus stays with the dispars.

Are there any certain species you have in mind?
 
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I have two large tanks. The kitchen tank has a shoal of Carberryi Anthias and the family room tank has a shoal of Resplendent anthias. Carberryi Anthias are semi aggressive whereas Resplendent anthias are peaceful. Ideally, I would love to add to either group but don't want to rock the boat and cause problems with either group as they are doing so well.
 
We've mixed P. squamipinnis, P. bartlettorum, P. pleurotaenia, P. dispar and P. hutchi, that I can remember for sure, in small to medium sized groups. Only issues were really with the bartletts. They don't play well with much any anthias, especially themselves, and especially when terminal, even in very large aquaria. Sorry, I can't help with your 2 species, yet.
 
I think dispars or ignitus was be a nice addition to your other anthias, Steve. I agree that bartletts are aggressive. Lyretails can also be, though I haven't had that issue personally.
 
Steve,

I agree with Peter, that dispars or ignitus would be a great match for the carberri anthias. I would get the ignitus over the dispars - personal preference & better coloration.

I would get ventralis, randals, sunsets (parvirostris), lori, flavogutatus, aurulentus, smithvanizi, evansi, pascalus, or tukas for your resplendents.

I have resplendents & parvirostris together and are perfect temperment matches. There is one aurulentus in the group who is the boss, and a tuka who is lowest on the pecking order. I am currently looking for a group of Smithvanizi, but having a difficult time finding them....
 
Steve,

I agree with Peter, that dispars or ignitus would be a great match for the carberri anthias. I would get the ignitus over the dispars - personal preference & better coloration.

I would get ventralis, randals, sunsets (parvirostris), lori, flavogutatus, aurulentus, smithvanizi, evansi, pascalus, or tukas for your resplendents.

I have resplendents & parvirostris together and are perfect temperment matches. There is one aurulentus in the group who is the boss, and a tuka who is lowest on the pecking order. I am currently looking for a group of Smithvanizi, but having a difficult time finding them....

Thanks ever so much, just the information I was hoping to obtain. I too am looking for Smithvanizi, so I hope we both get lucky there!

:D
 
I've never had ignitus, but I sure do dig my dispar that has taken on the male role w/ my carberryi's, his color brightened up pretty dramatically, but he was still pretty bright even before sex change.
All get along w/ my Lyretails as well, and that male Lyre rules all, the carberryi/dispar group seems like a sub group w/in the Lyretails.
 
about the smithvanizi.
These anthias are very very shy. You dn't see them very often. i have 9 of them and they are always hiding between the rocks. I want to add another school of anthias (parvirostris) and hope they come out more often.

The smithvanizis are very small and each time a surgeonfish swims near them they disapear. BUT, the times you see them, they're wonderfull!!:spin3:
 
I hesitated posting as my wee answer would be amongst those with much more experience, but we have mixed anthias: lyretails and ignitus with our male lyretail being dominate to all.

The lyretails are really gorgeous but I give a slightly higher recommend to the ignitus. They are just nicer and had less "drama" when I put them in the tank. I expected the fish to establish their pecking order as the lyretails did but I did not expect how seamless the ignitus would go in and collect. They are ALL friendly but the ignitus are just friendlier and all around more pleasant.

There are two things I would note. First, there is a whole lot of warm fishy colors in my tank now. They move together and thus, I feel compelled to find other colors to balance out the yellows, pinks, etc. Second, I found cleaner shrimp really helped the anthias enter their new community. They all just seemed fitter and happier when we introduced the scarlet skunks. The last fish that was being outcast to the point of her eye being gnawed out did a complete 180 when the fireblood came in the tank. They camped out together in her little cave and now she's swimming with the group just like the rest. They all take turns and visit the shrimp today.
 
Status. Well I accidentally added evansi to the Carberryi (I ordered more carberryi and received 5 evansi) and the group seems to work very well together. No additions, yet, to the resplendents but the evansi are so beautiful I might add 5 or so there as well.
 
A really nice species that has been around lately is copperi. I picked up a group of 4. They are super aggressive feeders like most of the other large schoal species but well mannered the rest of the time.

Another species that shows up on occasion is carlsoni. I aquired a pair but lost the male. These are pretty mellow also with the exception being when they are feeding. They make there presence known at feeding time no matter what size fish is around them.


Carl
 
To reinforce a posting above, anthias LOVE to be cleaned. Cleaner shrimp make the group of anthias much happier campers.
 
Snorvich,

How are your evansi doing? I know they are reputed to be delicate and very difficult to adapt. What kind of foods are the accepting?
 
Snorvich,

How are your evansi doing? I know they are reputed to be delicate and very difficult to adapt. What kind of foods are the accepting?

I feed that tank: nutramar ova, cyclopeeze, hikari and PE mysis, and capelin fish roe. All foods are eaten by both kinds of anthias. It is amazing how frenetic they get when fed.
 

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