Need Anthias advise

[hillscp]

I have had these anthias for about a year. I ordered 5 from the lfs and through attrition ended up with two. (one found in the overflow, one jumped, I put netting ove the tank but one managed to jump out any way)

My problem is that one fish (the male) dominates the other one and won't let it out to eat. I dont know if the submissive one is male or female.

should I buy three more hoping for females? should I remove this one because it might be a male.

The video shows the submissive one hiding while I feed cyclopeze. she gets some but it spends all of its time hiding because the other one won't let it stay out for long.

I feed three times per day with an auto feeder



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[MrTuskfish]

How long has this fish been hiding like this? Usually, a bullied fish will still make rushes to get food. There may be something else wrong with this fish. Do you get chances to have a good look at him/her?

 

[hillscp]

She does dash out to get food. The behavior started to become more noticeable about two weeks ago. She has always hung out close to her cave but not always inside. She is mostly inside now and even goes and hides her face when the male comes around. I want to get the behavior more consistent with anthias (swimming in the open) and thought maybe moe females would be more than he could control.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

do you just have 2 anthias? I would try adding more females as the large one is obviously becoming a dominant male. maybe if there was a group the other hiding female would feel better about coming out.

 

[hillscp]

That's what I'm thinking. Maybe two more would make it harder for him to bully and they would swim together. Now how to increase the odds of getting females

 

[Lynnmw1208]

That's what I'm thinking. Maybe two more would make it harder for him to bully and they would swim together. Now how to increase the odds of getting females

Just buy them as small as you can. When I ordered mine, they were all female and around the same size so the more dominant one turned male.

 

[hillscp]

I bought three more today. There were four in the tank at the LFS. They said they had been there for a month. One had a red head and I didn't take him for fear he was turning male. I also bought six chromis and they are shoaling really nicely. Two shoals ought to keep him busy. Maybe I'll buy a couple more anthias when I can aford it LOL.

 

[hillscp]

How long has this fish been hiding like this? Usually, a bullied fish will still make rushes to get food. There may be something else wrong with this fish. Do you get chances to have a good look at him/her?

Thanks for the reply. I don't think she is sick but I was starting to get really worried because she was getting skinny and her fins were getting frayed from jamming herself in the rocks. She will literally hide/jam her face into a hole in the rock when he comes by to give her the business. Right now he is busy chasing chromis and one of the new Anthias is following him closely. The other two new ones are hanging out with the bullied female and she seems to be hanging out with them right outside her hidey hole. Interesting to watch.

I really appreciate the replies and I'll keep the thread updated.

 

[sanchoy]

typical anthias bullying to me.. The key is if you add more anthias it the outcome will likely be the same.. Anthias snipe eachother to death until there is a small few. I had over 10 lyretails in my tank. One dominant male with 9 females. Pecking order set in, one by one they killed eachother off until now i have 4 left.. Sad but that is the nature of the beast.

 

[hillscp]

Ouch

 

[Lynnmw1208]

typical anthias bullying to me.. The key is if you add more anthias it the outcome will likely be the same.. Anthias snipe eachother to death until there is a small few. I had over 10 lyretails in my tank. One dominant male with 9 females. Pecking order set in, one by one they killed eachother off until now i have 4 left.. Sad but that is the nature of the beast.

wow really? what type of anthias were these? I only have 2 and my male leaves the female alone.