Purple queen anthias (tuka)

Callum96

Callum96

New member
Hi, I posted this in the reef fish sub forum but not sure how many people look in there..
Just wondered if anyone has any advice on keeping these beautiful anthias. I know they need feeding 7-8 times a day and hope to get over this problem by leaving a squeeze bottle in the fridge every day for someone to keep putting a few squirts in throughout the day. Does anyone have any hints or tips? Any experience? Just literally anything that might help? It's a fish that could do with a primer?

Any tricks for getting them to feed? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Would love to set up an automatic frozen feeder but just don't know how to do it.
 
They are small when they come in, and feeding them ENOUGH food is nearly impossible.

Honestly. You basically need to quit your job and feed them. They are super nice fish. But they just don't do well in an aquarium.
 
So they was eating then just not enough? What foods could you get them to take if you don't mind me asking?
 
Yes, I once ignored my own advice on an impulse as it went way too long w/out seeing anthia I normally keep.
they swam into rockwork and never came out, I knew better....
If you are a true reef fanatic that cultures your own brine and mysis, pods, you deal w/ getting oyster rowe and blood worms, you have a dedicated QT that is established and train certain fish to eat well and establish health before adding to display, you have a better chance than most
 
Do you have any aggressive fish that prevented them to want to venture out, I know that they're extremely shy and timid fish. I have no fish in my tank at the moment. I also know that they feel much safer in large number, how many did you purchase? Did you have any other anthias in the tank? I do have a quarantine tank and am going to start culturing some live food have been looking into this recently.
 
I was able to keep 4 for about a year before a minor crash took them out. I did not have too much trouble getting them to eat. I used fish roe from the sushi store, San Francisco Bay Brand Cyclops and baby brine to start. I found all of these readily accepted. When I had time I hatched decapped brine and fed that after enriching. I found 3-4 feedings a day sufficient. Eventually they ate spirulina brine and Hakari mysis (other brands were too big) They do not need a lot at each feeding and good water circulation is important: they swim into the current and the food needs to be moving past them.

After a few weeks one transitioned to male. If I hadn't had that crash they might still be with me today.
 
Good to hear. Sounds like I've got the flow thing right then because my tank can certainly be classed as high flow, maybe even too high may have to turn it down if they seem to be struggling. Thanks for the hints on feeding.
 
I know the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco has been able to keep them for several years, but they have the luxury of being able to feed the tank on a nearly continuous basis since they constantly flush the tank with fresh saltwater. It is close to impossible to keep them without putting so much food into your tank it fouls the water.
 
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thegrun said:
I know the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco has been able to keep them for several years, but they have the luxury of being able to feed the tank on a nearly continuous basis since they constantly flush the tank with fresh saltwater. It is close to impossible to keep them without putting so much food into your tank it fouls the water.
Click to expand...

I spoke with Matt Wandell one year at MACNA when he did his presentation on this tank. I got a crick in my neck, but I learned a lot. He was the one who encouraged me to keep tukas and I got his go-ahead to try them together with Randall's. He does not feed continuously, but he does feed often because he also has a lot of non-photosynthetic corals in the same tank. It is not my experience that continuous feeding is necessary, but several times a day is.

That having been said, both Matt and I admit that after they feed for a few months, you can go away for a day, or even a weekend, without feeding at all. I was surprised at how a day or two without food would make the shoal look thinner, but after a week of normal feeding there was no difference.

Here is the link to Matt's article: https://reefs.com/forum/reefs-magazine/71849-boldly-colored-beauties-tuka-anthias.html
 
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To OP. I lost a Purple Queen only after 1 month in my tank. It simply wasn't eating enough in one sitting. I only feed my tank twice at most. On top of that my Tri-Color fairy wrasse kept bullying it. It started to get thinner and thinner and died.

I was sold this as a female "Bartlett" anthias. Had I know about the feeding problem, I would have avoided it.
 
I would highly advise against it. A fish that should be left in the ocean from what I've read from people who are a lot more experienced than I am.
 
ReefTeacher said:
I spoke with Matt Wandell one year at MACNA when he did his presentation on this tank. I got a crick in my neck, but I learned a lot. He was the one who encouraged me to keep tukas and I got his go-ahead to try them together with Randall's. He does not feed continuously, but he does feed often because he also has a lot of non-photosynthetic corals in the same tank. It is not my experience that continuous feeding is necessary, but several times a day is.

That having been said, both Matt and I admit that after they feed for a few months, you can go away for a day, or even a weekend, without feeding at all. I was surprised at how a day or two without food would make the shoal look thinner, but after a week of normal feeding there was no difference.

Here is the link to Matt's article: https://reefs.com/forum/reefs-magazine/71849-boldly-colored-beauties-tuka-anthias.html
Click to expand...
Very interesting and a great read, thank you.
 
Well my first post has to be somewhere.

I have had a trio in my tank (500 litre mixed reef) for over 12 months. They tend to always go for cyclops, lobster eggs, brine and mysis - although not big mysis like PE/RE or Krill. I feed them about 5 times a day - in the morning then spaced through the evening when I get home.

Stunning fish and like your getting most think leave them in the ocean, but by the time you see them they are in a shop so give them the best chance.
 
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