Queen Anthias (Pseudanthias tuka)

[majesticangelfish]

I have the opportunity to acquire 4-5 Queen Anthias (Pseudanthias tuka) for my 115g system. Currently the supplier has 2 male and 3 female fish. I'm very keen to get these specimens.

Concerns are:
-I currently have 4x Pseudanthias hypselosoma (1x Male, 3x Female), can separate species be kept together, or will males from separate species have territory disputes?
-Can two males from the same species be kept together?
-Who has kept P. tuka (long term)? I understand they don't accept captive feeding well.

My Pseudanthias hypselosoma females:

Cheers, Josh

 

[SDguy]

I personally wouldn't buy them. Tukas almost never survive in captivity, even IF they do eat, and that's a big if. Check with Adddo (I think that's his screen name). He had a few last more than a year I think. He's the only one I've ever heard of having any success, long term. Besides, I think your Pseudanthias hypselosoma get pretty beefy...not sure they would mix well with a delicate species like tuka.

 

[adddo]

Hey

I've had my Tuka's quite a while now. They started out in a 80g cube and has since moved to a 150g. I initially tohught my small succes was due to the fact that my tank was held at a bit lower temperature 24-25 celsius. But since the move i haven't installed the chiller and the Tuka's have thrived in 27-28 celsius aswell.

They eat just about anything i put in the tank that they can fit into their mouths and has more or less done so from the moment i introduced them. When they lived in the cube they were the only anthias species i kept but when we got the 150g we introduced 4 P.Durberri. The Tukas didnt seem to mind but of the 4 Durberri's only one is still with me the other 3 didnt make the move. (They were from my wife's tank) So now i have 1 male P.Durberri and 3 female P.Tuka. The male P.Durberri seems to be bossing around the Tuka's but they dont seem to mind.

I wish i had some revolutionary thing that has "made the difference" but i dont, maybe i just got 3 specimens that were really in good shape.

 

[adddo]

Durberri is carberryi... sry for the mix up

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1553

 

[majesticangelfish]

Peter, Bjarne thanks for the replies. I'll need to do some more research, and demand proof of feeding if I were to give them a shot. I would have access to "unlimited" amounts of rotifers and bbs from uni, and that may help.

What are your thoughts on keeping two male Anthias together? (same species)

Cheers
:beer:

 

[CarlC]

Considering your location you have a good chance of getting very freshly caught fish which should give you better odds.

Two males with any anthias is always risky. If it were me I wouldn't keep two males without a bigger group of females.

Carl

 

[adddo]

I wouldnt risk two males of same species even in a very big tank. A friend of mine had 3 males of different species in a 240 tho and he never had any problems. But same species.. Dunno mate.

Update for me, ive added 4 Lyretails to my tank. Wife bought them for me, hopefully everything will work out. Getting a bit crowded.

 

[majesticangelfish]

The LFS claims that the tukas are feeding!... I will need to check this out.... if they are I think I will give them a shot, better me than some inexperienced reefer.

How does a school of 1male and 3-5female sound? I will need to wait until more females get in.

:beer:

 

[adddo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10686129#post10686129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by majesticangelfish
The LFS claims that the tukas are feeding!... I will need to check this out.... if they are I think I will give them a shot, better me than some inexperienced reefer.

How does a school of 1male and 3-5female sound? I will need to wait until more females get in.

:beer:

Great! Give it a go.

If its possible do try to get an uneven number (1+2 or 1+4) Dunno if its just me but the anthias i've kept always seem to fare best in uneven numbers. Unless you add a big group (10+)

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Make sure you SEE it first. LFS will say the darndest things to make a sale.

 

[adddo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10687133#post10687133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmaneyapanda
Make sure you SEE it first. LFS will say the darndest things to make a sale.

I second that.

 

[drives300]

I have had tukas for about 4 months now. i bought them without researching but they are all still alive and eat well. I started them along with live brine mixed with frozen and now just feed frozen Marine Cuisine in the AM and PE mysis in the evening. They are my favorite in my tank