What anthias for a 120?

[DamnPepShrimp]

What anthias does everyone suggest for a 120g? I've always wanted lyretails, but I'm starting to think they might not be the best choice due to their size. I'd like atleast 3-4, 1 male, rest females. So what are some good anthia choices for a 120?

 

[AuroraDrvr]

What other inhabitants are in the tank, or will be in the tank?

 

[Wrench]

Lyretails are the most hardy.

 

[Otto2]

I am looking at doing the same thing with my 120. I am planning on getting some sunbursts.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I know lyretails are the most hardy but don't they get one of the biggest? The anthias will probably be the most aggressive fish in the tank. I have a 2" yellow tang, lubbocks fairy wrasse, 2 O clowns, royal gramma, starry blenny, yellow watchmen goby. I like that the lyretails are cheaper and find them most attractive, but they get pretty big. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Chooch1]

A trio of Bartletts would work nicely. They stay on the smaller side, are not too aggressive and have nice color.

 

[akmugen]

I also have a trio of barkletts, very beautifulll fish....

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I was thinking about barletts, although I like the look of the lyretails better. So just two female, one male? I'm considering 3 females.

 

[mrwilson]

How about bicolors? Pretty good-sized, but very pretty. Not as aggressive as lyretails.

 

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13206981#post13206981 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mrwilson
Not as aggressive as lyretails.

I've actually heard the opposite....

 

[mrwilson]

Interesting. I seem to never hear anything about bicolors one way or the other. Having never kept lyretails, I have no firsthand experience with them and can't compare, although I've seen a good number of anecdotes about big, mean male lyretails. My male bicolor is a pussycat, but maybe that's because of the sort of weird dynamics in the tank (no female anthias at all). Plus, since bicolors are so much less frequently kept than lyretails, the paucity of similar anecdotes as to them ("my big mean bicolor is picking on all my other fish") may well mean nothing.

 

[caorca]

I put three male bartletts in my 220 gallon and they get along fine. The owner of a LFS that I frequent said that the barletts are one of the few anthias where the males get along with each other. They don't get too big and they don't pick on any of my smaller fish.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

What about the Ignitus Anthias? They seem more attractive to me, a little cheaper, still peaceful and only get 3" as well.

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+20+2703&pcatid=2703

I like those over the barletts.

Also which anthias would be best with fairy wrasses? I know a lot of anthias and wrasses look similar, so I wouldn't want any fighting. I want a very very peaceful tank. Hopefully either will work.

 

[AuroraDrvr]

You can definitely do Lyretails. If you get them at a med./small size, they won't be as aggressive. I would do 5 females, and let them sort out who's going to be male.

Have you thought about Evansi Anthias? They're probably the brightest/most stunning commonly available Anthias on the market. Think of them as a Bartlett's or Bicolor on color-steroids.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I was looking into the Evansi but they seem to be harder to keep. I'd rather have a hardy anthia. Lyretails seem to get to big, atleast for a 120g. I'd love to do 3-4 females and 1 male of a certain kind of anthia.

So barletts or ignitus? Anyone keep the ignitus?

 

[LUVSPS]

I say Barletts. They are the prettiest, IMO.

 

[Husky_1]

I just picked up some Carberryi, they are also very beautiful.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

Carberryi seem to be more aggressive. So what makes barletts better then ignitus? They both seem to be small (3" max) and peaceful, yet the ignitus cost $10 less, so thats anywhere from $30-50 saved if I get a harem of them. Also I seem to like the ignitus colors better. But everyone seems to still pick barletts, is it personal preference or is there an explanation? If it's just personal, then it makes me want to get the ignitus more since less people like them or have them.

I wonder if I can mix the two species ignitus and barletts together?

 

[SDguy]

Barteltts will almost always eat just about anything you throw into the tank, from the get go. Ignitus are more like dispars, often needing very finely minced meaty foods, or even live foods at first, and take some time to get used to eating larger foods, less frequently, in larger amounts each time. No where near as hardy as Bartletts, IMO/E.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

I've read that dispars are pretty hardy too, they are even cheaper then ignitus! But you suggest barletts being the most hardy anthia? Also what about deworming any anthias species, does that need to be done to them all? How is that done, using prazipro?