Which anthias do best as solitary?

[Tate]

I've always been intrigued by anthias fish and am thinking about trying one. Folks here seem to only keep them as multiple specimens. I have a 100g (5ft) tank that already has four fish in it - yellow tang, melanarus wrasse, perc clown, and a scissortail goby. I would also like to eventually get a dwarf toby puffer and a picasso trigger. I don't want to max out my stock list/bioload on multiple anthias fish, but if I can keep one I would like to have a single. Has anyone kept a single anthias happy for the long term?

 

[Deinonych]

I would worry about an anthias becoming a snack for a triggerfish.

 

[TankStudy]

I've been able to keep bartletts solo before and same with a sunburst anthias.

 

[MikeandNicole]

I have kept a sunburst alone for years and it is fine. Bourbonius would also be a good choice.

 

[Tate]

I would worry about an anthias becoming a snack for a triggerfish.

I'm not certain I'll get one, and if I do it'll be the very last fish added. Didn't think it would be an issue anyways, there's all kinds of videos here and elsewhere of picassos and anthias playing nice.

Thanks for the responses about the bartlett's, bourbonis, and sunburst. I especially like the bartlett's but I've only ever seen them kept in groups. Glad to hear they do fine alone as well.

 

[Ambition]

If I were going for just a single anthia in the tank I'd lean towards a sunburst or borbonius depending on the budget. From my understanding they don't group as much as some of the other species do.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Sunburst or Borb. Borb's get a little bigger so would be a better option if you are planning to add a trigger.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Larger sturdy anthias that do well without others of their own kind would be pink squares, bimaculatus, and fasciatus anthias.

 

[TipSeaReefer]

Did you end up getting a solo anthias? Was planning to get a lone sunburst and just curious how that turned out for you