Anthias Question

jcherepo

Well-Known Member
BRS Member
Hi - Was looking to add 5 or 6 Lyretail Anthias (1 made and the rest female) to my tank. I already have 1 Bartlett Anthias who I believe is a male. Anyone have any experience with keeping multiple Anthias breeds together. Tank is a 180.
Thanks,
Joe



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European aquatics always has them or can get them with a couple days notice. I have a 180 and it took 8 lyretails to make a trio of two females and a male...granted others have had better luck.
 
Thanks for the info. Underwater World can get them and was also looking at NYAquatic.


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Be careful with NYAquatic, I’ve heard one too many horror stories to consider them as a source. Granted they have the lowest prices around.
 
I've never mixed Lyretail and Barlet together, but I've luck with Lyretail. The indian ocean ones are more brighter.
 
I had a group of about 8 in my system at one point in time (of this species, supposedly one of the easiest to keep of the Anthias). Keep in mind that these fish do not live all that long compared to many other fish we might keep (angels, clowns, gobies, damsels, etc.). My experience was that the male rushed around very fast trying to keep all the females in line (tough job for any species I suppose!). ;) This resulted in the male dying fairly early and then the next biggest female taking over the job (becoming male, as those that know about Anthias will understand). The process continued until there were no fish left. I don't remember exactly how long it was, but I'd say probably more than 1 year, but less than 3. I probably have the exact notes somewhere.
 
I had a group of about 8 in my system at one point in time (of this species, supposedly one of the easiest to keep of the Anthias). Keep in mind that these fish do not live all that long compared to many other fish we might keep (angels, clowns, gobies, damsels, etc.). My experience was that the male rushed around very fast trying to keep all the females in line (tough job for any species I suppose!). ;) This resulted in the male dying fairly early and then the next biggest female taking over the job (becoming male, as those that know about Anthias will understand). The process continued until there were no fish left. I don't remember exactly how long it was, but I'd say probably more than 1 year, but less than 3. I probably have the exact notes somewhere.
Wow, interesting @Greg Hiller so anthis are like clownfish. Correct me if i'm wrong.
 
Thanks Greg. Guess it is a direct correlation to why our life expectancy is a couple years shorter than the ladies!


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I bought 2 female Lyretails and didn't know they would change sex. One day I thought one was sick because it had dark spots on it.
So I did some research and found that the dominant one will turn male. Now I have one of each with no issues. Buy all female and let the dominant one change. The females are cheaper than the males.
 
>so anthis are like clownfish. Correct me if i'm wrong<

Not exactly. In clownfish society you have one mated pair, and all juveniles are non-sexual male. The juveniles don't breed, they just hang out, waiting, sometimes for years for either of the mated pair to pop-off. With Anthias I believe that all the other fish of the harem are actively spawning females. No wonder that male gets tuckered out!!! But a good life until the end!! I'm reminded of Neil Young "It's better to burnout than to fade away, hey, hey, my, my..."
 
My understanding is anthias will have 1 male and the others are all females that are always trying to become males hence the male picks on them to keep them submitted as females or he’ll be competing with another male. So people say to get more to keep the male from picking on the same females too much but if you have too many it might backfire and then one of the females will turn male and the males will fight to the end.
 
This is what happens when one of the females is larger than the male and his dominance is threatened....

Thought it was just a playful picking until it was dead the next morning
 

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Sorry for the loss. They’re definitely not on the nice list as fish go to eachother
 
I started with 12, then down to 2 in 2 years. Now only one left, which is a female.



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>so anthis are like clownfish. Correct me if i'm wrong<

Not exactly. In clownfish society you have one mated pair, and all juveniles are non-sexual male. The juveniles don't breed, they just hang out, waiting, sometimes for years for either of the mated pair to pop-off. With Anthias I believe that all the other fish of the harem are actively spawning females. No wonder that male gets tuckered out!!! But a good life until the end!! I'm reminded of Neil Young "It's better to burnout than to fade away, hey, hey, my, my..."
Thanks for the explanation. Appreciate it.
 
Thanks all for the info and advice, maybe best left in the oceans!


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They are okay fish to keep (at least the Lyretail species, Pseudanthias squamipinnis), they just don't have long lifespans.
 
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