Anthias

[FishyReef]

As I get closer to adding my first fish I keep revising my stocking list (no surprise!) I know Anthias tend to do best in groups with one male and a few females, but is it a requirement? If not, would a single anthias always turn into a male since they are hermaphroditic fish? What about just doing 2 anthias instead of 3? Also, I see LA doesn't list any anthias under their "beginning fish" section, but most anthias are described as peaceful and easy - so what's the story with why they aren't considered good beginning fish? Thanks!! :sfish:

 

[little_fish]

They have super high metabolism and need to be feed multiple times per day, which in a new tank will lead to water quality issues. The newer tanks also dont supply the foods they snack on between feedings leading to you needing to either feed more or they dont keep a healthy weight. They can also just be very touch fish in the first place.

 

[Smitty]

+1 lil fish...what makes them difficult is all the feedings they require.

 

[x19]

+1 Little Fish

I've now got 4 Ignitus Anthias in my tank and I've tried a bunch of different ways to keep them fed. I'm doing pretty well now with an eheim autofeeder feeding Argent Cyclop-Eeze twice a day and then I do a third feeding in the evening with a different food. I've gotten all of my Anthias to eat, but 2 have died due to internal parasites. I've had no luck with getting them to eat pellets, but I'm still trying (pellets are delivered with the cyclop-eeze every day).

The biggest downside is that because I am adding so much food to my tank every day I'm having issues with Algae and Cyano. I run Bio-Pellets which keeps my nitrates at 0 but they aren't mature enough to really affect phosphate yet. I seeded the tank with Pods a number of times but it looks as though the fish ate all of the pods, and they didn't really get established. An older tank with an established pod population would be better.

They really do need to be kept in groups of 3, but can be kept them singly.

Here is a great reference on Anthias: Anthiinae

 

[FishyReef]

Thank you all, this is very helpful! Back to considering chromis then as my first fish! lol