Whats your experience with Anthias?

[amzar123]

What type?
Are they finicky feeders?
How often do you feed?
How many do you keep?

[ca1ore]

Depends!

Tank size, swimming room, tankmates, species chosen? Some species eat nothing, others everything. Even the latter probably need two feedings per day, maybe three. I have about 25 across two tanks.

[amcvay1979]

In my experience, they're my favorite fish, but they're not worth the investment, the 3-5 daily feedings, the constant shyness of new additions and ultimately will die a long and prolonged death of either hiding and starving to death or hiding in plain sight for weeks on end just waiting to die.

I've tried Bartletts, Lyretail, evansi, Purple Queens, Stocky & squamis...all of them started out ok, got better, schooled, and then all died. I fed live brine, Rods, fish eggs, you name it, 3 to 5 times per day. Lost every single one of them and every other fish in the tank showed no signs of stress. They'd be great one day and then hiding or missing the next and I'd eventually find their dead body on the sand one day.

Out of all I've tried, Bartletts were the easiest but they too died in the same fashion as above. I'd say for them to be happy and healthy they need more length in a tank vs depth and TONS of flow. They'll surf the flow all day waiting for food to come to them. I really love anthias but they seem to be my achilies heel.

[rtecanoe]

I originally purchased three lyretails about two years ago, one died after about 6 months. The other two have always been fat and happy, will eat the small new life spectrum pellets like candy. I feed them twice a day tops, but theres also natural food in the tank, its a 180 with 4" sand bed and a remote DSB and refugium and lots of LR in sump as well. Little tricky first couple of weeks till they adjusted to store food, but piece of cake since then. Blue zoo aquatics has their own dry food that helped me switch my anthias as well as mandarin over to the pellets. Any picky eating fish Ive had goes nuts over the Blue zoo aquatics food, I highly recommend it. Going to try a different type of anthia with the lyretail soon.

[lhm nole]

I have 4 trucantus started with 5 after year 1 one develop pop eye and the others disposed of it going on 3 years with the 4 remaining they eat anything and everything I throw in the tank.. I have a 300 fully loaded reef and I feed them once daily

[Monte26]

I had 3 a while back. Not worth it in my opinion. Three feeding per day is too much of a hassle.

[ca1ore]

More than most fish, they need to chase their food. Turning pumps off to feed is particularly ill conceived with these fish.

[tom obrecht]

Species is dependent of success rate. Purple queens, evansi are touchy and difficult to get feeding. Squas, bartletts, hutchi have always been sturdy for me. Carberri, dispars are nice but not as boisterous. My personal favorites are bimaculatus. Both males and females are stunning in coloration. They are larger but once established become very brave. I'm currently keeping resplendents and are beautiful but have not had them long enough for personal feedback. Anthias are soo cool and add tons of color and movt to a system especially in larger systems with groups and harems.

[amzar123]

Originally Posted by rtecanoe

I originally purchased three lyretails about two years ago, one died after about 6 months. The other two have always been fat and happy, will eat the small new life spectrum pellets like candy. I feed them twice a day tops, but theres also natural food in the tank, its a 180 with 4" sand bed and a remote DSB and refugium and lots of LR in sump as well. Little tricky first couple of weeks till they adjusted to store food, but piece of cake since then. Blue zoo aquatics has their own dry food that helped me switch my anthias as well as mandarin over to the pellets. Any picky eating fish Ive had goes nuts over the Blue zoo aquatics food, I highly recommend it. Going to try a different type of anthia with the lyretail soon.

Are they different sexes?

[cvportagee]

I currently have 2 lyretail and a blotched. I had three lyretail but the male was always shy and finally disappeared. The 2 female lyretail are pigs and always out eating. The blotched has only been in the tank for about a month. He is getting more brave every day but during feeding times i always see him out and eating. I feed 2x per day.

[Taahirs]

As I said before somewhere else. 16 lyretail. Been together for a few years, fed 3 times daily. Twice via auto feeder once frozen by hand.

[RGS2]

3 lyretails - one male, two female. Had them two years. Feed them once or twice a day. They eat what everyone else in my 250g eats. They have been easy to keep for me. I also have a single Sunburst anthias in my 60 gallon. Eats anything I put in, doing well.

[cloak]

Check these out

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-04/ac/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/hcs3/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-12/hcs3/index.php

HTH.

[tom obrecht]

Originally Posted by tom obrecht

Species is dependent of success rate. Purple queens, evansi are touchy and difficult to get feeding. Squas, bartletts, hutchi have always been sturdy for me. Carberri, dispars are nice but not as boisterous. My personal favorites are bimaculatus. Both males and females are stunning in coloration. They are larger but once established become very brave. I'm currently keeping resplendents and are beautiful but have not had them long enough for personal feedback. Anthias are soo cool and add tons of color and movt to a system especially in larger systems with groups and harems.

Oh yeah and feeding regime and pics are on TOTM May 2006

[vikubz]

At risk of sounding snarky, if someone will pay 600 for lights and 500 for powerheads, why not spend the 40 for a good auto feeder? I just went with a single lyretail and it has done great. Set the feeder for 4 small feedings throughout the day with two types of pellets and some flakes. The rest of the fish in the tank also benefit and the corals don't mine well fed fish.

[tom obrecht]

Originally Posted by vikubz

At risk of sounding snarky, if someone will pay 600 for lights and 500 for powerheads, why not spend the 40 for a good auto feeder? I just went with a single lyretail and it has done great. Set the feeder for 4 small feedings throughout the day with two types of pellets and some flakes. The rest of the fish in the tank also benefit and the corals don't mine well fed fish.

Well said!! Exactly!

[kmbyrnes]

I've had a pair for almost 2 years. ( The third died in a tank crash ).
Once one turned male, they have been beautiful to watch.
I don't do anything special food or feeding wise, just AM and PM, what ever I happen to be feeding the tank. Flake, pellet or frozen. They eat it all.
My .02

[amzar123]

I agree vikubz, sometimes its not about money though, many people like to keep the nutrients as low as possible.

I'm not one of these people though...my tank is heavily fed all day everyday

[davocean]

My present tank holds 5 lyretails, 1 male of course, and they are awesome, not shy at all, they eat well and I feed well.
It is a bump in bioload compared to other fish the same size but well worth it, and I have a good skimmer and dilligent on WC's.

My last tank had 5 lyretails also, and I added carryberi's and dispars to that mix, they all got along well and I think the lyretails helped break the others of shyness and encouraged them to eat well.

Auto feeders are great for helping w/ the multiple feedings, I use NLS pellets in mine

[davocean]

One other note is both this tank and my previous tanks grouping of anthia shoaled well w/ my chromis, I love this mix of orange and blue green!