Anthias recommendation?

[gmdcdvm]

Hello,
My son really would like to add a group of anthias to our tank. I have been doing a lot of research to find out which would be the most likely to be successful. I wanted to see what you guys thought or what your experiences/success have been like. Plan is to put them through QT first prior to adding. Feeding several times a day will not be a problem if necessary (my wife likes to feed too much as it is now, haha). The plan would be to have 3 to 5 of them depending on cost. Probably a budget of $300-600 depending on the type.

Gerry

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Whichever species you go with
get at least 5
and save money on all females
the dominant female will turn male

 

[newfly]

Whichever species you go with
get at least 5
and save money on all females
the dominant female will turn male

Thats what I did . Bought 5. 2 didn’t make it through QT.

 

[newfly]

From what I read, lyretail is one of the hardiest species. They are usually the most affordable too

 

[Coral reefer]

Get 5 female, one male, lyretail
Use an autofeeder with pellets
I’d pay Kenny the premium rather than qt myself

 

[derek_SR]

How big is the tank? Lyretails get surprisingly large, I discovered, and a little aggressive in smaller tanks.

I think they are the hardiest and one of the prettiest, though!

 

[Coral reefer]

How big is the tank? Lyretails get surprisingly large, I discovered, and a little aggressive in smaller tanks.

I think they are the hardiest and one of the prettiest, though!

Aggressive with what? I’ve never seen much aggression from them.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Probably aggressive with each other
they’re used to being in large groups which distributes the aggression behaviors
I will assume

 

[Coral reefer]

That’s the only aggression I’ve seen from them. Besides when I had a bunch of chromis too

 

[SupraSaltyReefer]

I've heard Dispar Anthias are pretty hardy. I think Anthias in general are difficult to QT with copper, so maybe TTM is best?

 

[derek_SR]

I had a very similar experience with Bimacs - maybe I didn't start with enough (4), but the male bullied down to a single female, then started going after other small fish in the tank. 225g

 

[Darkxerox]

I've heard really good things about the Biota captive bred ones (ease of feeding, used to humans, etc.) but they can be pricey and take a couple years to develop the pink square: https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/collections/anthias/products/pink-square-anthias-pair

 

[IOnceWasLegend]

Voting for bimacs. I got five females from Kenny; they've been hardy, beautiful, and watching the biggest transition to male has been amazing.

 

[Coral reefer]

I've heard really good things about the Biota captive bred ones (ease of feeding, used to humans, etc.) but they can be pricey and take a couple years to develop the pink square: https://shop.thebiotagroup.com/collections/anthias/products/pink-square-anthias-pair

I didn’t know there was a captive bred option, thanks!

 

[Marcus H]

I think borbs are actually the hardiest but $$$

 

[Slingfox]

I have two Bimacs which I put through copper + Metro medicated quarantine with some chromis. The male chased around the female in the display tank for a few days but there is only modest aggression now. Overall aggression level in my tank is low. I plan to get a third Bimac in the new year when I will be at home long enough to quarantine.

Bimacs are more expensive then lyretail but look a lot nicer. The nicest looking anthias I have seen in person are Sunburst but I didn't have a tank then.

Purple Queen Anthias are also super nice looking but they have a reputation of being very hard to keep since they require many feedings a day (8+ times). I have an auto feeder which activates 4 times a day and I feed some frozen once a day if I am around.

 

[gmdcdvm]

Yeah, no purple queens for me. Thinking I might do bimacs.
G

 

[NATURAL_REEF]

Based on my experiences, Lyretails do not live very long. I got 5 about 3 years and ago and lost 3 in the past year. No visible sign of diseases or stress; just slowly disappeared.
Not sure is true but my buddy told me Anthias usually don't last too many years in aquarium?