Bartlett Anthias

[cmoore497]

Hello
I’ve tried to have Bartlett Anthias for 3 years. I love the pink and yellow! Someone is beating them up and killing them one at a time. Seeking help restocking to hold as many Bartletts that can thrive. 180 gallon display. Here’s what I have. What should I remove and how many Bartletts can I have? Suggestions please!

So probably the tang but idk, gramma looks guilty too:
Blonde Naso
Red Flamehawk
2 snowflake clowns
Damsel
Talbot Damsel
6 line
4 chromis
Royal Gramma

The bully just killed my Navarchus Angel too so I’m happy to swap them all and redo. I will do anything for a stable ***peaceful tank. Appreciate your time and thoughts!

 

[jmcdona6]

No way of knowing just looking at the fish. Royal Gramma's are common culprits. 6 Lines can be *****s too. But who knows.

Have you thought about putting a camera on your tank? Fish often act differently when their humans aren't around...

 

[cmoore497]

No way of knowing just looking at the fish. Royal Gramma's are common culprits. 6 Lines can be *****s too. But who knows.

Have you thought about putting a camera on your tank? Fish often act differently when their humans aren't around...

Good idea. Thanks.

 

[DCR]

I would guess the six line or the damsels. Unlikely you are going to have a peaceful tank with those. Also be aware that anthias typically kill each other off until you only have one.

 

[cmoore497]

I would guess the six line or the damsels. Unlikely you are going to have a peaceful tank with those. Also be aware that anthias typically kill each other off until you only have one.

Thank you! If I traded most all my fish with my LFS, attempted 1-2 bartletts…what is suggested to add to keep peace? I like pink and yellow but love most all reef safe fish.

 

[DCR]

Other than the six line and the damsels, I think you would be fine with the rest of your fish. I have never seriously attempted to keep Anthias, but I think it is generally accepted that they are not easy to keep other than a few species and maintaining a group is very difficult without a huge tank. You could add a large angel like the Navarchus and maybe dwarf like a flame. Flasher and Leopard wrasses along with some Halichoerus wrasses are generally peaceful. The shrimp gobies and firefish are peaceful. Saltwater fish are territorial and it may never look entirely peaceful, but you are trying to establish a dominance order without getting someone killed.

 

[cmoore497]

Other than the six line and the damsels, I think you would be fine with the rest of your fish. I have never seriously attempted to keep Anthias, but I think it is generally accepted that they are not easy to keep other than a few species and maintaining a group is very difficult without a huge tank. You could add a large angel like the Navarchus and maybe dwarf like a flame. Flasher and Leopard wrasses along with some Halichoerus wrasses are generally peaceful. The shrimp gobies and firefish are peaceful. Saltwater fish are territorial and it may never look entirely peaceful, but you are trying to establish a dominance order without getting someone killed.

Thank you so much for your time. Sadly I threw out my dead, very beaten up Navarchus that I’d had 3 years. So beautiful and now gone due to the bully.
One day it stopped eating in the front and spent its time hiding in the back so I worried it was being bullied and then yep, beat up and passed. Sad. Thanks again!

 

[ReefQuestCorals]

Bartlett Anthias are known to have a strong desire to turn male and pick each other off 1 at a time. So there's a good chance what your seeing are the Bartlett's themselves that are the aggressors in this situation. Even though some have had luck adding them into groups of other anthias it seems like a vast majority of reefers attempting to keep them run into the same scenario each time.