Bimac Anthias

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

Seriously considering Bimacs after I saw them in person in a local reefers tank. Wow, how beautiful! I’m looking for my last-ish fish to be an eye catcher!

My tank is a 5’ 120ish gallons. I have 4 chromis, 2 clowns, melanurus and lunate wrasse n, kole tang and chocolate tang.

What are your thoughts on how many and aggressiveness towards other fish? I was thinking between 2-4. I’d just hate to spend nearly $100 a fish to watch them kill each other off like lyretails or Bartlett’s and it looks like they get pretty big.

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

No one?

Auto-pilot · Dec 8, 2020

More the better if you ask me. I have 5 anthias in my tank. After they established themselves they more or less leave eachother alone

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

Auto-pilot said:
More the better if you ask me. I have 5 anthias in my tank. After they established themselves they more or less leave eachother alone

The same species or different? My biggest worry is not having enough to distribute the aggression. I’d get a lot but at $100 a pop that adds up. Unless I get a few bimacs and a few other species

Auto-pilot · Dec 8, 2020

saltydawg11 said:
The same species or different? My biggest worry is not having enough to distribute the aggression. I’d get a lot but at $100 a pop that adds up. Unless I get a few bimacs and a few other species

I'd get some bimacs and if $$ is a problem get some carberryi. They are pretty not super aggressive and alot cheaper

rmay6850 · Dec 8, 2020

I have three, all were female when adding and one is turning male now. I also have two sunburst anthias, all seem to play well together at this point.

They are a great addition

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

Auto-pilot said:
I'd get some bimacs and if $$ is a problem get some carberryi. They are pretty not super aggressive and alot cheaper

before I saw bimacs in person I was definitely interested in carberryi or red bars and still am! The decision is beating me up so thats why I’m here to get some input from the community :) I tend to over research (if that’s a thing) then become indecisive lol

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

rmay6850 said:
I have three, all were female when adding and one is turning male now. I also have two sunburst anthias, all seem to play well together at this point.

They are a great addition

If you don’t mind, how long have you had the bimacs and did you add the sunbursts the same time or after?

rmay6850 · Dec 8, 2020

5 weeks and they were all added together.
I got them them from TSM aquatics and they are eating well.

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

rmay6850 said:
5 weeks and they were all added together.
I got them them from TSM aquatics and they are eating well.

That’s where I get my fish from! Great place and people!

rmay6850 · Dec 8, 2020

Agreed

Brad Waddell Wrath's Reef · Dec 8, 2020

I have 2 lyretail 1 male 1 female and they get along with others. They also eat pellets!

jp_75 · Dec 8, 2020

i wonder how long carberryi live? any long teem success?

AcanthurusRex · Dec 8, 2020

I have had a pair for close to three years. Started with three but one female didn’t last.
The pair spawn all the time.
Some what aggressive particularly to the exquisite wrasse.
I would get either a pair or more than three.

BriansBrain · Dec 8, 2020

AcanthurusRex said:
I have had a pair for close to three years. Started with three but one female didn’t last.
The pair spawn all the time.
Some what aggressive particularly to the exquisite wrasse.
I would get either a pair or more than three.

Good to know! Thanks!

Haydn · Dec 9, 2020

I have 16 bimacs, they were added in three groups. The first group of 8 joined a number of other species of Anthias without any issues in February 2020, closely followed by two more groups. I currently have 3 full males.

They are not 'aggressive' either within the group or with other fish in the tank, there is of course, dominance behavior within the group- anthias live in a dominance driven hierarchy so it is to be expected. But now they are settled and each fish 'knows' its place in that hierarchy, I only get a bit of chasing when one steps out of line and needs a 'slap'. The adult males will occasionally chase one of the other fish but that's probably just a build-up of testosterones- You know what men are like if there's a lot of girls around that need impressing :rolleyes:;)

BriansBrain · Dec 9, 2020

Haydn said:
I have 16 bimacs, they were added in three groups. The first group of 8 joined a number of other species of Anthias without any issues in February 2020, closely followed by two more groups. I currently have 3 full males.

They are not 'aggressive' either within the group or with other fish in the tank, there is of course, dominance behavior within the group- anthias live in a dominance driven hierarchy so it is to be expected. But now they are settled and each fish 'knows' its place in that hierarchy, I only get a bit of chasing when one steps out of line and needs a 'slap'. The adult males will occasionally chase one of the other fish but that's probably just a build-up of testosterones- You know what men are like if there's a lot of girls around that need impressing :rolleyes:;)

Awesome! Would you mind posting a picture of your bimac shoal. That has to be beautiful with that many!