Blotched anthias - yes or no ?

[Idech]

There is a blotched anthias available under 500$ near by, which seems reasonable. It’s a lot of money though and I don’t want to end up with a fish that constantly hides, never to be seen.

My tank is 48 inches, 120 gallons + sump. It was a 2 year old tank upgrade, 15 months ago so it’s well established.

Here is my list of 12 fish. Most have their adult size.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
3 x Pajama Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (female)
1 x longnose hawkfish

Yes or no ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

There is a blotched anthias available under 500$ near by, which seems reasonable. It’s a lot of money though and I don’t want to end up with a fish that constantly hides, never to be seen.

My tank is 48 inches, 120 gallons + sump. It was a 2 year old tank upgrade, 15 months ago so it’s well established.

Here is my list of 12 fish. Most have their adult size.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
3 x Pajama Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (female)
1 x longnose hawkfish

Yes or no ?

None of those fish should pose any problem for a healthy blotched anthias, but getting a good quality one can be a real challenge. They are deepwater fish, and are often collected with cyanide (which causes latent mortality) and they are often "de-gassed" with a needle to deflate their swim bladder that enlarges as they are brought to the surface. That in turn can cause swim bladder infection.

Be sure that the fish is eating well and not "bobbing" head down - that's a sign of impending swim bladder issues. They are fairly shy fish that do not do well in brightly lit aquariums.

Jay

 

[Idech]

Be sure that the fish is eating well and not "bobbing" head down - that's a sign of impending swim bladder issues. They are fairly shy fish that do not do well in brightly lit aquariums.

I will ask for a video. I’ve bought from this store before and the fish were in good health.

So is a reef with lights adapted to soft and LPS corals too bright for them you think ?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I will ask for a video. I’ve bought from this store before and the fish were in good health.

So is a reef with lights adapted to soft and LPS corals too bright for them you think ?

Sorry - I can't tell you if the lights would be too bright or not. I have only kept these in fish-only tanks.

 

[reefallday]

Love my blotched anthias. He is always out and about. Eats like pig. Got it for $400. Highly recommend.

 

[JGT]

Mine is not. Always in the rocks. Zips out to grab food and then back into the rocks. Paid $140 which is pretty good but for the money would like to see him more. :)

 

[Idech]

Mine is not. Always in the rocks. Zips out to grab food and then back into the rocks. Paid $140 which is pretty good but for the money would like to see him more. :)

How long have you had it ? Do you have aggressive fish or bullies ? Very high light ?

 

[Idech]

Love my blotched anthias. He is always out and about. Eats like pig. Got it for $400. Highly recommend.

How bright is your light ? Do you have corals and what type ?

 

[JGT]

How long have you had it ? Do you have aggressive fish or bullies ? Very high light ?

2+years. Nothing out of the ordinary. I only have 1 blotchy so no competition from same species. Have a bunch of other Anthias but overall they get along well. Lighting is reef lighting so I guess you can say it’s high.

 

[reefallday]

How bright is your light ? Do you have corals and what type ?

Top is 400 PAR, mid is 290 PAR and bottom is about 150-200 PAR. I have all types of coral (soft, LPS, SPS)

 

[Tcook]

Is that the typical price in Canada? $400 or $500 would be a hard no.

 

[Idech]

Is that the typical price in Canada? $400 or $500 would be a hard no.

Between 500$-700$ I would say, from what I’ve seen.

 

[KrisReef]

There is a blotched anthias available under 500$ near by, which seems reasonable. It’s a lot of money though and I don’t want to end up with a fish that constantly hides, never to be seen.

My tank is 48 inches, 120 gallons + sump. It was a 2 year old tank upgrade, 15 months ago so it’s well established.

Here is my list of 12 fish. Most have their adult size.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
3 x Pajama Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (female)
1 x longnose hawkfish

Yes or no ?

My read is you will bring this one home.
It may get some attitude from a few of these fishes as the room per fish is getting pretty tight.

I hope it does over stress the current crew. Do they behave well together at feeding time or is hat a frenzy with fish crashing about to get all the goodies?

 

[Idech]

My read is you will bring this one home.

Ha Ha ! Not sure yet. I have to talk to the guy. He recovers fish from people breaking down their tanks and I think it’s one of those. It’s apparently a female, probably an adult. So I want to find out if she stays in the open or not and why the owner is rehoming her. I’ll try to bring the price down a bit too.

It may get some attitude from a few of these fishes as the room per fish is getting pretty tight.

Yeah, I told myself no more. But this fish caught my attention years ago and it’s kind of a dream fish. I rehomed a foxface recently so this one would take its place, sort of, but it’s a lot smaller.

I hope it does over stress the current crew. Do they behave well together at feeding time or is hat a frenzy with fish crashing about to get all the goodies?

They get fed twice a day wit frozen and they all get their share. No aggression at feeding time. The only one that’s scared of the others is the firefish. I have to make sure to send food it’s way or it wouldn’t eat. I was hoping to rehome it but couldn’t catch it.

 

[Liquid361]

There is a blotched anthias available under 500$ near by, which seems reasonable. It’s a lot of money though and I don’t want to end up with a fish that constantly hides, never to be seen.

My tank is 48 inches, 120 gallons + sump. It was a 2 year old tank upgrade, 15 months ago so it’s well established.

Here is my list of 12 fish. Most have their adult size.

1 x firefish goby
1 x blue eye kole tang / 2 spot bristletooth (ctenochaetus binotatus)
3 x Pajama Cardinal (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
2 x oscellaris clown
1 x yellow coris wrasse
1 x Matted aiptasia eating filefish (Acreichthys Tomentosus)
1 x yellow tang
1 x Japanese swallow tail (female)
1 x longnose hawkfish

Yes or no ?

I literally just bought a pair for $300 from NYAquatic.

 

[Idech]

I literally just bought one 15min for $300 from NYAquatic.

Let me know how it goes !

 

[JGT]

I literally just bought a pair for $300 from NYAquatic.

That’s where I got mine and all my fish in fact. Less than an hours drive do I pick them up.

 

[JGT]

Between 500$-700$ I would say, from what I’ve seen.

Eeks, hurry before the stupid tariffs kick in. They’ll be $2K each. :)

 

[Kasrift]

I literally just bought a pair for $300 from NYAquatic.

Was just going to say the same thing. NYAquatics has them on sale frequently for $150.

 

[CarpetSurfer]

You can get em from NY aquatic for $200-300 with their Sunday live sales