How do you have 5 year success with a group of anthias?

[csb123]

I love anthias! But, I’ve failed twice trying to keep a group of Lyretails, due to intra-species aggression and poor feeding.
I also, have rarely seen any other hobbiest tank with more than a single anthia, that lived longer than a couple of years.

With the new Avast feeder coming out, I’m thinking of trying again.

If you’ve been successful keeping a group of anthias for several years, tell us your secrets!
Which species and how you did it.

Thank you,
Sean

 

[ReefRondo]

Eheim auto feeder did it for me with ocean nutrition pellets. They are thriving.

 

[csb123]

Eheim auto feeder did it for me with ocean nutrition pellets. They are thriving.

Which species do you have?

Is there more than one reefer with long term success?

 

[ReefRondo]

Which species do you have?

Is there more than one reefer with long term success?

Lyretail

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Ive had a male lyretail anthias for 4 years past, and 2 females for almost 3 years along with him. I did have a pair of red saddle anthias for almost 2 years, but the male died i assume of old age as he was quite big and fat and nothing was visibly ever wrong with him, and the female lived to be just over 2 years in my care.
I did have a trio of bartletts numerous years ago, for maybe 2 yearsish. But they all died after a flame angel terrorised them, as the tank was rather unsuitable for an angel so he just acted out of agression on everything.

I think the key to success is frequent feedings until they have put on a lot of body weight. I also believe buying an already transitioned male will reduce the amount of squabbling that normally ends up in them dying off, but i cant say for certain. Just my experience

 

[Haydn]

I added 5 females Lyretailed in Oct 2017, followed by 12 Ignitus in Jan 2018 and 8 Evansii in Feb 2018. I have added more groups of Ignitus the last group went in in Aug 2019. I added 16 bimacs in 2 groups in Nov/Dec 2018 (OK I know I'm a nerd keeping records)

I have lost one of the lyretails, the male, in march 2020. Evensii I have 4 left- strangely I lost 4 early on but the ones that remain seem bullet proof. All my Bimacs have survived and grown, I seem to have 4 males. The Ignitus are more difficult because I added them over time but I think out of the 40 (ish) i think I have around 30 left.
You count them

 

[Paul B]

I think I had five of these, I forgot their name but they are in this video. I don't think I had them for more than three or four years and I don't think I ever kept one longer than that.

 

[SDguy]

I had lyretails past the 5 year mark. IME it takes lots of frequent feedings, and starting with small females allowing them to establish their own hierarchy, without killing each other.

I don't think many aquarists really understand what "frequent feedings" means. I would get home at around 3:30 PM and feed the fish, every 30-60 minutes until 11pm at night. I also had other species of anthias that required this more than lyretails.

 

[csb123]

I added 5 females Lyretailed in Oct 2017, followed by 12 Ignitus in Jan 2018 and 8 Evansii in Feb 2018. I have added more groups of Ignitus the last group went in in Aug 2019. I added 16 bimacs in 2 groups in Nov/Dec 2018 (OK I know I'm a nerd keeping records)

I have lost one of the lyretails, the male, in march 2020. Evensii I have 4 left- strangely I lost 4 early on but the ones that remain seem bullet proof. All my Bimacs have survived and grown, I seem to have 4 males. The Ignitus are more difficult because I added them over time but I think out of the 40 (ish) i think I have around 30 left.
You count them

What are you feeding them, and how often?

 

[locito277]

I added 5 females Lyretailed in Oct 2017, followed by 12 Ignitus in Jan 2018 and 8 Evansii in Feb 2018. I have added more groups of Ignitus the last group went in in Aug 2019. I added 16 bimacs in 2 groups in Nov/Dec 2018 (OK I know I'm a nerd keeping records)

I have lost one of the lyretails, the male, in march 2020. Evensii I have 4 left- strangely I lost 4 early on but the ones that remain seem bullet proof. All my Bimacs have survived and grown, I seem to have 4 males. The Ignitus are more difficult because I added them over time but I think out of the 40 (ish) i think I have around 30 left.
You count them

We need more feeding videos lol. Amazing tank

 

[Haydn]

What are you feeding them, and how often?

'Regular' daily feeding regime is about 10:00AM a chunk of frozen Calanus, three feeds of first Bite micro pellets via my auto feeder during the afternoon. At about 8PM a heavy feed of a mixture of frozen brine, mysis, small krill, lobster/fish eggs (that feed is on the video).

I supplement this with live brine shrimp if my LFS has some in, usually once or if the fish are lucky twice per week. In the summer I have a wildlife pond in the garden and it supplies live daphnia, midge larva and other small inverts maybe two/three times per week.

Because of this heavy feeding and anthias only taking food from the water column I have a big population of CUC, shrimp, hermits and snails to clean up. I also have an overrated skimmer which works hard! The tank is 2000ltrs and the turnover is around 80,000ltrs/hr- SPS tank territory but it keeps the food in suspension longer.

 

[ca1ore]

It depends a lot on the particular species ….. size of tank and feeding. I have kept a group of bimacs on a few occasions past 5 years. Lyretail group once past 5 years. Never was able to do so with any of the others.