Mixing anthias in a 120 gallon 4x2x2

[Dylan]

Hi,
I'm upgrading to a 120 gallon standard hopefully soon. I am planning on having anthias.. I've read that it takes some careful planning to mix different species. Here's my current list:

• 1 Borbonius (Blotched) anthias
• 4-5 Lyretail anthias
• 3-4 Bartletts or Dispar anthias

These will go with a pair/trio of flame wrasses, 1-3 McCoskers flashers, a yellow tang, and a sailfin tang.

Do you guys think my tank is large enough to house these together without too much aggression?

Thanks!

 

[stunreefer]

IMO, yes.

Add them in the opposite order you have posted: Bartletts/Dispar first, Lyretail next, then Borbonius. Make sure to QT them all very, very well prior to adding them to your DT to ensure they're readily eating prepared foods and are fat and healthy. You'll be throwing them into "battle" and you need to make sure they can take it and fend for themselves.

 

[Dylan]

IMO, yes.

Add them in the opposite order you have posted: Bartletts/Dispar first, Lyretail next, then Borbonius. Make sure to QT them all very, very well prior to adding them to your DT to ensure they're readily eating prepared foods and are fat and healthy. You'll be throwing them into "battle" and you need to make sure they can take it and fend for themselves.

Okay. Will a biocube 29 be sufficient size to qt them?

 

[stunreefer]

Yep, only QT one group at a time though, and shoot for smaller Lyretails. Get all little females and one will go male for you.

 

[holdyourlight]

Yep, only QT one group at a time though, and shoot for smaller Lyretails. Get all little females and one will go male for you.

Stun

is it possible that one of the lyretails will not go male if there is a male bartletts?

 

[stunreefer]

I suppose so, but lyretails are much more boisterous than bartletts IME. I would expect the lyretails to run the tank with the exception when the borbonius gets ticked off. With that said, I know few people who's been able to keep a school bartletts long term... they almost always turn all male and kill each other off. Personally I'd nix the bartletts/dispar idea all together and get a few more lyretails (again, personally - lyretails are my fav).

 

[Jason edwards]

sounds like that is going to be a really pretty tank!

 

[Dylan]

I suppose so, but lyretails are much more boisterous than bartletts IME. I would expect the lyretails to run the tank with the exception when the borbonius gets ticked off. With that said, I know few people who's been able to keep a school bartletts long term... they almost always turn all male and kill each other off. Personally I'd nix the bartletts/dispar idea all together and get a few more lyretails (again, personally - lyretails are my fav).

Okay. Do you have another suggestion of anthias? Bicolor?

I would love some ventralis anthias but they're too shy.

 

[Dylan]

sounds like that is going to be a really pretty tank!

I hope so. I'm sort of copying SunnyX's :bigsmile:

 

[inactive]

Excellent thread. I am going to upgrade to a similar tank from a 55g and am also going to mix anthias.

Pseudanthia Tuka
Pseudanthia ventralis
Pseudanthias hawaiiensis

I REALLY want to try Luzonichthys waitei

I know nothing of them yet.

 

[Dylan]

Excellent thread. I am going to upgrade to a similar tank from a 55g and am also going to mix anthias.

Pseudanthia Tuka
Pseudanthia ventralis
Pseudanthias hawaiiensis

I REALLY want to try Luzonichthys waitei

I know nothing of them yet.

I like this website, if you didn't find it yet: Odontanthias borbonius

 

[inactive]

I like this website, if you didn't find it yet: Odontanthias borbonius

Nice site, I want to submit photos to it!

 

[stunreefer]

Okay. Do you have another suggestion of anthias?

You could do some bicolors, or have you thought about Pseudanthias flavoguttatus? They're a little more pricey, but look amazing and are much hardier than something like ventralis IME.

Pseudanthia Tuka
Pseudanthia ventralis
Pseudanthias hawaiiensis

That would be one heckuva tank!

I would love Pseudanthias hawaiiensis, but they're just too shy to mix with angels of any kind, and they're too tempermental for me - I don't want toput that much time into fish (unless they're angels that is ). I'll live vicariously through you

I think it could be done, just keep the tank cool, lots and lots of food, and no boisterous "bullies".

 

[Dylan]

Nice site, I want to submit photos to it!

All of the anthias you posted are very peaceful... maybe those are a better idea. Then again I will have flasher and flame wrasses, so it might scare them.

:cry: So many choices!

 

[stunreefer]

Kraylen check out itachi's tank Hawaiian Longfin Anthias - Reef Central Online Community - I think Peter saw them in person too...

All of the anthias you posted are very peaceful... maybe those are a better idea. Then again I will have flasher and flame wrasses, so it might scare them.

Yeah, any of those species really need a dedicated tank - even mixing them would be difficult, but doable IMHO.

 

[Dylan]

I want seahorsedreams' Red saddled anthias.

Red Saddled Anthias (Pseudanthias flavoguttatus) - Nano-Reef.com Forums

Are those the same anthias Stunreefer? Hers look different than other pictures..

 

[Dylan]

I'll just keep it to the easier, but still pretty anthias. What would you choose in my tank if you could pick 3 anthia species? They would have to be brave enough for wrasses.

 

[stunreefer]

Yep: http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4RNWN_enUS270US270&q=Pseudanthias%20flavoguttatus&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

 

[inactive]

My biggest challenge is getting some to survive QT and eat. I have the tukas so far and am doing great. Ventralis has been a hurdle for me for quite some time now.

 

[Dylan]

My biggest challenge is getting some to survive QT and eat. I have the tukas so far and am doing great. Ventralis has been a hurdle for me for quite some time now.

How big is your QT?

I'll be using my 29 gallon biocube.