Single Anthias what’s the longest you’ve kept one ?

[Oshengems]

was up everyone just wanted to hear other people’s stories and opinion on single anthias. I know the common practice is that they need! To be in groups or else but reading online I see a few people keep them alone, I had a trio of Barletts anthias which one jumped and the othe 2 lasted about 2 months before one started switching to male and beat down on the other until he took him down, I kept that single Bartlett’s for about a year before he too decided to jump, he was not shy at all since I had a few Social fishes including 4 chromis which he used to hurdle with when spooked and other social fishes wrasses clowns and all got along just fine very active and would definitely swim with my chromis. Are these social fishes that need other social fishes to survive or have its same species around in order to survive, is it mandatory to keep them in trios or more in order for them to survive, a friend had a single Lyretail for almost 3 years same story from 5 to one and decided not to add anymore.

Please share what’s the longest you kept a healthy anthias alone?

I wanted to add a single Scribble but LFS tells me he won’t last alone just curious what’s the reason ?

 

[Oshengems]

I’m asking because I’m considering a fathead I been on the hunt but they been hard to going lately and my LFS has a few scribble which looked really nice all healthy and eating but I see them fighting and chasing each other just curious why is it mandatory for them to be in trios or better ? Is this a sale pitch ?

 

[Antics]

I've had multiples of various anthias (dispar, bartletts, lyretail, resplendant, randall, etc etc) and even though they've all been through quarantine I've eventually lost them one by one over months of having them. I've never been able to pin it down since I know its not a quarantine or disease issue. I just chalk it up to not enough feedings.

I have had a solo Borbonius for over two years. He seems bullet proof to be honest. Surrounded by larger tangs and it doesn't bother him at all when it comes to feeding.

 

[SamsReef]

I have one Bartlett, one square back, one blotchy and one bimac in my tank. Bartlett and square back are 4 year old in the tank and bimac and blotchy are 2 years old. Overtime, squareback turned female as the bimac looks very similar to squareback.

They all play/fight amongst themselves. My Bartlett is the referee. He is unbelievable. Anytime the bimac gets aggressive with the squareback(occasionally), he comes in between and separate them out.

Blotchy lives a lone live. Nobody bothers blotchy and blotchy does not bother anybody...

Bottom line, they can live alone or in trios. Feeding them minimum 2-3 times is key to success.

Sam

 

[Oshengems]

I feed my tank several times a day 2 pellets on the auto fish feeder then 1-2 times frozen when I’m home of course, the pellets is very minimal tho I toss in lil bits at a time, when I had those Anthias I was feeding 3 auto feeds per day plus me frozen at night so I know they were well feed

 

[Oshengems]

Blotchy and fathead are the ones I want but are hard to get

 

[SamsReef]

Some anthias lose color in home aquarium(male lyretail and squareback are notorious) but they can be kept single.

Having said that, maybe fish experts can help what’s wrong with your setup...

Can you share some details on your tank - age of the tank, size, nutrient export, nitrate, phosphate, salinity, ph...

Before they died, were they eating, showing any signs of disease, breathing hard...

Sam

 

[SamsReef]

Here is my bi mac always photo bombing coral pics...I think they are underrated in this hobby.

 

[Oshengems]

I have a 75g it’s been up for about 3 years I’m trasitioninng to mostly sps and wanted to add some pop to my tank, I still have my original 4 chromis, purple dottyback, royal gramma, leopard and six line wrasse 2 lighting/gold nugget pair and a mandarin which was also one of the first fishes, the chromis,dottyback and royal grammar been together close to 2 years, those barletts that I had one jumped during the first few days the other 2 squared it out until one was left and he lasted about a year before he decided to jump too but he was very healthy and active and im sure could have lasted more if he wasn’t suicidal that’s why I asked why is it mandatory to keep them in trios and better

 

[SamsReef]

Fishes jump out of water when they are startled at night. Light being switched off abruptly or any night scavengers startling them at night. I doubt they are they committing suicide out of boredom . Anthias also get hyper while eating.

I would suggest having some cover anyways and also have little ambient light during night from moon light or Refugium.

Sam

 

[Oshengems]

I don’t wanna over do it with the bioload since in a few weeks I will also add a potters Angel and was considering getting a scribbled instead of the fathead That’s why I don’t wanna add a trio, but my LFS insisted that I can’t keep scribbled alone I was just curios as to why ?

 

[Oshengems]

BTW I tried my 2nd potter Monday only lasted 3 days smh, but that is my price fish even if he nips my corals I’m whiling lol

 

[AC1211]

Can I keep a anthias species in a 60 gallon tank if so which one bc I am willing to do some experimenting?

 

[Oshengems]

I have one Bartlett, one square back, one blotchy and one bimac in my tank. Bartlett and square back are 4 year old in the tank and bimac and blotchy are 2 years old. Overtime, squareback turned female as the bimac looks very similar to squareback.

They all play/fight amongst themselves. My Bartlett is the referee. He is unbelievable. Anytime the bimac gets aggressive with the squareback(occasionally), he comes in between and separate them out.

Blotchy lives a lone live. Nobody bothers blotchy and blotchy does not bother anybody...

Bottom line, they can live alone or in trios. Feeding them minimum 2-3 times is key to success.

Sam

I’m On my way to pick up this scribble I’m going to give him a chance they are all eating ferociously and been at the LFS for about 2 weeks that was the other reason I wanted to try him out instead of the fathead, I’m already planning a 120-180 will definitely have space for a few more Fishes in the near future

 

[Oshengems]

Can I keep a anthias species in a 60 gallon tank if so which one bc I am willing to do some experimenting?

The Lyretail stay small but I’m not an Anthias expert, my friend had one in a 55g for about 3 year before breaking down the tank

 

[AC1211]

The Lyretail stay small but I’m not an Anthias expert, my friend had one in a 55g for about a year before breaking down the tank

I thought lyretails got big? What's the easiest one I can try like 2 feedings a day easy?

 

[SamsReef]

Blotchy is a hardy fish but is costly. Bartletts are pretty kewl and takes food easy too

 

[DSC reef]

Kept a lyretail anthia for 3+ years in a 75 but got a decent size and was a bit boisterous. Horrible pic but a pretty fish.

 

[Oshengems]

Kept a lyretail anthia for 3+ years in a 75 but got a decent size and was a bit boisterous. Horrible pic but a pretty fish.

They have a few Lyretails here too, that orange Is so nice as well the pictures don’t do them justice

Blotchy is a hardy fish but is costly. Bartletts are pretty kewl and takes food easy too

These too are so nice!!! Saw one in person and again in pictures is hard catching the true beauty and shine that makes them pop out definitely need one for my next build along with a fathead

 

[ca1ore]

I’ve had a few individuals make it to 5 years, but that seems to be their expiration date. It’s hard to maintain a stable group - regardless of the species. Partly feeding, and partly aggression.