Sunburst Anthias

[snoop]

I got a Sunburst Anthias last Saterday I acclimated him for about 45 minutes and as soon as I let him do he swam behind the the wall of rocks in my tank it's been about three days now and all he does is lodge himself between rocks back there. I havnt got him to eat and the only other fish I have in the tank is a Fourline Wrasse. The tank I have him in is a 30 gallon with great water params. He hasnt lost any color over the last few days what shoul I do? Are these fish shy at first?

[Texreefer]

i don't have much experience with this fish but everything i have read says they are best suited in groups of 3 or more as they are a shoaling fish. large aqaurium well established aquarium recomended, as they also need lots of live food to stay healthy.

[Richard]

What have you tried feeding it? I usually start anthias off with really small food like cyclopeeze, baby brine, daphnia. Then once they settle in they go for the regular stuff.

[thedude]

Sunburst are also a relatively deepwater fish that doesn't do well in high light.

[snoop]

Thats probally the problem Ive got a 250watt halide on my 30gallon.

[Viet-Tin]

I had the same problem with my dispar anthias. I bought 3 and only one actually came out to eat and the other 2 ended up dying about a week later. The last one seems to be doing good eating and out so im going to put him in the dt soon. They all did come out when I had actinics but only one ate.

[GaryP]

I'm by no means an expert on anthais, but I do know that few of them are recommended for a tank that is less then 125 gal.

[snoop]

This is one type than can do ok in smaller tanks because it's not as big of a swimmer.

[z28pwr]

ScubaSteve seems to do well with Anthias, you may want to shoot him a PM for his advice, but he does have a 200+ gallon tank.

[snoop]

thanks

[scuba_steveo]

I have many different types of anthias as they are some of my favorite fish. I have never tried a sunbrust b/c like thedude said, they do not like high light. He is probably doing just fine so I do not believe you need to worry about it's health. Watch and see if it comes out at night. If you want to try others I highly recommend the bartlets, lyretail, and the hawaiian bicolor. I have several of each. Get at least 3 of each.
Also, If you can afford it the Bimaculatus Anthias is awesome!!!

[snoop]

Anthias are my favorite fish too the only reason I tried a sunburst was because it was the only one that Ive known to do well in smaller tanks. Would any of those fish you suggested do well in a 30gallon?

[snoop]

coraline over the pic http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/booooooooooooooom/DSC00349.jpg

[snoop]

bump

[snoop]

Bump on earlier Question.

[PeeperKeeper]

I was looking at anthias the other day and what steered me away was that the LFS guy said they need to be fed more than once a day. Since my tank is at the office, there is no one there to feed on Sundays nor some Saturdays so I decided against them. If he's really gone 3 days without eating, that would be my biggest concern. Have you tried different foods, or some cyclopeze as was suggested above?

[blueboy]

i looked into this fish about a year ago, and decided against it for the same reasons mentioned by others but, as i recall, i also remember reading that this species is not a schooling fish like most anthias, but prefers to live solitarily in deep water and caves. have you tried feeding after lights out?

[snoop]

yup