Anthias

[kkiel02]

After searching around I have found multiple anthias can be successfully kept together and I believe Mike and Kristy are doing it now so I was wondering if there are any I should stray away from? Kind of like the Sohal tang, Its pretty and all until you find all your other tangs beaten up. Im thinking dispar harem, lyretail harem and two sunburst anthias?

[Europhyllia]

From what I've been reading before I got my anthias the lyretail and sunbursts would be considered more aggressive anthias while the dispars (according to a lot of websites) would be considered much more docile.
I have no experience with this but am wondering if perhaps mixing groups of anthias with similar personality would work out better so that the more docile ones don't get beaten up?
Bartlett's of course are the most beautiful anthias of all and are sort of in the middle as far as assertiveness goes. They also tend to be very hardy.
Maybe: bartlett's, lyretail and sunburst?
Keep in mind that the sunburst aren't the same kind as the lyretails and bartlett's (pseudoanthias) anyway.
Don't forget to dig up Kristy's article in the March newsletter. :)

[Kristy]

You should probably be able get away with that combination if you put them in at the same time, before your more aggressive fish, and in such a huge volume of water as you are proposing. The dispar and lyretail should be no problem, it's the sunburst that is more of a wild card, but pretty low risk given the size tank you are talking about.

I'd stay away from pink square unless that is all you do, and even then don't get very many. The other one that doesn't play well with others is the blotched anthias.

[hobogato]

even tho he is not on the board much, scuba_steveo would be the person to ask about his experience with anthias. he used to have many of them in a past tank and was very successful with them. you might drop him a pm to get his opinion.

[Europhyllia]

I wish that scuba would get back on the board. Wasn't he also the expert on giant clams?

[hobogato]

yep. he had one of the nicest tanks around for a long time...

[kkiel02]

Bartletts also caught my eye... Im thinking of adding either the dispar/bartletts(whichever I end up with), then the larger lyretails and sunburst. Ill pm scuba steveo and see what he says. Does he still have his tank?

[hobogato]

he has re-entered the hobby after a break, so he does have a tank. i dont know if he went with anthias in this one.

[DrMark]

I have a group of lyetails and a group of blotched anthias in the same 220 gal tank without any troubles.

[Mike]

We saw DrMark's tank during the Corpus tank tours. I really liked his blotched anthias and was strongly considering them for the FOWLR. If only they were not so pricey.

[kkiel02]

Ok I was having trouble typing on my phone this weekend but now that Im back here we go: I am going to try the bartletts and let them settle in before adding the lyretails. I will add the sunburst last but really doubt there will be conflict as they are a different species. Hopefully all goes well. Oh and yes I loved the blotched anthias you have Dr. Mark, I came home and researched them right after we got back.

[Europhyllia]

Just wanted to say how wonderful the Bartlett's Anthias are. I added a couple more. Was supposed to be all females but one of them is suspiciously bright pink/fuschia. I was worried, even ordered a replacement figuring my old male would nix the newbie. Instead they all get along after the initial figuring out ranks. The lone newbie that was added a week later now is part of the harem too. Obviously adding a single anthias to an existing group or adding a second male is not perfect but impressive non the less that they could make it work.
They all eat well right away. Nobody is killing the other ones. Nobody is hiding and starving. Bartlett's are the best! :)