Anthias
Anthias are a group of smaller marine aquarium fish that are found in almost all tropical oceans. They are usually some of the brighest colored fish in the sea and make very popular additions to the marine aquarium. They belong to the family Serranidae which contain mainly basslets and groupers. Within the basslet family, they are classified in a sub-family named Anthiinae.
There have been 7 discovered genus within this subfamily thus far. Anthias are primarily a shoaling species that can sometimes be found in the thousands across their natural habitats on the reef.
They are normally found inhabiting areas of very high flow, something that should be replicated in the home aquaria. Almost all anthias species feed on plankton throughout the day. This fact makes these beautiful fish somewhat tricky to keep in the aquarium.
Some fare very poorly in captivity and refuse prepared foods until they finally starve to death. Multiple feedings of small foods need to be offered everyday. Some good choices include cyclopeeze and grinded meaty seafoods. Feedings upwards of three times a day is recommended. If such a feeding schedule cannot be provided, it would be best to shop outside of the anthias family of fish.
They are found at depths anywhere from 20 feet all the way as deep as 200 feet. Deeper dwelling anthias usually command a very high price and are almost always snapped up when available. Two popular and pricey deep dwelling species are Pseudoanthias Ventralis and Pseudoanthias Privitera.
Also included in the Anthias family are some unique oddities such as the highfin perchlet. Commonly confused as a hawkfish, they hail from the genus PLectranthias. Like hawkfish, the highfin perchlet does not possess a swim bladder.
All anthias are sequential hermaphrodites. Large shoals are usually made up of a higher percentage of females than males. These fish require large aquariums to do well. If more than one specimen from a species is wanted, ensure there is only a single male present. Mixing males in captivity will almost always bring about aggression.
Overall, anthias are considered a somewhat reasonably priced fish outside of the rare deepwater varieties. Prices range anywhere from $20 to $40 per specimen depending on species. Very colorful, most enthusiasts attempt to replicate their shoaling behavior in captivity. However, only those with the largest marine aquariums are successful.
