Carberryi Anthias ~ Shy?

[Treg]

A week ago today I got a group of 6 Carberryi Anthias and these guys are Shy!

I dont know if I have ever had a fish this shy. Is this normal with them?

They are in QT with several pvc pieces and a couple pieces of Natures Image artificial coral.
90% of the day they hide behind the coral. If I get within 4' of the tank they all hide.
From the next room I can see 2-3 pop out for a few minutes through out the day but thats about it.
I'm feeding them 2-3 times a day, atleast 4-5 come out to eat. I'm not sure if its the same 4-5
or just 4-5 at a time because I have to observe from across the room.

No meds in the tank yet. Everyone looks good from what I can see. No spots and no scratching.

What do you guys think?

[jmaneyapanda]

When I had some they were a bit reserved at first, but then became typically hovering anthias. Give it some time.

[SDguy]

Mine are quite active, but they were large, and already acclimated thanks to Diver's Den. Give them some time....as long as they are eating, and you keep water quality high in the QT, you should be good.

I'd love to see pics of yours, when they get less shy :)

[Treg]

I would love to take pics but Im afraid I would need a zoom lens. :lol:
Will see what I can do.

They did come from Live Aquaria but California not Rhinelander.


The male is by far the biggest @ 3.5". Most females are 2". There is one that appears to be a sub male at 2.5".
No chasing or aggression from the large male to anyone but he is usually first to eat.

[Treg]

Well these arent awesome pictures or anything because I had to crop the hell out of them. Something to look at tho. :)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/texasholdemtreg/Reef%20Fish/IMG_0930.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/texasholdemtreg/Reef%20Fish/IMG_0947.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/texasholdemtreg/Reef%20Fish/IMG_0942.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b239/texasholdemtreg/Reef%20Fish/IMG_0928.jpg

[jer77]

I've been considering getting a group of anthias from DFS and was looking at the carberryi. Just wondering, why did you decide on them?

[Treg]

Well, I'm basically restocking my tank. I want atleast a couple big groups of anthias, It was tough to decide but these just happend to be the first ones I got.



They are just something a little different. I have never seen them in a LFS before. They are pretty imo and seem to be well behaved. Not impossible to keep...

I've already kept Lyretails, males can be a PITB. I do love the Maldives males tho.


What I would really like are some Ventralis.

My next order will either be for 6 more of these, Resplendents or Bimacs.
Havnt decided yet.

[SDguy]

Ahhh, very interesting pics! I'm still trying to figure out if there are color variations depending on location of collection. Fishbase seems to confirm this idea:

The ones I have are like the larger one in your pics.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/CarberryiAnthias_1.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/1_1-8.jpg

And from fishbase, male listed as coming from Seychelles:
http://www.fishbase.se/images/species/Necar_m1.jpg

While listed as male from the Maldives:
http://www.fishbase.se/images/species/Necar_u6.jpg

http://www.fishbase.se/images/species/Necar_m0.jpg

[MrTuskfish]

I've always kept quite a few anthias and I think my Carberryis may have taken the longest to really start acting like anthias; but they do. I love them. A little cyclop-eeze in the water column goes a long way in getting shy fish out into the open. As they need to be fed several times a day anyhow, I'd start feeding them as far from their normal hiding spots as possible. BTW, how are they eating?

[Treg]

SDguy,

I was under the impression that these were males...

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p5/SDreefguy/CarberryiAnthias_1.jpg


and that these are females.

http://www.fishbase.se/images/species/Necar_m0.jpg


Is this not the case?



MrTuskfish,
For the most part they are eating pretty well. It took them about 2-3 days to start eating but since then, fine. Just like I said tho, Im not sure if they are ALL eating. Only a few come out at a time. I can tell the difference between a few of them but a few look identical.

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14662030#post14662030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Treg
SDguy,

I was under the impression that these were males...


and that these are females.


Is this not the case?


Doesn't look like it. Check out the fishbase entry for carberryi.

[jer77]

It does appear from comparing everyone's pics to fishbase that they are from different locals. I'm interested now because I'm considering getting a few of these for my tank from DFS. DFS says they are collected in the Maldives. So I'm wondering if there is a difference in appearance between males and females in each type that can be seen. This would show that the difference in appearance isn't just from males and females. Does that make sense?

[Treg]

Hey Guys, I have a QT question for you.

These Carberries are still very reserved. Hiding almost all day.
Only a few come out and eat to what I would consider well.
I found the large one (in pics 3 and 4 that I posted) dead tonight. He was alive today when I fed them at 4pm but dead when I fed them again at 9pm.

Not a mark on him. Not a tathered fin not a single spot on him.

I'm considering adding them to the display soon. Tonight is only 11 days in QT.
They look clean to me. I do not see any visible spots and have not seen a single fish scratch.


I have not done any medication. My experience here is pretty low. I only medicate if I feel there is a need to. I could do a few days of prazipro or formaline...


What do you guys think? I would like to get them into the display asap.

[Chibils]

Live brine loaded with prazipro will go a long way. Anthia are notorious for flukes.

[Big E]

I'd leave them in QT. Why not try taking out some of those hiding spots you have in the QT.

I never use anything except the sponge filter in my QT & the fish lose their shyness quicker that way.