No one knows what these anthias are in my circle...

[Nanook]

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii206/Nanook01/DSCN3083.jpg

[Nanook]

I had four, one died right away....the rest have been with me for many months and are doing well....eating everything I feed. They are dark blue-purple...the male has a gold rectangular box on his upper back. The guy that sold them to me called them Rainbow Anthias and said he hadn't seen them for many years until this batch came in. I would like to add a few more to the group but can not find them anywhere.

[michael_cb_125]

They almost do not look like anthias to me.

~Michael

[Nanook]

Well, I am open to suggestions, but I am 95% sure they are anthias. They school like anthias and look like them.

[scchase]

They aren't Anthias I cant find the name right now but they are Damsels that mimic Anthias.

[hamiltonguy]

I'm no expert on anthias but don't almost all anthias have that streak running across their eyes?

[scchase]

Here we go they are fusilier damsels (Lepidozygus tapeinosoma) they mimic several different species of Anthias
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=5683

[Nanook]

Well, that solves why I couldn't find them in any list of anthias:D

Thanks!

[fender4string]

Just purely out of curiosity-why would damsels mimic anthias? Are they distatesful to predators or is it some other reason? I'm a nerd and wonder about these things :D.

[robot2222]

you need to go back to that fish store and get a credit..............

[Nanook]

Yeah, I need to get a credit:lol: They are cool and I like them a lot....I would still buy more if I could find them. They are always shoaling together.

[SDguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15744617#post15744617 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fender4string
Just purely out of curiosity-why would damsels mimic anthias? Are they distatesful to predators or is it some other reason? I'm a nerd and wonder about these things :D.

Safety in numbers?

[scchase]

The ones I want are the ones that mimic Bartletts

[IFbettas]

Those are pretty cool. I like the fish in this link too... Same shape different color.

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11_03/product_info.php?products_id=1633&parent_category=4&category_search=61&root_parent_id=4

[scchase]

LOL that one is actually and Anthias

[IFbettas]

I guess so... I assumed that they had the scientific name right, but when I looked it up it was a different fish. Stupid saltwaterfish.com.

[Matt_Wandell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15743085#post15743085 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by scchase
Here we go they are fusilier damsels (Lepidozygus tapeinosoma) they mimic several different species of Anthias
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/ThumbnailsSummary.php?ID=5683

Bingo...every time I've seen these guys they are darting around the tank like they're a monkey in jail. Never looked like a very good aquarium fish.

How do they behave? Any aggression between them?

[Nanook]

No aggression between them or interaction with the other fish. They do shoal as well. Nice additions.

[LisaD]

They sound like a very interesting and rare fish - I'd get them if I could. I'll admit, my first thought when I looked at your picture was those are some odd looking chromis. :)