replacing my evansi anthias. I want easier anthias..suggestions?

[hotelbravo]

Like the title said I am taking my anthias back to the lfs they are high maintenance. It took two weeks and tons of different foods to buy before I got them eating. Now that ive found what they eat im having to feed multiple times per day to keep them happy all this extra feeding is causing my tank to get real dirty and im experiencing my first real algae bloom. I want to get another set of anthias that are pretty easy and active. Preferably ones with pink as requested from my wife but I would like a species that the male and female have different colors.
Anyone have suggestions??

[ca1ore]

All anthias are going to require multiple daily feedings.

[M Woodhill]

all this extra feeding is causing my tank to get real dirty and im experiencing my first real algae bloom

All anthias are going to require multiple daily feedings.

agreed. they need to be fed few times a day or they either die or jump

[64Ivy]

For the record, I kept Bartlett's Anthias for years on only two feedings a day. They certainly come with other issues (that old propensity to all turn male and kill each other thing) but starving wasn't one of them.

[eatbreakfast]

All anthias are going to require multiple daily feedings.

Agreed with this. Plus now you have won half the battle with evansi anthias. Have you considered keeping the frequency of feeding, but cutting the quantity of food in half?

[hotelbravo]

No I havent considered that but due to my work schedule I leave before the lights come on and I get home right before the lights turn off so I have a window to feed in. My wife doesnt help with this kind of stuff she will let them starve before she makes an effort to help

[eatbreakfast]

No I havent considered that but due to my work schedule I leave before the lights come on and I get home right before the lights turn off so I have a window to feed in. My wife doesnt help with this kind of stuff she will let them starve before she makes an effort to help

My wife is the same way. Have you considered starting and ending the light cycle a few hrs later? It doesnt matter to the livestock whether the lightcycle mirrors our normal daylight hours, that way you can be home to feed, but also see your tank.

[ksicard]

I'm going to have to agree that any anthias will require multiple feedings. I personally have my lights run from noon to midnight, so that way when I get home around 7-8pm I have time to feed multiple times. On my off days I'll feed the tank 3-5 times a day. The key is multiple SMALL feedings. But to stay on track with your original post I would recommend Lyretail (Squampinnias) Anthias. I have a 75g tank as well and I love my squampinnias trio. The male's turn red with yellow poke a dots on their fins and the females stay bright orange. They are colorful, get to a decent size, and are one of the easier anthias to keep. If you aren't willing to feed multiple times I would also recommend a nice group of cardinals. If you check on live aquaria you can see there is quite a few different species of cardinals some being pretty colorful as well.

[CHSUB]

ime, bicolor anthias are very hardy and i only fed once a day. however, mine were very aggressive!!!

[afhtan]

Can you feed them using an auto feeder?

The eheim feeder is relatively cheap and has been working well with flake food for my tank for 4 years.

I am looking to get anthias for my next tank and was hoping to feed them pellets from the auto feeder and frozen food a few times a week manually.

[ca1ore]

Trouble with anthias is more often than not they won't take pellets; of if they do, it takes a long time to get them interested. My Bartletts took pellets right away, but it took over six months before my bimacs would take them .... and still not all of them.

[sabo]

My dispars eat everything that goes in the tank. Ate pellets pretty much as soon as they went into quarantine.

[anbosu]

For the record, I kept Bartlett's Anthias for years on only two feedings a day. They certainly come with other issues (that old propensity to all turn male and kill each other thing) but starving wasn't one of them.

They do that even in a big tank?

[hotelbravo]

Can you feed them using an auto feeder?

The eheim feeder is relatively cheap and has been working well with flake food for my tank for 4 years.

I am looking to get anthias for my next tank and was hoping to feed them pellets from the auto feeder and frozen food a few times a week manually.

I do have an automatic feeder that feeds pellets but I was assuming that the anthias needed meaty foods since ive had such a hard time with the evansi. However if the lyretail anthias will eat pellets then that could supplement their first feeding and when I get home I can feed them my frozen blend. I like the lyretails.
Anyone know if pellets will be fine for the first meal for lyretails?

[M Woodhill]

I do have an automatic feeder that feeds pellets but I was assuming that the anthias needed meaty foods since ive had such a hard time with the evansi. However if the lyretail anthias will eat pellets then that could supplement their first feeding and when I get home I can feed them my frozen blend. I like the lyretails.
Anyone know if pellets will be fine for the first meal for lyretails?

i had few species of anthias and pretty sure lyretails will take pellets and flakes quite fast

just had my evansi so still on the way to see how they will eat. 3 outa 5 now eat cyclopeeze like a pig the rest 2 still very alert

[64Ivy]

They do that even in a big tank?

'Fraid so. Apparently, the only advantage a big tank gives them is room to reach top speed before crashing into your favorite coral.

[anbosu]

'Fraid so. Apparently, the only advantage a big tank gives them is room to reach top speed before crashing into your favorite coral.


Well that stinks I was hoping to have a group of them at some point even if they all ended up being males. If they kill each other not much point.

[ca1ore]

If you have a big enough tank, larger anthias like a square or bimac will keep the Bartlett's in line :)

[Triggerfish]

cant imagine anything easier than dispars..
eat everything except not too crazy about pellets.

[Conesus_Kid]

I've had success with Lyretails and NLS pellets. When I first got them, I did multiple feedings of freeze-dried Cyclop-eez, then worked the small-sized NLS pellets into the mix. They were on an autofeeder 2x per day.