Anthias and feeding

[kenpau]

I've just picked up 6 Dispar Anthias from my LFS and am wondering what current Anthias owners do about feeding?
My tank has been fallow for 10 weeks after an ich outbreak and I've just added my sole surviving clownfish back after quarantining and treating. Because I have had no fish in there my pod population has exploded, awesome for my new Anthias when they go in after quarantine.
However I'm wondering how I can maintain this level of pods in my system after adding the fish so that they hopefully have a constant supply of food during the day?
You can see from my sump that I have the middle chamber empty, I have just redone my rockwork and filled that section with live rock:-

https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7367/16595564995_521d3dddb4_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rhuBhX)Photo on 21-02-2015 at 7.28 am #2 (https://flic.kr/p/rhuBhX) by kenpau01 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/72958087@N05/), on Flickr

Can anyone let me know what else do I need to get this going?

[Bill Nye]

I feed my Bartlett anthias at least 3-4x per day. They get two cubes of frozen plus 1-2x pellet feedings. I don't think you can keep anthias, especially finickier ones, without multiple feedings per day.

I am not sure how much they will pick on pods since they are open water feeders. Mine don't ever look for food on the rocks that I've noticed.

[kenpau]

Ah ok, thanks Bill. I might have to get an auto feeder. If I feed once in the morning and twice at night then hopefully that will be ok.

[d-man]

I have a mix of anthias. I have 4 carberryi, 1 paravirustis, 1 borbonius. I feed 2x a day sometimes 3. I also have 35ish other fish in there. So mine aren't getting any pods at all. Especially since majority of my fish are wrasses

[ca1ore]

I have a mix of anthias. I have 4 carberryi, 1 paravirustis, 1 borbonius. I feed 2x a day sometimes 3. I also have 35ish other fish in there. So mine aren't getting any pods at all. Especially since majority of my fish are wrasses

Similar experiences. Don't think you can really 'rely' on pods as a sustainable, adequate food source unless you have a HUGE refugium. Fortunately most fish will accept frozen with a bit of coaxing. Mandarins about the only exception.

FWIW, Bartletts are the hands-down easiest anthias to get eating, and will almost always take pellets. Other species may, but many will not. Makes relying on an auto feeder problematic for these fishes. In my tank I have three Bartletts that all eat pellets, five Bimaculatus of which two will eat pellets (the males), six resplendents, three evansi, and two princess none of whom will even give a pellet a second look.

[o2manyfish]

I have been keeping Dispar using a 'Super Feeder' automatic feeder. You can mix pellets, flakes, powder foods in the bin and feed fish and corals at the same time. Mine feeds 4 times a day and has been keeping the Anthias happy. I have about 14, 1 Carberryi and 2 Borbonius.

The Borbonius don't need the as frequent feedings.

Dave B

[joesfiddy]

I feed my 5 dispars 2x a day pellets, flakes, brine

[kenpau]

I have been keeping Dispar using a 'Super Feeder' automatic feeder. You can mix pellets, flakes, powder foods in the bin and feed fish and corals at the same time. Mine feeds 4 times a day and has been keeping the Anthias happy. I have about 14, 1 Carberryi and 2 Borbonius.

The Borbonius don't need the as frequent feedings.

Dave B

On that note of having a few Dave. I have 5 in quarantine at the moment, 1 didn't make it through the night. Can I add more anthias to an existing group if I wanted to add another 5 for example? What happens if there is another male in the new group I add?

[kmbyrnes]

My 2 lyre tails are pigs. I have fed as infrequently as once a day and as many as 6. It makes no difference, they will always eat.
They constantly give me a 'feed me' look even though I feed 2,3,4x daily of flakes, frozen and fresh shrimp/scallops.

[nuxx]

We have:
(5) Lyretails
(5) Huchtii

Feed meaty foods 2x a day. 10am and 7pm. Mix of Mysis, Brine, rods (Original, Predator, Fish Only, Coral), Spectrum Pellets, Forumula Flakes.

Not a lot of food, just nice variation.

Had them for a long time, all seem fine.

Also feed nori (Tangs, Triggers, Cleaner Wrasse) around 1pm.

[mikid]

Im only home after 5pm....I feed ny fish from 530pm to 11pm...My Lyretails are doing just fine.....

[DaveRaz]

feed 3 lyretails 4 times per day in 3 small portions via eheim auto feeder and one large cube for nine fish per night. weekends the tank gets fed a few treats.

[kenpau]

Ok thats all great info thanks. I'm mixing pellets in with their food in quarantine at the moment and am going to buy an Apex AFS to auto feed pellets during the day with me adding frozen food at night. Hopefully that will keep them going nicely.
Has anyone added more anthias to an existing group? I'm just wondering what happens if two males are in the same tank?

[ca1ore]

Has anyone added more anthias to an existing group? I'm just wondering what happens if two males are in the same tank?

Are you asking about dispar's specifically? I think the general wisdom is to add females and then let them 'decide'. In some species it's hard to know for sure whether they're females or transitioning males (resplendents, for example). Certainly with some of the bigger species like bimacs, squares or lyretails, the males are unmistakable and adding one to a tank with an already established male is a bad idea.

[kenpau]

Are you asking about dispar's specifically? I think the general wisdom is to add females and then let them 'decide'. In some species it's hard to know for sure whether they're females or transitioning males (resplendents, for example). Certainly with some of the bigger species like bimacs, squares or lyretails, the males are unmistakable and adding one to a tank with an already established male is a bad idea.

Thanks Simon, I am talking specifically about dispars, I'll make sure that I add purely females in my next batch then!

[nuxx]

Thanks Simon, I am talking specifically about dispars, I'll make sure that I add purely females in my next batch then!

Ended up with 3 of my 5 Huchtii Anthias going male...

No real aggression issues. I see more Lyretail vs Huchtii aggression than male vs male aggression.

I'm cool with the 3 male Huchtii Anthias though... they are great looking fish, streamers and all!

[uptcreek]

My Bartlett's trio has been in my display tank for over a month growing, chasing and eating everything I put in front of them (Frozen, pellet and flake).

Last night I gave them a treat that they really enjoy...Doc Ecos Super Eggs.
Within 30 seconds (LITERALLY), they were DEAD on the bottom. I got the "sample" bottle at Reef-a-Palooza in Orlando last April and have kept in the fridge. There's no expiration on the container and their website alludes to indefinite shelf life.

Has anybody else witnessed this horror? Could that have been the cause?

(My Hippo Tang, a voracious piggy eater, also showed signs of distress, but has fully recovered.)