Sunburst Anthias

[Schumacher]

I got a Sunburst Anthias last Saterday I acclimated him for about 45 minutes and as soon as I let him do he swam behind the the wall of rocks in my tank it's been about three days now and all he does is lodge himself between rocks back there. I havnt got him to eat and the only other fish I have in the tank is a Fourline Wrasse. The tank I have him in is a 30 gallon with great water params. He hasnt lost any color over the last few days what shoul I do? Are these fish shy at first?

[MiddletonMark]

Extremely shy, and getting one that feeds isn't always easy.

I've only had one - but kept down in QT for an extended period [6 or 7 weeks] as it was so shy. Took a few weeks before it would eat with me in the room [had to hide behind shelves and wait for first week or so]. Never would come out until a few weeks into QT - which was a tank stocked with a good amount of LR and no other livestock, in my basement in a quiet corner.

I dunno if you can house it by itself for a while, but I would if you could. Unsure if the wrasse would bully it - these are scaredy-fish IME and even my blenny hassles my Sunburst.

Good luck with it. I'd feed and leave the room/move far from tank and try to keep the tank as mellow as possible for the next months. These aren't easy fish - but you can have them swimming out regularly, healthy and nicely colored a year + later.

Good luck.

[Schumacher]

Thanks I got a Shy one too. Maby I'll get lucky and he will come out later.

[njfish77]

I got mine and for the first week i never saw him so i thought he was dead. One day i fed and he ate, since then he comes out now sometimes when im in the room and all the time when im not.

[Schumacher]

TY I hope it turns out like that for me!

[MiddletonMark]

Gear the tank around it, give it lots of overhangs and very mellow tankmates [best recommendation I've seen was the Marine Center, which suggests nothing more aggressive than a fairy wrasse] .... and lots of a wide variety of food, IMO.

Here's mine approaching 1 year [now about 15 months in-tank]
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/530/28196sunburst-sweet.jpg

Having a tank that was low-stocked, without any aggressive [in the least] fish is where I attribute a lot of my success.

[cateyes]

now ^^^^THAT^^^^ is a beautiful fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MiddletonMark]

Sure beats a Tang in my 58, for many reasons :D

[akbuuur]

how much do those usually cost?

[Schumacher]

Any where from 40-100$ mine was 36$.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c173/booooooooooooooom/DSC00349.jpg

[john37]

schumacher, are you sure that's a sunburst?

[Schumacher]

Positive he has all the markings of one and body shape and tail. It's hard to tell with actinics only. I read in a article reasently that you should not buy cheaper ones because they could have been poorly taken care of.

[MiddletonMark]

The coralline on the glass makes it look like he has a spot in the photo ... but I see the lighter `lines' on the lower face.

I wish you the best of luck with him. Would suggest feeding daily, if not small portions multiple times. I've ended up feeding more often - though the same amount and feel like my fish have benefitted from that. IMO probably more natural for them ... and figuring I snack a lot, figure it's only right to share :)

[Kinetic]

the eye and face definately look sunburst like, but the upper body looks kinda like it has stripes. Reminds me of one of those Geo Pygmy Hawkfish

[SumpDiver]

Guys, Noob here with some Anthias questions.

I am totally fascinated by these dazzling fish. I really love the male Lyretail. Liveaquaria has both the male and female on sale for $19.00 each, (small) a very good price in my opinion.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=54
I'd like to put the pair in my 47 gal cube. The tank is tall but not too much floor space, only 2'X3' I have 30 pounds of Marshal Island live rock stacked on top of about 10 pounds of base rock that is starting to get some coralline growth, with lots of little caves and holes for hiding, 20 pounds of aragonite live sand, a Midas Blenny, Coral Beauty and a very small Yellow Striped Maroon clown which is the smalles fish in the tank, one Peppermint Shrimp and some hermits and snails, maybe half a dozen Aiptasia a few Mushrooms that hitchhiked in on the rock. The rock was well cured and cycled with a lot of Coralline when I bought it for ten bucks a pound. All water prams are perfect. CPR BakPak skimmer with one big powerhead.

These three fish were added at the same time two weeks ago and are getting along very well, all sleeping in the same cave in the LR all in one corner of the tank. All three are eating like little pigs three feedings a day of frozen M. Shrimp mixed with good quality flake.

Do you guys think adding these two Anthias will pose a problem? I think I want to order the small pair, but maybe I should get bigger ones since the other three fish have already established territory. Or perhaps just getting the male alone would be best.

Any advice much appreciated.
SD

[Kinetic]

wow, there is no way you can keep more than 2 anthias ALONE in a 47g tank. With those fish, you may be able to put one anthia.

IF you didn't have a coral beauty, or a maroon clown, 2 anthias maybe.

but they are hard to feed, since they eat constantly, and will create quite a bioload. They also need plenty of area to swim. I'd say don't do it. Get one if you really want.

[SumpDiver]

Kinetic:

Thanks for the quick reply. You're probably right, the more I read the more I think not. Do you think one small male lyretail would work with this bunch? Or would a larger single male do better. Or better yet, perhaps a Scott's Fairy Wrasse (Cook Island) for my center peice fish.

[MiddletonMark]

Sumpdiver - IMO, with the Midas and the Beauty - there's a good bit of aggression in a tank that is small for a very swimmy fish.

Sunburst can swim quite well - but IMO nowhere near most other Anthias species. Also - most do best in groups - so a solitary anthias in a small tank [for most variety] I would avoid - really only a Sunburst with the most mellow compatriots and 3' of swimming space is as cramped as I prefer.

IMO, a Scotts or large fairy wrasse I'd skip as well in a smaller tank. Given their constant swimming ability, little more than a second from end to end ... IMO just a bit small.

[SumpDiver]

MiddletonMark: Thanks for your reply: I'm sure you guys are right. However, I figured it would be more the Maroon that would be the problem. The Beauty and Blenny seem so laid back, but it is early, that may all change. I have bigger tanks in storage, perhaps its best I wait for these fast swimmers. Any recommendations on any tankmates for my little threesome, or is three abut the limit for 47 Gal tall?

[Kinetic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7345059#post7345059 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SumpDiver
MiddletonMark: Thanks for your reply: I'm sure you guys are right. However, I figured it would be more the Maroon that would be the problem. The Beauty and Blenny seem so laid back, but it is early, that may all change. I have bigger tanks in storage, perhaps its best I wait for these fast swimmers. Any recommendations on any tankmates for my little threesome, or is three abut the limit for 47 Gal tall?

The sunburst can also get to 5", that's way too big. I don't think it'd be smart to put an anthia in your tank. There are plenty of others, though I'd say your tank is pretty stocked now and you shouldn't add anything else, and if you do not for a couple months to help the biological filters build up.

It's usually safest to introduce one fish at a time because the biological filtration, meaning the detrivores and bacteria, have to grow and if they can't handle the new bioload you'll have water param problems.

I'd recommend keeping your fish stock as is =)

[john37]

i've never seen a sunburst even close to 5" maybe in the wild....but definitly not in your tank. you're lucky if it's 3.5"

[MiddletonMark]

I'd agree.

Also echo the above fact. Plus - IME finding a healthy one that's eating in captivity takes time. I waited until a LFS had one for around 2 months before considering buying one that was doing well. Took a while for that to happen - so often folks buy them all up in the first week ... and I'd rather let them take chances.

Nevermind - a healthy fish can live a decade or more. IMO, like with coral - if you're in this hobby for the long-term, wait to get `dream' livestock for when everything is set up for it. Heck, the next one you see after passing one by might be nicer colored, less shy, eat better .... `better' overall.

I figured I could avoid taking chances, get a healthy one ... and given I've got a couple good homes - hopefully have this one fish for 10+ years. In that case - IMO waiting for the larger tank, for a healthy one - easily worth it.

Just my opinion.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I originally put 4 of them in my well stockd 400 g tank. They at first would school under some rocks hiding. I lost all but one of them. Since then, he has started to come out more and now is not even afraid to be out in the open when my 13" long Vlamingi tang or 11" long Naso tang cruise by him. I have a lot of large fish in that tank and he has become accostomed to them and is doing well.

Earlier this week, I picked up three of them for my 72 G bowfront. They are bigger than the ones I got for the 400. They were eating in the store tank and one of them had been there for over a week. When I placed them in my tank, of course they all went and hid. By the next day, they were out schooling right in front of the rocks on one end. I tried feeding but they didn't eat. They are however not hiding anymore. maybe today when I fed they will eat. I start them on either live brine or frozen enhanced brine. The one in my 400 I now have eating small pellet food.

They are a beautiful fish but can be hard to keep. As with any fish, a enviroment that they are comfortable in will get them to be less shy and come out more often.

They can be expensive depending on where you get them. I got my first batch from a wholesaler, 10 bucks a peice. My last batch I got from a LFS, 40 bucks a peice.