Anthias General description

Also referred to as wreckfish, reef fish, seaperch, swallowtails and jewelfish, anthias are a large family of saltwater fish made up of over 200 different sub-species. They are characterized by their vibrant coloring and shoaling behavior and are regarded as one of the most beautiful and one of the most photographed species of fish in the world. Most peaceful species are quite delicate and require the care of an experienced aquarist.

Also referred to as wreckfish, reef fish, seaperch, swallowtails and jewelfish, anthias are a large family of saltwater fish made up of over 200 different sub-species.

Origins

These fish are native to the Mediterranean Sea and the Northeast Atlantic.

Color

Athias are one of the most vibrantly colored species of marine fish and come in shades of red, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green and yellow.

Maintenance and care

The funny thing about anthias is that they are generally extremely peaceful towards other species of fish and extremely aggressive towards their own kind. It is extremely important to research specific species of anthias before attempting to raise them because the more timid species can sometimes become stressed out by more active tank mates. In fact, it is not unheard of for these fish to die of stress caused by the swimming movements of non-aggressive but active tank mates. Although they are known to swim in large shoals in the wild, it is hard to replicate this behavior in the home aquarium. This is because of their extremely complex social hierarchy systems. In fact, there are reports of male anthias dying of stress and over-exertion from chasing subordinate members of a harem.

Feeding

Anthias feed primarily on zooplankton, baby brine shrimp and rotifers.

The funny thing about anthias is that they are generally extremely peaceful towards other species of fish and extremely aggressive towards their own kind.

Breeding

They are sometimes known to spawn when kept in extremely large aquariums. They are also born as protogynous hermaphrodites. When the dominant male of a group of anthias dies, the largest female of the group will often turn into a male to take its place. This can sometimes lead to extremely aggressive fighting amongst the dominant female and the smaller males in the aquarium.

Aquarium varieties

Barlett’s, Dispar, Lyretail, Sunset, Square, Yellow Spotted, etc.

Photo credit: Nathan Rupert/Flickr; Brian Gratwicke/ Flickr