For many people, Anthias are synonymous with the tropical reef, but for aquarists, they are often synonymous with “hard-to-keep.” The anthias species discussed here are no exception. These are some of the rarest, most beautiful and difficult to keep anthias in the hobby. They are expert-only fishes, but with the proper skills, equipment and some luck, these fishes can be fantastic specimens for a reef tank.
Because Anthias species are hermaphroditic and sexually dimorphic (they change sexes and the sexes have different coloration), there is often a price difference between males and females. Males are usually more desirable and more expensive. It is best to keep these fishes in shoals of one male and eight to ten females in large, mature reef tanks. They should be provided with zooplankton food (e.g. mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, etc.) and floating herbivorous foods. Feed in small amounts at least three to four times per day.
