Green Chromis vs Anthias

[coachd]

I know that Green Chromis is suppose to be an easier fish and an anthias is suppose to be harder to keep. Besides that they need to be feed 3 or 4 times a day, what else make an anthias a harder fish to keep? I am trying to decide which to have as a schooling fish in my 165. I would like to have 3 to 5 of which ever type that I decide to go with. I like the look of the lyretail anthias.
Thanks for your help

 

[cougar]

3-5 anthias as long as one male the rest female, but you will need more chromis, they don't do well in groups less than 6. And my lyretail anthia doesn't get fed but 2-3 times a day and he is doing great, I love the lyretail.

 

[sebae09]

anthias are a much prettyer fish so i would pick them but anthias are kinda hard to keep but if you buy them from this site you will have a much better chance of keeping them alive

 

[xdave]

Anthias are just a little pickier about stable water conditions than Chromis, considering your tank size they shouldn't be that hard to care for. I had some and they did great. I did feed mine 3 times a day; before I went to work, when I got home, and an hour or so before lights out.

 

[dogstar]

You could have both...
The problem with Anthias is not keeping them long once healthy but getting them Acclimated to your system and eating. Most are shy and timid when first aquired and a long adjustment times are often needed....best to reduce lights for a week or so and use live foods to excite them into eating and later to getting used to eating other types of foods.....
Some species of anthias gennerally are much harder to acclimate than others and should reseach the ones your thinking of befor getting them.
Once the fish are well adjusted and eating and healthy then the feeding can slowly be reduced to once a day or less.
Anthias are peacefull with most tankmates but can fight among them selfs if they decide to chalange for dominance and turn male, often resulting in death.

 

[coachd]

So, Dogstar, it is important to get 1 male and the rest females, to eliminate fighting for dominance. I have read this in some sites, but I also have read that the largest female turned male and I fiqured that this would happen without much fighting (biggest one wins

). Anyway, thanks for the input.

 

[dogstar]

IMO, yes, get a male w/ females
Still possible for a FM to change w/ a male present. So theres no way to eliminate the possibility, even FMs might fight among themselves.....
Still, they are nice fish to have and worth the Gamble if its what you want in your tank.....everythings a gamble in this hobby, you just have to try and reduce the odds of failure the best one can.....with research, proper this and that, ect.

 

[xdave]

I like to get all small females and let nature pick the male. I think it works better that way. I have no idea why I think that, but I do. :notsure: :thinking:

 

[dogstar]

Well, thats certainly one way to try, however I would not risk it like that. Anthias dont fight in a typical tail slaping or fin nipping way....
In a challange, they bite/lock on to each others mouths and pull and jerk. Often resulting in tearing off the jaw or flesh to a piont were they can not eat and sometimes both are injured to a point were both will die......

 

[xdave]

Are you suggesting that a group of females will fight to determine which one will turn male? Of all the studies I've read this is never mentioned. In fact no specigfic characteristics of which fish will turn, such as dominance, aggressivenes, relative size, or even vividness of coloration were ever mentioned. They only say that a certain percentage will begin to change within 2 days. This is not the case with clownfish where the factors that determine which fish will change are always mentioned.

 

[dogstar]

Originally Posted by xDave
Are you suggesting that a group of females will fight to determine which one will turn male? Of all the studies I've read this is never mentioned. In fact no specigfic characteristics of which fish will turn, such as dominance, aggressivenes, relative size, or even vividness of coloration were ever mentioned. They only say that a certain percentage will begin to change within 2 days. This is not the case with clownfish where the factors that determine which fish will change are always mentioned.
No. Im not disagreeing with any thing thats been said.....I dont know why FMs fight...I just know they can/might....I have seen mine do it...I dont know what conditions cause the changes either...
Im not sure what " 2 days " is your refering too. FMs can change at any time as far as my experiances go with keeping them...although conditions would have to cause this and I cant say what the conditions would be other than a lack of males in a school would most likely be one....

 

[xdave]

Within 2 days of a lack of the proper % of males being present, the first female will begin to change.

 

[coachd]

Is it just me or does it seem that the more you learn about this hobby it seems like nothing is compatible. I never would have thought that schooling fish would fight with each other. I thought that was why you put them together because they do well in groups.

 

[dogstar]

Coach, my intent is not to talk you out of getting some. As I said earlier. worth a shot...
Just remember we are takeing " wild " life from a natural setting and putting them in an un-natural setting and expecting them to act in a natural way .........maybe they will, maybe they want.

 

[xdave]

Since nothing is definate we don't give definate answers. If we said sure that will work and it doesn't, we've done you a disservice. I will say that in that size tank 1 male and 2-4 female Lyertails, 85% probabilty it will be fine.

 

[coachd]

I do apperciate your information and advice. I am not upset about you giving me advice. This is why I am wanting to know so that I can make a good decision. It just never seem to work out where you can keep all of the fish that you like together.

 

[coachd]

One more question.
Would 3 anthias look much like a school ?

 

[dogstar]

what species ???

 

[coachd]

The lyretail's or possible squareback

 

[dogstar]

Lyretails, yes. Squarespots, no. IMO they need a larger tank than yours to keep a small school. One would be OK. But not as hardy as Lyretails.