Sunset Anthias

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western Indo-Pacific: distributed from the Ryukyu Islands north, to the Philippines, Palau, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. Inhabits deep outer reef slopes and drop-offs at depths of 20 to 70 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the family Serranidae. Slender laterally compressed body, short snout, and slightly forked caudal fin with short tips. Grows up to 7.5 cm SL.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and shy, lives in small loose harems near caves. Protogynous hermaphrodite; females change gender to replace the dominant male.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Body is beautifully shaded from pink to orange-yellow on the back, mimicking sunset colors. Males have more developed pelvic and dorsal fins with bright red-violet tones. Marked dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 250 liters with plenty of live rock for shelter. Moderate lighting or shaded areas. A tight cover is mandatory. High jumping risk.

Diet and Feeding: Planctivorous carnivore. Feed 3 times daily with fine frozen foods (mysis, brine shrimp, copepods, and lobster eggs). Difficult to train on dry foods.

Water Quality: Pristine, stable parameters. Temperature 22-27°C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.026. GH 15-25. Strong water flow to stimulate swimming.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: 100% reef safe. Ideal for hard coral setups. Keep in small harems. Avoid aggressive tankmates.

Aquarium Breeding: Very complex and undocumented in captivity due to planktonic larval development.

Risks and Diseases: Sensitive to acclimation stress and skin parasites. Risk of starvation from food competition.