Amethyst Anthias

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Western and Central Pacific: from the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands to New Caledonia, Tuamotu, and the Society Islands. Inhabits deep outer reefs, generally at depths of 5 to 60 meters, in large aggregations above corals.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Belongs to the family Serranidae, subfamily Anthiadinae. Slender and taller body compared to other anthias, lyre-shaped caudal fin with very long tips in males. Reaches 20 cm.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and frantic swimmer. Lives in large schools with a harem structure led by a dominant male. Protogynous hermaphrodite.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Body is uniform brilliant amethyst-purple. Males feature red tail tips, a red snout, and more pronounced yellow or red spots on the flanks, while females are uniform light violet.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 500 liters due to its large size. Strong water movement and excellent oxygenation. Provide rocks for hiding. A secure lid is mandatory.

Diet and Feeding: Planctivorous carnivore. Feed 3-4 times daily with high-quality frozen foods (mysis, brine shrimp, lobster eggs, copepods). Difficult to train on dry foods.

Water Quality: Stable, clean parameters. Temperature 22-27°C, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity SG 1.020-1.026. GH 15-25. Oversized protein skimmer is recommended.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: 100% reef safe. Suitable for large reef aquariums. Keep in groups consisting of one male and 3-4 females. Not compatible with aggressive predators.

Aquarium Breeding: Very complex in aquaria. No successful captive breeding recorded due to the pelagic larval phase.

Risks and Diseases: Highly sensitive to prolonged fasting. Prone to oodinium and marine ich if poorly acclimated or stressed.