Bartlett's Anthias

Care at a glance

Overview

One of the hardier and more peaceful anthias, which makes it a good first anthias, but it is still a constant planktivore that needs several small feedings a day of mysis, enriched brine, cyclops and pellets. Keep it as a harem of one male with several females; it harasses subdominant group members far less than the lyretail, so groups stay stable in modest tanks. Genuinely peaceful toward other fish.

In the wild

Comes from clear outer-reef waters of the western Pacific, especially around the Marshall and Caroline Islands, where it schools in the open water above coral heads feeding on drifting plankton. It likes strong water movement and open space to swim, with live rock nearby for shelter. In captivity it appreciates a mature reef with plenty of caves and briskly moving water.

Good to know

Like other Pseudanthias, Bartlett's Anthias is a protogynous hermaphrodite that changes from female to male as the dominant fish in a group. Males show a magenta-to-lavender body with a yellow back and tail, while females are more uniformly yellow and violet. Its name honors the Bartlett family who collected early specimens.

Did you know

It is widely considered one of the easiest anthias to get eating prepared foods, taking frozen and even pellet food more readily than most of its relatives, which is why it is a common gateway into the group.

Related species

• 

  Dispar Anthias

  Pseudanthias dispar

  3.7 in (9.5 cm)70 gal (265 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
• Randall's Anthias

  Pseudanthias randalli

  3.1 in (8 cm)75 gal (285 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Evansi Anthias

  Pseudanthias evansi

  4.7 in (12 cm)75 gal (285 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Purple Queen Anthias

  Pseudanthias tuka

  4.7 in (12 cm)75 gal (285 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Huchtii Anthias

  Pseudanthias huchtii

  4.7 in (12 cm)90 gal (340 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Bicolor Anthias

  Pseudanthias bicolor

  5.1 in (13 cm)125 gal (475 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)