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Randall's anthias

Pseudanthias randalli

Also known as Randalli Anthias, Randall's Fairy Basslet, Randall's Anthias Basslet

SaltwaterFish

Randall's anthias (Pseudanthias randalli)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
75 gal
285 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Serranidae
Origin
Western Pacific from Indonesia to Micronesia, near caves and ledges on reef slopes.

Overview

Randall's anthias is a small, peaceful anthias that suits a reef tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Randall's anthias hugs caves and ledges more than most anthias. It is more bottom-associated and less exposed than the shoaling anthias, and it stays close to cover rather than out in open water.

Caring for the Randall's anthias

Give a Randall's anthias at least 75 gal (285 L), with caves, overhangs and plenty of rockwork so it feels secure. A reef with lots of overhangs suits it far better than an open tank. Keep the flow moderate.

Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It is slightly easier to feed than open-water anthias, but it still needs several small meals a day. Offer mysis, enriched brine shrimp and copepods. A refugium producing live pods helps a lot.

Randall's anthias is community safe and reef safe with corals. Keep one on its own, or a male with several females. Males carry brighter fin markings than females. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

Randall's anthias, Pseudanthias randalli, is a small pink-and-yellow anthias in the family Serranidae. It follows the usual anthias pattern of female-to-male sex change within a group. The species is named for the ichthyologist John Randall, and it is also sold as Randall's fairy basslet.

In the wild

Randall's anthias lives in the western Pacific, from Indonesia to Micronesia, near reef ledges on the slopes. It darts in and out of the reef structure, catching plankton.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Randall's anthias is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Randall's anthias need?

A Randall's anthias needs at least 75 gal (285 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Randall's anthias need?

A Randall's anthias is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Randall's anthias eat?

A Randall's anthias eats several small meals a day of mysis, enriched brine shrimp and copepods. Live pods from a refugium help a lot.

How big does a Randall's anthias get?

An adult Randall's anthias reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How can you tell a male Randall's anthias from a female?

Males carry brighter fin markings than females.

Related species