TankBud

Threadfin anthias

Nemanthias carberryi

Also known as Carberryi Anthias, Carberry Anthias, Threadfin Goldie

SaltwaterFish

Threadfin anthias (Nemanthias carberryi)
Robert J. Koch · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
70 gal
265 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Serranidae
Origin
Western Indian Ocean reefs, from the Maldives south to South Africa

Overview

The threadfin anthias is a peaceful, active shoaling fish for the open water of a reef tank. It is a step up from the easiest reef fish.

Did you know

The threadfin anthias takes both its common name and its genus name from the threadlike filaments on its fins. The genus name, Nemanthias, joins the Greek nema, meaning thread or filament, with anthias, so it translates roughly to thread anthias.

Caring for the threadfin anthias

Give threadfin anthias at least 70 gal (265 L), with lots of open swimming space and small hiding spots in the live rock. Provide strong water movement with a few calmer corners, and keep the lighting subdued rather than bright.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It spends most of the day swimming and picking at plankton in the water column. Give it multiple small feedings spread through the day rather than one big meal.

The threadfin anthias is fine alone, but it does best in a group of one male with several females. Mature males carry the longest, most pronounced filaments trailing from the dorsal and tail fins. Rival males will spar with each other.

It is completely reef safe and leaves tank mates, corals and ornamental shrimp alone. Good tank mates include other peaceful reef fish, gobies and dartfish. Avoid aggressive or territorial species that will out-compete it for food. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The threadfin anthias, Nemanthias carberryi, belongs to the family Serranidae and is also called the Carberry anthias or threadfin goldie. It was long classified as Pseudanthias carberryi before being moved into the genus Nemanthias. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in harems. If the male disappears, the largest female converts to male over a period of weeks.

In the wild

The threadfin anthias lives on coral reef slopes and drop-offs through the western Indian Ocean, from the Maldives south to South Africa. It typically stays at 10 to 30 m, hovering in open water over the reef to intercept plankton. When threatened, it retreats into small crevices in the rock.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The threadfin 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 threadfin anthias need?

A threadfin anthias needs at least 70 gal (265 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a threadfin anthias need?

A threadfin anthias is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a threadfin anthias eat?

A threadfin anthias picks at plankton in the water column for most of the day. Give it multiple small feedings spread through the day rather than one big meal.

How big does a threadfin anthias get?

An adult threadfin anthias reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How can you tell a male threadfin anthias from a female?

Mature males carry the longest, most pronounced filaments trailing from the dorsal and tail fins.

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