Anthias feeding

[Basile]

I'm wondering about getting anthias, because of the feeding requirements. If i feed them only twice or 3 time a day would they be ok ? I don't want to rely on automatic feeders while i'm gone they're too messy.

 

[SenseiSays]

I feed mine once a day and they are fat and happy

 

[PSU4ME]

I feed mine once a day as well and he seems "fine". Now is it idea, probably not because they should be fed 2-3 times a day but i hope that my tank provides those feeding for him when i don't. He seems pretty healthy, I'm actualyl considering buying him/her a few more friends to hand out with.

 

[Basile]

Oh well i guess my scrupules are gone then lol. Yippee!! I'll feed in the morning and at 6pm and thats that. thanks guys.

 

[Tokalosh]

For them to survive a long time in your tank they need to be well fed.
The trick it not to over feed the tank in the process.

They are great fish and suite any tank well.

Good luck

Tok

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

all my fish including my Bartlett's Anthias (one of my favorite fish) gets feed well, every other day - he seems happy & healthy

 

[cheeks69]

My experience is that to keep these fish long term they need to be fed small amounts several times a day, these fish are very active and they don't usually gorge themselves like other fish.

As with most anthias species, Lyretail anthias feed constantly from the water column, on zooplankton, in the wild. In the home aquarium, especially after recent shipping and probable lack of food, these fish should be fed high protein content frozen/live foods in small portions many times throughout the day. Once settled and in possession of normal body weight and fat reserves, one or two extended feedings per day will suffice. Often they will accept dry foods at this point.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/fish/

 

[Blue Space]

I say go for it Basile! I have no exp. with them but there seems to be many different feeding regimens that will sustain anthias, according to our knowledgeable and experienced members. So, the main lesson I take away from this discussion is that they can do well with as little as one feeding every other day, but how often you should feed depends on how fat and sassy you want them to be -without over-feeding...

They're beautiful fish for sure, but I already have a tendency to over-feed because I feel a little guilty standing there eating my hoagie while they follow me from one end of the tank to the other. It's either that or my fish have developed jedi mind trick abilities, to which I am powerless!

 

[PSU4ME]

Keep in mind that in a mature tank, the fish will get plankton type food throughout the day. I feed my tank twice on the weekends and some reef chilli every other (ish) morning so there are many ways to feed them.

 

[cheeks69]

In captivity you'll find very little if any zooplankton in the water column even in mature tanks in my experience. If they hunted pods like wrasses then yes they would have plenty of natural food to sustain them but that's not what they do.