Purple Queen Anthias (Mirolabrichthys tuka) Care Guide
Mirolabrichthys tuka, the purple queen anthias, forms large aggregations along reef drop-offs and is a demanding plankton feeder.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Mirolabrichthys tuka (Herre & Montalban, 1927), the purple queen anthias, is a small reef fish. FishBase records a maximum total length of 12 cm and a preferred temperature range of 22-28 °C. The Australian Museum notes it is usually seen in large aggregations along reef edges.
Taxonomy
- Family: Serranidae (Anthiadidae in FishBase)
- Genus: Mirolabrichthys
- Scientific name: Mirolabrichthys tuka Herre & Montalban, 1927
- Combination: Pseudanthias tuka (Australian Museum)
Habitat
According to FishBase the species occurs in the Indo-West Pacific, from Mauritius to the Philippines and from Bali (Indonesia) to the Solomon Islands, south to the Rowley Shoals and the Great Barrier Reef, with populations in Palau. The Australian Museum reports it in large aggregations along the upper edge of drop-offs and steep outer reef slopes at depths of 7 to 25 m; FishBase gives a wider range of 2 to 40 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L (about 106 gal) (KB record)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness range (record): 8-12 °dGH
- School size: at least 5 individuals (KB record)
- Lifespan: 4-10 years (KB record)
Diet
FishBase reports that the species feeds on planktonic crustaceans and fish eggs. It is a demanding planktivore that requires frequent feeding; providing an adequate diet is the main challenge in keeping this species.
Compatibility
This is a peaceful, mid-water schooling species. Suitable companions include tangs, wrasses, clownfish and Genicanthus angelfish, while aggressive damselfish and triggerfish should be avoided.
Breeding
The Australian Museum describes marked sexual dimorphism: both sexes are deep pink to purple, but females carry a bright yellow stripe along the back extending to the tail fin, while males have a purple blotch at the soft dorsal fin base and elongated soft dorsal rays.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed 13 March 2015. FishBase lists the species for both commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade.
Mirolabrichthys tuka Breeding Guide
Overview
Mirolabrichthys tuka, the purple queen anthias, is recorded on FishBase as the valid name, with Pseudanthias tuka as a former designation. It ranges across the Indo-West Pacific from Mauritius to the Solomon Islands at depths of about 2 to 40 metres, reaches around 12 cm and forms aggregations on outer reef slopes, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and fish eggs.
Sexing
Like other anthias, the purple queen is a protogynous hermaphrodite: fish start as females and the dominant female changes into a male when the resident male is lost. Groups are harems of one dominant, vividly purple male with two to twelve females and up to two subdominant males, the males being more strongly coloured with yellow accents.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The dominant male courts harem females with acrobatic U-swim displays before paired ascents into the water column release eggs and sperm. Aquaculture observations on related anthias indicate spawning near dusk, producing buoyant eggs that float at the surface and can be collected with an evening egg collector rather than from any nest.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are pelagic and hatch into minute planktonic larvae that feed within the plankton. In documented Pseudanthias rearing, larvae accepted copepods and settled into juveniles roughly a month after hatching. A home reef cannot reproduce the floating egg stage or the live-plankton larval diet, which is compounded by this species' demanding planktivorous feeding even as an adult.
Common Challenges
Only a few anthias have been aquacultured, all in institutional hatcheries. The purple queen is additionally noted for being a delicate, plankton-dependent feeder that is difficult to maintain at all, which removes any realistic prospect of breeding it at home.