Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) Care Guide
Pseudanthias pulcherrimus is a deep-reef anthias of the western Indian Ocean that lives in small groups near caves and ledges.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pseudanthias pulcherrimus (Heemstra & Randall, 1986) is a reef anthias of the family Serranidae (subfamily Anthiinae). According to FishBase it reaches about 7 cm in standard length and occurs in the western Indian Ocean. It inhabits deep reefs, forming small groups near caves and ledges.
Taxonomy
- Family: Serranidae (subfamily Anthiinae)
- Genus: Pseudanthias
- Scientific name: Pseudanthias pulcherrimus (Heemstra & Randall, 1986)
- Note: FishBase places this species in family Anthiadidae
Habitat
FishBase records this species from the western Indian Ocean, including the Andaman Islands, the Maldives, the Chagos Archipelago, the Seychelles and Mauritius. It inhabits deep reefs and forms small groups near caves, ledges and steep drop-offs at depths of 10 to 70 m.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 400 L (about 106 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness range (record): 8-12 °dGH
- Group size: keep in groups (record suggests 5 or more)
- Lifespan: 4-10 years (KB record)
Diet
FishBase gives the species a trophic level of about 3.3, consistent with a carnivorous, zooplankton-based diet; Wikipedia notes that the genus Pseudanthias feeds on zooplankton. In aquaria it requires several small feedings of meaty planktonic foods per day.
Compatibility
Pseudanthias are haremic, active mid-water swimmers. According to Wikipedia the genus is haremic and protogynous, with fish developing first as females and the dominant individual changing into a male. The KB record lists tangs, wrasses, clownfish and Genicanthus angelfish as suitable companions, while aggressive damsels and triggers are best avoided.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed in 2017.
Pseudanthias pulcherrimus Breeding Guide
Overview
Pseudanthias pulcherrimus is a planktivorous reef anthias of the family Serranidae found in the Indo-Pacific. Like other members of the genus, it lives in haremic groups and feeds on zooplankton in the water column. It is a pelagic broadcast spawner, so its eggs and larvae develop adrift in open ocean rather than on any surface a hobbyist can isolate.
Sexing
The species is a protogynous hermaphrodite: individuals begin life as females, and when a dominant male is lost the largest female of the group changes sex to replace it. A harem typically centres on one brightly coloured dominant male with two to twelve females and up to two subdominant, less colourful males. Males of this species are distinguished by iridescent purple-magenta and yellow markings.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Anthias spawn in the water column, with the dominant male courting harem females through acrobatic U-swim displays before paired ascents release gametes. In aquaculture work on related anthias, spawning occurs around dusk, and fertilised eggs are buoyant and float at the surface where they can be collected with an evening egg collector.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs are pelagic and hatch into tiny planktonic larvae that drift and feed on plankton. In documented breeding programmes for other Pseudanthias, larvae were reared on copepods and settled into juveniles roughly a month after hatching. Replicating this at home is not realistic, because the open-water egg stage and live-plankton larval diet cannot be maintained in a display tank.
Common Challenges
Only a small number of anthias species have ever been aquacultured, and successes came from institutional hatcheries rather than home systems. Wild-caught anthias also demand expert quarantine and conditioning to survive, which compounds the difficulty of any breeding attempt outside a research facility.