Juvenile Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis)

The Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Cooper Batfish, Circular Batfish, Orbiculate Batfish, Round Batfish, Leaf Baffish or Narrow-banded Batfish are native to the Indo-Pacific.

Orbic Batfish range in eastern Africa from South Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarenes and Seychelles, north into the Red Sea; east through the Persian Gulf and on into Micronesia as far as the Tuamotu Archipelago; north to southern Japan and south to northern Australia wgere they are found at the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea as well as at Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean.

On the Australian mainland, they occur from Shark Bay in Western Australia, around the northern tropical coast and south on the east coast, almost to Sydney.

Orbicular batfish have also been recorded in the Western Atlantic off southern Florida where they were most likely introduced as deliberate releases by tropical fish keeping enthusiasts unable to house them as adults.

Orbic Batfish are usually encountered as single individuals or in small groups in the shallow, protected coastal waters and lagoons of their range, particularly around mangroves, coral reefs, and deeper areas with silt substrates at depths to 100 feet.

During the daylight hours, juvenile reddish brown Orbic Batfish shelter among the mangroves in the shallowest waters of protected lagoons amongst flotsam at depths to 16 feet, where they mimic dead mangrove leaves and Sargassum seaweed floating in the water column.

Heavy populations are generally found among the shallow mangrove roots, brackish estuaries, seagrass beds and inner sheltered lagoons grazing on microalgae and epiphytes off the seagrass blades and mangrove roots. At night they become more active and hunt small bentic invertebrates, detrital biofilms, and planktonic food particles drifting through the mangrove channels.

Adult Orbic Batfish are most commonly found in coastal lagoons, deep sandy reef channels and seaward outer reef drop offs grazing on marine algae, dense reef seaweeds, benthic invertebrates, gelatinous zooplankton and small fishes in midwater depths between 15 to over 100 feet.  Scuba divers often find them congregating at mid water depths above deep shipwrecks where they habitually follow green sea turtles to consume their feces.

Juvenile Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis)

Juvenile Orbiculate Batfish have a uniform reddish-brown, tan, or deep copper colored body that is often mottled with tiny black dots or faint, dark vertical bands.
They have an incredibly thin, elongated and highly symmetriccal body with massive, jagged or uneven fins that when floating sideways, mimics a dead mangrove leaf or clump of floating Sargassum seaweed.

As juveniles reach 4 – 5 inches in length, their leaf color fades into a uniform, shiny

Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis)

silver grey color with a couple of faint, dark vertical bars that run down the face and body.   Their long crescent fins broaden, thicken, and shorten significantly giving the body a round, disk like appearance.

Juvenile Orbic Batfish grow quickly into adulthood.   A 2 inch juvenile can transition into a 10 inch sub adult in under a year.

Juvenile Orbic Batfish should be housed in a high, mature FOWLR aquarium of at least 100 gallon capacity with a coralline sandy gravel substrate and good amounts of smooth branch live rock or faux mangrove roots arranged vertically to extend to the water’s surface.   Leave the top third of the water column open so they can safely float sideways at the surface to perform their natural leaf-mimicry behavior.   They require diffused lighting, gentle very low water flow, pristine water quality and stable water parameters to thrive.

Adult Orbic Batfish require an extremely tall and wide mature FOWLR tank of at least 400 gallon capacity with a fine sand or coralline gravel substrate that is sparsely laid out with low, heavy piles of live rock.   They require strong, high volume water flow to mimic the outer reef drop offs, an unobstructed upper and middle water column for cruising, an industrial size protein skimmer to handle the bio load, and bright high output open lighting.

An 8 foot long by 3 foot wide tank is the bare minimum size for this species. Pristine water qulity and stable reef like water conditions are mandatory.

The Orbiculate Batfish is NOT reef safe and will aggressively consume soft and stony coral polyps, anemones, and smaller invertebrates like ornamental shrimp, crabs, and marine worms.

Juvenile Platax orbicularis can be housed with peaceful, passive, slow moving fish like Flametail Blennies, True Canary Blennies (Meiacanthus oualanensis), Rhino Blennies, Starry Blennies, and Banggai or Pajama Cardinal fish.   Avoid all tangs, large wrasses, dottybacks, aggressive angelfish, and hyper active damselfish.

Adulat Platax orbicularis can be housed with Naso Tang (Naso lituratus) or Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum), Foxfaces, Rabbitfish, Harlequin Sweetlips, and large Emperor Angelfish or Blueface Angels.   Avoid all small reef fish like Okinawa Chromis, small gobies, dartfish, or clownfish that will be considered live prey and swallowed whole.

Unlike the highly territorial Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus), adult Orbicular Batfish are incredibly social and in the wild form large traveling schools.    The best tankmate for juvenile or adult Orbicular Batfish is another juvenile or adult Orbicular Batfish.

Three or more juveniles can be successfully added to a 500 – 600 gallon mega tank if you introduce them all simultaneously as juveniles.

It is impossible to breed the Orbicular Batfish in a home aquarium.   Adults are impossible to sex and because they are open-water broadcast spawners that in the wild gather in deep open areas to spawn, no home aquarium would be able to accomodate them.

In the wild, Orbic Batfish are pelagic broadcast spawners that at nightfall, typically during a full moon gather in deep open water where females release anywhere from 75,000 to 150,000 buoyant eggs into the water column to drift as plankton with the currents. The eggs hatch into microscopic 3.7 mm larvae within 24 hours, and for the next 18 days metamorphosis into tiny juveniles.

In a home aquarium, the eggs would immediately be sucked up by mechanical filters, destroyed by wavemakers, or skimmed out by protein skimmers.

In their natural habitat, Platax orbicularis are opportunistic omnivores that scrape plant matter and animal protein from their reef environments.   They generally feed on large zooplankton, jellyfish, and comb jellies drifting in the ocean; benthic invertebrates like marine worms, small crabs, shrimp, mollusks as well as marine algae and seaweeds scraped from rocky overhangs.

Juveniles exhibit a highly specialized diel feeding cycle that matches their “dead leaf” camouflage behavior. During daylight hours they scrape microalgae, algal biofilms, and tiny epibenthic organisms off floating logs, debris, and submerged roots as they mimic drifting leaves.

During the night time, they are aggressive planktivors that actively hunt free swimming zooplankton, copepods, small invertebrates and plankton moving through the water column.

Adult Orbic Batfish are heavy herbivores that consume massive amounts of dense reef seaweeds, benthic invertebrates, mollusks, gelatinous zooplankton like jellyfish, comb jellies and tunicates, small fish, and turtle feces that contains partially digested, nutrient rich plant matter.

In an aquarium environment, they should be provided with a balanced 60% meaty protein to 40% vegetable matter omnivorous diet fed in small amounts 3 times a day.

Whole or chopped frozen animal foods like Mysis shrimp, chopped raw table shrimp, diced scallops, fresh clams, minced squid, dried marine Nori, Seaweed Extreme pellets, spirulina enriched brine shrimp, and frozen commercial herbivore preparations will ensure proper nutrition and health.,

Spirulina-enriched brine shrimp, frozen herbivore paste preparations, and sheets of dried marine seaweed (Nori) secured to the glass with a clip for continuous picking will provide crucial plant matter for their digestive tracts. Juveniles often need coaxing with targeted feedings of live saltwater glass shrimp, ghost shrimp or adult mysid shrimp to spark an instant striking reflex until acclimated.

The Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis) is occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens at reasonable prices from a variety of aquarium shops and online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers however, retail availability for this species is extremely scarce.

The prices for these fish depends on their juvenile development, stage, and size. The current price of Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis) ranges from $39.99 to over $199.95.

Small (up to 2.5″) $54.99 – $79.99; Medium (3″ to 4″)$69.99; Large (5″ to 7″) $199.95.

Juvenile Orbic Batfish (Platax orbicularis)

Minimum Tank Size: 100-600+ gallons
Care Level: Difficult / Expert
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 24”
Color Form: Reddish Brown, Black, Silver Gray, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Not Reef Safe
Origin: Indo Pacific
Family: Ephippidae
Lifespan: 12 – 15+ years (adults)
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert

Juvenile Batfish (Platax batavianus)

Humpback Batfish (Platax batavianus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Batavian Batfish, Marble Batfish, Zebra Batfish, Hump-headed Batfish, or Moonfish is found found throughout the Indo Pacific from the Red Sea to the Western Pacific Ocean.

The Humpback Batfish‘s range is from eastern Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indian, the Andaman Sea, Indonesia and Australia. In the Indian Ocean their range extends in the Gulf of Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan, the Phillippines, the Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand and various Pacific islands.

The Marble Batfish thrives in warm, tropical waters and are often found in the shallow reefs, lagoons, and occasionally the estuaries if their range at depths from 15 to over 135 feet.

Juvenile Batfish (Platax batavianus)Juvenile Platax batavianus typically inhabit the shallower protected depths of onshore coastal water seagrass beds; but because their long, black and white zebra like fin pattern allows them to blend in with deep water featherr stars (crinoids), they are also uniquely found in much deeper waters where crinoids abound.

Adult Humpback Batfish are solitary, but unlike like Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus) that form massive, tightschools when crossing the open ocean; they are rarely seen forming huge schools.

Platax batavianus are typically encountered patrolling deep open ocean waters in pairs or small loose groups, preferring deep continental reef shelves and areas of open sandy fields with isolated coral heads, at depths from 130 to 165 feet.

Juvenile Batfish (Platax batavianus)

Juvenile Humpback Batfish have a black or deep dark brown body color covered with intricate, wavy vertical white lines and extraordinarily long craggy, wing-like or ribbon-like fins that mimics a deep water feather starfish.

As juvenile Humpback Batfish enter the sub-adult stage; the zebra like stripes on the body becomes a uniform brownish color with

Sub-Adult Humpback Batfish (Platax batavianus)

a distinct black bar that sweeps from the nape, down over the eye, to the chest, and a second bar that runs from the dorsal fin down to the pelvic fins. The long, lacy wing-like fins shorten significantly and become more rounded.

Juvenile Humpback Batfish should be housed in a mature FOWLR aquarium of at least 100 gallon capacity with a coralline sandy gravel substrate and large amounts of live rock arranged vertically into numerous caves, overhangs and branches for them to hide among. They require diffused lighting, gentle low to moderate water flow, pristine water quality and stable conditions.

Adult Humpback Batfish (Platax batavianus)

Adult Humpback Batfish require an extremely tall and wide mature FOWLR tank of at least 500 gallon capacity with a fine sand or coralline gravel substrate that is sparsely laid out with live rock. They require strong, high volume water flow and bright high output open lighting. Pristine water qulity and stable reef like water conditions are mandatory.

Because juvenile and adult batfish are high volume, messy eaters; heavy mechanical filtration, an oversize protein skimmer, and strong water turn over is needed to handle the bioload.

The Humpback Batfish is NOT reef safe and will aggressively nip at or consume soft and stony corals, anemones, and smaller invertebrates like ornamental shrimp.

Juvenile Platax batavianus can be housed with peaceful, passive, slow moving fish like Flametail Blennies, True Canary Blennies (Meiacanthus oualanensis), Rhino Blennies, Starry Blennies, and Banggai or Pajama Cardinal fish. Avoid all tangs, large wrasses, dottybacks, aggressive angelfish, and hyper active damselfish.

Adulat Platax batavianus can be housed with Naso Tang (Naso lituratus) or Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma veliferum) tangs, Foxfaces, Rabbitfish, Harlequin Sweetlips, and large Emperor Angelfish.   Avoid all small reef fish like Okinawa Chromis, small gobies, dartfish, or clownfish that will be considered live prey and swallowed whole.

The best tankmate for juvenile or adult Humpback Batfish is another Humpback Batfish.   Add three or more juveniles to the mega tank at the same time.

It is impossible to breed the Humpback Batfish (Platax batavianus) in a home aquarium. Adults are impossible to sex and because they are open-water broadcast spawners that in the wild gather in deep open areas to spawn, no home aquarium would be able to accomodate them.

In the wild, pairs release thousands of buoyant eggs directly into the water column. The eggs drift freely in the open ocean currents as plankton until they hatch into larvae that eventually become juveniles. In a home aquarium, the eggs would immediately be sucked up by mechanical filters, destroyed by wavemakers, or skimmed out by protein skimmers.

In their natural habitat, Humpback Batfish are opportunistic omnivores that scrape plant matter and animal protein from their reef environments. They feed on large zooplankton, jellyfish, and comb jellies drifting in the ocean; benthic invertebrates like marine worms, small crabs, shrimp, mollusks as well as marine algae and seaweeds scraped from rocky overhangs.

Juveniles are “Crinoid foragers” that camouflage themselves among the feather stars and feed on small fish, worms, shrimp, and algae.

In an aquarium environment, they should be offered a balanced diet consisting of marine algae, high-quality pellet and flake foods, live or frozen foods like brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, chopped krill, diced table shrimp, and finely minced squid orclams to ensure proper nutrition and health.

Spirulina-enriched brine shrimp, frozen herbivore paste preparations, and sheets of dried marine seaweed (Nori) secured to the glass with a clip for continuous picking will provide crucial plant matter for their digestive tracts. Juveniles often need coaxing with targeted feedings of live blackworms or adult mysid shrimp until acclimated. Establish a 3 to 4 times a day feeding schedule to mimic their wild grazing behavior.

The Humpback Batfish (Platax batavianus) is occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts by retailers under its juvenile name Zebra Batfish. They are considered rare and seasonal because they are all wild caught and only available in sporadic waves.

Currently 1.5″ to 2″ Small juveniles retail from $80.00 and $120.00; Medium/Large 3″ to 5″ plus range from $195.00 to $265.00. Captive bred Platax batavianus x Platax pinnatus go for $150.00 to $220.00 and more.

Juvenile Batfish (Platax batavianus)

Minimum Tank Size: 100-600+ gallons
Care Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-82° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 26”
Color Form: Dark Brown, Black, White
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Not Reef Safe
Origin: Indo Pacific/Western Pacific
Family: Ephippidae
Lifespan: 12 – 15+ years (adults)
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate/Expert

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juvenile Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus)

Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiats as the Dusky Batfish, Red-faced Batfish, Pinnate Spadefish or Red-Rimmed Batfish is native to tropical waters of the Western Pacific Ocean.

The Pinnatus Batfish is abundand throughout the Indo-Malayan Archipelago, including Indonesia, the Philippines, and New Guinea. Their northern range extends to the Ryukyu Islands in Japan and spreads down to northern and eastern Australia (including the Great Barrier Reef) and as far south as New Caledonia.

Juvenile Pinnatus Batfish are a shy, relatively solitary species that are typically encountered alone or in small groups in the shallow protected mangrove forests, calm lagoons, coral reefs, and shallow shipwrecks of their range, where they hide in the shadows to avoid predators.   They prefer areas with moderate water flow around coral heads and submerged debris.

Adult Platax pinnatus are generally solitary but bolder than juveniles. They are found alone or in pairs over the steep, rocky overhangs and ledges of the outer reef slopes of their range in the deeper 50 to 100 foot depths.   They are highly territorial, loyal to a specific reef, and aggressive towards their own kind and similar looking species.

Adults frequently gather into tight, massive schools when traveling in open water over sandy substrates or migrating across the open ocean for protection.

juvenile Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus)

Pinnatus Batfish have extremely laterally compressed, disc like bodies, with exaggerated long dorsal and anal fins that are long and flowing in the juvenile stage and gradually shorten and broaden as they age.

They have small, terminal mouths with brush-like, tricuspid teeth that are adapted for scraping algae, sponges, and small invertebrates off rocks.

Adult Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus)

Juvenile Pinnatus Batfish have a dark brown to jet black colored body outlined in vibrant neon orange to yellow.

As they grow into adulthood, their dramatic fins shorten proportionally and their colors fade into a spadefish like appearance.

Pinnatus Batfish are best housed in a mature FOWLR aquarium of at least 200 gallon capacity with a coralline gravel substrate, plenty of live rock arranged into large caves, ledges, and overhangs and a lot of free swimming space.   The Pinnatus Batfish prefers a brightly lit aquarium with high water quality and stable water parameters.

Pinnatus Batfish are NOT considered reef safe.   They will aggressively nip at or consume soft and stony corals, anemones, and smaller invertebrates like ornamental shrimp.

They are a peaceful species but because of their territorial behavior adults are best kept as a sole specimen.   They do not do well with other batfish or similar shaped species.

The more colorful juvenile Pinnatus are hyper stressed and easily intimidated.   If you put multiple juveniles together, they will often compete for the few “safe” hiding spots, leading to severe stress, eating strikes, and death.

Pinnatus Batfish are pelagic broadcasters that are practically impossible to breed in an aquarium environment. They are commercially bred in massive outdoor aquaculture environments for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

In their natural environment, Pinnatus Batfish are omnivorous grazers that feed on dense macroalgae like Sargassum, jellyfish, comb jellies, gelatinous zooplankton, anemones, marine worms, colonial corals, and small crustaceans.

In an aquarium environment, they must be fed small amounts of one part animal protein to two parts vegetable matter at least 3 to 4 times a day.    Juveniles will waste away if fed only once a day.

Live blackworms, live mysid shrimp, live adult brine shrimp, frozen krill, chopped squid, chopped table shrimp along with dried seaweed, spirulina enriched brine shrimp, frozen herbifore preparations, DKI pellets, and herbivore preparations should all be offered.

Wild caught juveniles frequently refuse to eat processed aquarium foods and will starve to death without actively coaxing them with live blackworms, shrimp, etc. Once they begin to eat live fare, mix in high quality frozen herbivore preparations.

Captive bred Pinnatus can be fed a varied diet that includes high-quality marine flakes, pellets, and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and chopped seafood.

Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus) are seasonably available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens from online wholesalers, retailers and specialty shops.   Captive bred specimens are available in waves from some commercial breeders.

Prices for 2 to 3 inch wild caught juveniles range between $73.00 to $125.00.    Captive bred juveniles retail between $200.00 and $300.00 or more.    Adults are rarely for sale but when available go for $400.00 or more.

Unlike wild-caught specimens, captive-bred Pinnatus batfish are significantly hardier, far less finicky, and are already trained to accept commercial pellet and frozen foods.

juvenile Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus)

Adult Pinnatus Batfish (Platax pinnatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 200 – 300 gallons
Care Level: Intermediate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Max size: 16 – 18”
Color Form: Dark Brown, Black, Orange, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Not Reef Safe
Origin: Western Pacific Ocean
Family: Ephippidae
Lifespan: 8 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate/Expert

Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)

The Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Marbled Blenny, Atlantic Rhino Blenny, or Rock Blenny is native to the Western Atlantic Ocean and ranges from southern Florida and the Gulf of America, down to northern South America.

The Rhino Blenny is a peaceful shallow water micro predator species that is commonly found in the lagoon reefs, shallow sea grass beds, and shallow coral reefs of their range at depths up to 20 feet, where they share a specialized relationship with Yellow Tube Sponges (Verongia fistularis) that they use to make their homes inside of.

Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)

The Rhino Blenny has a slender, heavily patterened mottled body covered with brown, tan, cream, reddish orange and white patterns that allow them to blend into their surroundings. They have a single, highly extended dorsal spine loated at the top of the head that resembles a rhinoceros horn and large, expressive eyes that move independently.

Their pectoral and pelvic fins are formed to allow them to walk and hop along the substrate. They have the ability to rapidly change their mottled color patterns to blend into a new nesting spot i.e. barnicles, sponge openings, live rocks, etc. within seconds.

The Rhino Blenny can be housed in a mature FOWLR or reef aquarium of at leat 30 gallong capacity with a live sand or coralline gravel substrate and plenty of live rock arranged into caves, crevaces, ledges and overhangs for them to forage around and pearch on.

The Rhino Blenny is considered reef safe and will not harm corals, ornamental clams, or most invertebrates, however, unlike true blennies that graze on green algae, Rhino Blennies are primarily carnivorous micro-predators.

The Rhino Blenny is peaceful toward unrelated species but highly territorial toward their own kind.

Selecting tankmates for a Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus) comes down to avoiding fish that compete for the same rocky perches.    Suitable tankmates includes chromis, clownfish, small cardinalfish, Royal Grammas, firefish, peacefull reef wrasses, and invertebrtates like large Turbo snails, Nassarius snails, or hermit crabs.

Avoid housing them with large aggressive groupers, lionfish, or dottybacks and rock perching species like Lawnmower Blennies or aggressive bottom dwellers. Tiny crustraceans and very small decorative shrimp like the sexy shrimp will be regarded as a snack.

In the aquarium, the Rhino Blenny will quickly establish a home zone that can be centered around a preferred tube sponge, barnicle, cave or crevice. They will aggressively chase away rivals that get to close.

Keeping multiple males in a small tank usually results in fatal fights.

The Rhino Blenny has been bred in an aquarium environment however raising the larvae is extremely difficult.

In the wild, Paraclinus marmoratus breeding revolves around and within the Yellow Tube Sponge.   A dominant male will claim a sponge as his territory and when ready to spawn, performs a type of dance while flashing intense colors to lure a female into his tube or cave. Males are extremely industrious and may entertain several females into his nest over a short period. When ready to spawn, the female turns completely upside down against the tube or cave wall to deposit her eggs, while the male remains upright to fertilize them.

A single nest may have several “clutches” of eggs at different stages of development. Once the male is exhausted, he becomes highly aggressive to any females trying to enter his nest. The male fans the eggs to oxygenate them and fiercely guards them from intruders until they hatch out into tiny, transparent larvae. The microscopic larvae require live, cultured micro prey such as Parvocalanus copepod nauplii or specilized rotifers to survive.

In its natural shallow water environment, the Rhino Blenny is a carnivorous micro predator that feeds almost entirely on benthic invertebrates and micro crustaceans including isopods,mysid and caridean shrimp, amphipods and copepods, polychaetes, and gastropod larvae.

In an aquarium environment, they reauire high protein, meaty foods that quickly sink to the bottom where they feed. Live or frozen Mysis shrimp, calanus or cyclops, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, live amphipods and copepods, live blackworms, and small sinking carnivore pellets are all excellent foods. Target feed them small portions at least 1 or 2 times a day with a turkey baster or Julian’s Thing to prevent other fish in the tank from stealing their food.

The Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus) is occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens from specialized marine aquarium shops and online retailers. Because they are primarily hand caught in shallow Western Atlantic and Caribbean seagrass or reef beds, their retail availability and price fluctuates based on regional collection patterns.

Depending on the retailer, whether the fish has been quarantined and size: Small (1″ to 1-1/2″) Medium/Large (1-1/2″ to 3″); current prices range from $15.00 to $59.00 or more.

Rhino Blenny (Paraclinus marmoratus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon (90+ gallons for pairs)
Aquarium Type: FOWLR or Reef
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 4.5”
Color Form: Brown, Tan, Cream, White, Reddish Orange
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: Western Atlantic
Family: Labrisomidae
Lifespan: 4 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes)

The Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Yellowtail Black Blenny, Orange Stripe Blenny, Orange Fin Blenny. Yellowfin Blenny, or Goldtail Combtooth Blenny is native to the Western Pacific and ranges from the South China Sea through Indonesia and the Philippines, eastward to Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Adult Flametail Blennies are a peaceful solitary species that are normally encountered alone and in pairs in the shallow coastal reefs, clear water lagoons and rocky seaward outcrops of their range in areas rich with biofilm and microalgae growth. Flametail Blennies are often found defending their small microalgae rich territories from rivals and predators amongst the rocky patches of the reef

In between its grazing activities near the bottom of its habitat, the Flametail Blenny spends most of its time perching on rocks and darting between small worm holes or empty shells among the corals and rock crevices hiding from predators.

Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes)

The Flametail Blenny has an elongated body shape with a blunt head, wide flat mouth equipped with comb like teeth for scraping algae, large expressive eyes and sublle iridescent striations across their face.

They have a jet black to deep charcoal gray body with a bight yellow to orange colored poster and yellow to orange dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Females are oticeably plumper and fuller bodied, especially during the breeding season. During courship, males develop intensified body colors. The black body color deepens and the fiery yellow tails flash brightly.

The Yellowtail Black Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes) is often misidentified as the Bicolor Blenny   (Ecsenius bicolor). The Yellowtail Black Blenny has a more rounded head and caudal fin compared to the more square head and angular caudal fin of the Bicolor Blenny. Also, Enchelyurus flavipes lacks the cirri found between the eyes of the Ecsenius bicolor.

The Flametail Blenny is best housed in a mature FOWLR or reef tank of at least 30 gallon capacity with an aragonite sand substrate, and plenty of mature live rock with various strains of marine algae aquascaped into small crevices, ledges, small caves, tunnels and overhangs for them to perch on and hide among. At least one wavemaker or powerhead is recommended to provide moderate water flow and a tight fitting glass or mesh tank cover is needed to prevent them from jumping from the tank.

The Flametail Blenny is reef safe with caution. They will nip at LPS corals and ornamental clam mantles when underfed or placed in small crowded systems however they are excellent at controlling nuisance algae growths on the glass and rockwork.

Enchelyurus flavipes are peaceful bottom dwellers that are compatible with virtually all community reef species. They can be territorial with other blennies, dartfish, small gobies, and species with a similar appearance, especially in smaller aquariums.

Good tankmates include the Yellow Clown Goby (Gobiodon okinawae), the Firefish Goby (Nemateleotris magnifica), the Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops), the Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani), and the Tailspot Blenny (Ecsenius stigmatura); they should not be housed with aggressive, predatory species.

Although it is best to house only one Flametail Blenny per system, multiple specimens or pairs can be kept in very large reef systems with copious amounts of live rock arranged into distinct, visually separated territories.

The Flametail Blenny has been bred in an aquarium environment. They are oviparous, demersal egg layers that attach their adhesive eggs to the substrate or inside cave roofs via a filamentous pad by the female. The male guards and tends to the eggs until they hatch into tiny planktonick larvae that drift aimlessly with the ocean currents. The tiny fry require specific strains of rotifers that are micro sized and small enough for them to eat. Rearing the tiny larvae in a home aquarium environment remains extremely challenging for most tropical fish keeping enthusiasts.

The Flametail Blenny is a diurnal omnivore that in their natural habitat graze on algal films and filamentous algae scraped off the rocks, detritus and organic debris settled in the cracks of the rocks, and micro invertebrates like copepods, tiny crustaceans, and small fish eggs.

In an mature aqurium environment with large amounts of natural algae growth, they are not finiky eaters and will accept a balanced diet rich in plant based and meaty foods. High quality spirulina pellets, algae flakes, dried seaweed and supplimental feedings of live or frozen Mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp and calanus are all eagerly accepted. Several mall feedings are recommended daily; at least 2 to 3.

The Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes) is occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as both wild caught and sustainably captive bred specimens from specialized marine aquarium shops and online retailers.

Prices vary depending on the size, origin, and whether the specimen is aquacultured. Approximate purchase sizes generally range from Small (1″ to 1-1/2″) to Medium/Large (1-1/2″ to 3″).

Prices typically start at $29.99 to $44.99 for small specimens.

Flametail Blenny (Enchelyurus flavipes)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon (90+ gallons for pairs)
Aquarium Type: FOWLR or Reef
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 74-80° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 3”
Color Form: Jet Black, Charcoal, Fiery Yellow, Orange
Diet: Herbivore/Omnivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: South China Sea
Family: Blenniidae
Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner/Intermediate

Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis)

The Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Oualan Forktail Blenny or Canary Fang Blenny is native to the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific and is found along the islands of Fiji, Tahiti, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Adult Canary Blennies are a solitary species that are normally encountered in pairs or alone in the shallow, protected, clear water lagoons and seaward reefs of their range, hovering a few feet above the rockwork and coral heads in the water column at depths ranging from 3 to over 50 feet, where they feed on zooplankton and tiny benthic invertebrates.

Juvenile Canary Blennies are usually found in shallower waters where they gather together in small groups.

The Canary Blenny is a fang blenny that like other members of the Meiacanthus genus possess two venomous canine like teeth in the lower jaw that they use primarily for defense.   Non venomous Plagiotremus flavus and juvenile Scolopsis bilineatus have learned to mimic the venomous Canary Blenny to protect themselves from predators.

canary blenny (meiacanthus oualanensis)

The Canary Blenny has an elongated, bright banana yellow colored body with subtle greenish yellow hue along the dorsal that is tapered to the rear. They have large, prominent eyes without eye bars, a subterminal mouth with two large grooved teeth hidden in the lower jaw with venom glands that they use for defense. Adults develop a lunate or lyretail with long trailing filaments.

The Canary Blenny is reef safe and can be housed in a mature FOWLR or reef aquarium of at least 30 gallon capacity with a live sand or coralline gravel substrate, copious amounts of well established live rock arranged into caves, crevices, ledges and outcrops for them to hide and graze among for small crustaceans, and plenty of free swimming space. A tight fitting lid is necessary for this species as they are expert jumpers.

The Canary Blenny should be kept as mated pairs or alone unless the tank is very large. They can become territorial towards conspecifics but cohabit well with the majority of peaceful reef dwelling species. They should not be housed with larger carnivorous species that could eat them. Suitable tankmates include clownfish, cardinalfish, Dartfish, peaceful wrasses, and bottom dwelling gobies like the Watchman.

The Canary Blenny will not eat coral polyps, decorative clams, or soft corals. They constantly search the water column and rockwork for tiny hidden pests in the tank.

The Oualan Forktail Blenny has been bred in an aquarium environment as well as by commercial aquacultural facilities for the aquarium trade. They are highly successful demersal spawners.

In their natural habitat, male Meiacanthus oualanensis stake out a crevice in the coral reef, an empty shell, or an empty worm borehole where they perform a lunging type of dance to entice a passing female. A willing female will lay a clutch of tiny, adhesive eggs onto the inner wals of the cavity where the male fertilizes them. A single female will deposit 100 to 300 oval shaped, reddish brown eggs about 1.2 mm in dia. The male will fan and guard the eggs until they hatch out into tiny planktonic larvae that float in the open water until they mature into minature gobies.

In an aquarium, capped PVC pipes replace caves or coral niches. The deposited eggs hatch during the evening in around 10 to 12 days. The tiny larvae must be moved to a rearing tank and initially fed S-type rotifers, followed by baby brine shrimp. The tiny silver colored larvae turn yellow around day 35 and become juvenile Canary Blennies.

In the wild, the Canary Blenny constantly feeds on zooplankton, small copepods, amphipods, crustaceans larvae and micro inverrtebrates.

In an aquarium environment provide the Canary Blenny with a mature tank that contains an abundance of live rock.

They prefer floating or slowly sinking foods like frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, calanus, and finely chopped krill or seafoods. High quality marine flakes and small pellets are also acceped, especially by commercially bred individuals. Because of their high metabolism rate, several small feedings are recommended daily; at least 2 to 3.

The Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis) is commonly available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught or commercially bred specimens at reasonable prices from a variety of aquarium shops and online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers. Prices vary on size and area of collection. Captive bred juvenile specimens 1.25″ to 2″ in length are priced at around $35.00. Wild caught Fiji specimens 1.5″ to 3″ are currently priced from $39.99 to over $41.99.

Canary Blenny (Meiacanthus oualanensis)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon (90+ gallons for pairs)
Aquarium Type: FOWLR or Reef
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 5”
Color Form: Yellow, Green
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: Indo Pacific
Family: Blenniidae
Lifespan: 4 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)

The Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Snowflake Blenny, Stellate Blenny, Rock Blenny, Coral Blenny, Reef Blenny or Starry Lawnmower Blenny is native to Western Central Pacific reefs and ranges from the Philippines southward to northwestern Australia.

The Starry Blenny is found in the shallow protected inshore reefs, estuaries, and brackish water environments of their range among corals, rocky outcrops, reef rubble margins, and weedy mixed sandy bottoms around areas of heavy filamentous algae growth at depths from 3 to over 50 feet.

Salarias ramosus are a peaceful bottom dwelling species that spend most of their time grazing on algae and perching on live rock and coralsl In their natural environment around the margins of coral reefs, they are often seen forming small groups usually around reef rubble. Solitary Starry Blennies are also found on rock or coral outcrops.

Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)

The Starry Lawnmower Blenny has a dark brown elongated body covered with numerous small light blue to white colored dots and a few white blotches over the back . They have a blunt head, a wide flat mouth with combed teeth for grazing algae, bushy whisker like appendages protruding from between their expressive eyes, and yellow pectoral and caudal fins.

Males have more elongated streamers and larger, bushier cirri above the eyes. Females tend to be plumper with fuller bodies and have more compact cirri.

During the breeding season, male Starry Blennies will intensify their body colors to attract a mate. The color patterns become darker and more intense.

The Starry Blenny can be housed in a mature FOWLR or reef aquarium of at least 30 gallon capacity containing various strains of marine algae, with an aragonite sand mixed with reef rubble substrate, and plenty of live rock arranged into tight crevices, tunnels, ledges, and caves for them to hide among.

At least one powerhead is needed to maintain a high water flow and keep oxygen levels elevated and a tight fittting mesh or glass lid is recommended to prevent them from jumping from the tank, especially when first introduced into a system.

The Starry Blenny is generally considered reef safe however in small systems or when underfed, they will occasionally nip at LPS corals and ornamental clam mantles. They make a great addition to peaceful FOWLR and reef tanks and are excellent at controlling nuisance algae growth in the system.

The Starry Blenny is a peaceful bottom dweller that is compatible with virtually all community reef fish but they have been known to be territorial with other Blennies, small Gobies, Dartfish and species that have a similar appearance. Compatible with clownfish, tangs, wrasses, and other mid-water swimmers, they should not be housed with aggressive species.

It is best to house only one specimen in a small system. Multiple males and mated pairs can be housed in very large reef systems with copious amounts of live rock arranged into specific territories.

The Starry Blenny can spawn in an aquarium environment but rearing the tiny larvae is extremely challenging.

Like the Lawnmower Blenny (Salarias fasciatus), Salarias ramosus are egg layers that produce small adhesive eggs and plaegic larvae.

Males guard and tend to the demersal eggs that are deposited in small crevices and attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal. The tiny larvae are planktonic and are often found in shallow, coastal waters.

In their natural habitat, the Starry Blenny is a dedicated herbivore and detritivore. They spend nearly all of their daylight hours scraping surfaces with their specialized, comb-like teeth feeding on filamentous algae, diatoms, microalgae, detritus, cyanobacteria and biofilm.

In an aquarium environment, they do best in well established systems with large amounts of natural algae to feed on. Their diet should be supplemented with fresh or frozen herbifore preparations, marine algae sheets, spirulina flakes, algae wafers, dried nori, and blanched vegetables. Some individuals may accept frozen mysis shrimp as a supplement. Feed algae based foods two to three times daily.

A steady diet of microalgae and macroalgae is essential for the health and well being of this species.

The Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus) is commonly available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens at reasonable prices from a variety of aquarium shops and online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers. Prices vary on size and area of collection.

Approximate purchase sizes; Small: 1″ to 2″; Medium: 2″ to 3-1/4″ Large: 3-1/4″ to 4-1/2″

Prices start at $39.99 for small specimens from the Philippines.

Starry Blenny (Salarias ramosus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon (90+ gallons for pairs)
Aquarium Type: FOWLR or Reef
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 5½”
Color Form: White, Yellow
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: Western Pacific, Indonesia
Family: Blenniidae
Lifespan: 4 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus)

Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Linear Blenny, Dot-Dash Blenny, Lined Combtooth Blenny, Lined Coiral Blenny, and Blennie Bigoula is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

It is found from the eastern coast of Africa to the Philippines with a range that extends from Yemen to northwest Australia, the Philippines, and Ogasawara Island in Japan.

Although Ecsenius lineatus and Meiacanthus grammistes are both sold as Lined Blennies, they are entirely different in anatomy, behavior, and biology. The primary difference is that Meiacanthus grammistes is a venomous midwater swimmer; while Ecsenius lineatus is a non-venomous, rock-dwelling bottom-dweller

In the northernmost parts of their range, adult Linear Blennies are found in clear shallow lagoons and the coastal to outer reef crests in areas with rich coral growth at depths from 3 to about 50 feet.   They spend the majority  of their days perched on coral heads, rubble, and rocky outcrops.

Like all Ecsenius blennies, Linear Blennies are dedicated herbivores equipped with specialized comb like teeth that they use for scraping microalgae and diatom films from hard surfaces.

Ecsenius lineatus are rarely observed at dephs less than 15 feet, however, further south of their range, collectors encounter them on the bottom of their environment among the crevices and rocks as deep as 92 feet.

Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus)

The Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus) has a round, elongated body with a small

Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus)

mouth, very large eyes, and a dark brown to black longitudinal stripe on its white body that is often interrupted in larger specimens.

In some populations, the black lateral stripe is sometimes present as a series of black blotches. Sexual dimorphism is subtle, with males sometimes slightly larger than females.

The Linear Blenny can be housed in a FOWLR or mature reef aquarium of at least 30 gallon capacity with a coraline gravel substrate and plenty of algae covered live rock arranged into caves, crevices, ledges and overhangs for them to graze, perch on and hide.

The Lined Blenny is generally considered reef safe however they will occasionally nip at the polyps or bases of Acropora sp., Montipora sp. and other SPS corals. They make a great addition to peaceful FOWLR and reef tanks that are heavily stocked with mature colonies of Acropora sp.

Ecsenius lineatus is peaceful and compatible with virtually all community reef fish including clownfish, gobies, cardinalfish, firefish, wrasses, and tangs. They can become mildly territorial toward other combtooth blennies, particularly other Ecsenius species. They should not be housed with aggressive species.

The Linear Blenny has not been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.   Their breeding behavior is similar to other Ecsenius species like the Midas Blenny.

Lined Blennies are egg layers that deposit small adhesive eggs in small crevices or empty shells. The male guards the nest until hatching. The larvae are tiny and pelagic, requiring rotifers and phytoplankton as first foods.

In their natural habitat Lined Blennies are primarily herbivorous, grazing on diatoms, film algae, cyanobacteria, and occasionally small invertebrates like mysis or brine shrimp.

In an aquarium environment, they require a varied algae based diet of frozen or dried foods like spirulina pellets, algae wafers, dried nori sheets, and occasional offerings of live or frozen mysis and brine shrimp.   It is important to provide sufficient live rock and algae covered surfaces in the tank to encourage their natural grazing behavior. Multiple small feedings at least 2 to 3 times a day are recommended.

The Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus) is relatively available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens from a variety of local aquarium shops and online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers at prices that vary on size and area of collection.

Approximate purchase sizes:  Small: 1-1/4″ to 1-1/2″; Medium/Large: 1-1/2″ to 2-1/2″

Prices start at $30.99 for small Indian Ocean specimens, to over $60.00 for small aquarium ready specimens from South Asia.

Lined Blenny (Ecsenius lineatus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon
Aquarium Type: FOWLR or Reef
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 3½””
Color Form: Black, Tan and White
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: Indo-West Pacific
Family: Blenniidae
Lifespan: 3 – 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus)

The Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Horse Face Blenny, Horesface Blenny, Atlantic Redlip Blenny, or Red-lipped Blenny is native to the tropical waters of the central Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean.

Its range extends to the eastern Atlantic from Senegal to Angola, and the offshore islands. In the northeastern Atlantic Ophioblennius atlanticus is confined to the Macaronesian archipelagos of the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores. And in the western Atlantic, it is found off Bermuda, the coast of North Carolina and south through the West Indies to Brazil. A couple of sightings have also been documented in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Adult Redlip Blennies are a solitary species that can be found alone, in pairs, and in North Carolina waters, in small aggregations occupying shallow reefs, particularly coral crests and fringing reefs, and rocky substrates of their range, grazing on algae at depths between 30 to over 65 feet .

Juveniles and spawning pairs are most often found in the much shallower tide pools and reef flats in depths ranging from 1 to 27 feet.

The Redlip Blenny is highly territorial, especially towards conspecifics. They effectively farm their own food source by cultivating and harvesting gardens of filamentous algae in their claimed territories and will aggressively drive off any other herbivorous species that try to graze there.  Ophioblennius atlanticus have two sharp canine teeth that they use to confront intruders.  In the wild, territorial disputes are frequent.

Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus)

The Redlip Blenny has a large head with four small branching horns, prominent expressive eyes, a blunt nose, distinctive bright red orange lips, and an elongated eel like body with long ventral fins that they use to perch on the substrate.    Their body is a dark chocolate brown to blended black and red color, with yellow markings camouflaging the body and fins.

A paler variant occurs that has a shell-white body and a reddish brown head with a yellow dorsal fin, reddish tinged lateral fins, and a

Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus)

black or bicolored tail.  Males are typically larger with more vividly red colored lips than females.

The Redlip Blenny is best housed in a mature FOWLR or reef aquarium of at least 30 gallon capacity with a fine coralline gravel substrate and plenty of aged live rock arranged into caves, crevices, layered ledges and overhangs for it to perch on and hide among.

They are jumpers and require a tight fitting lid on their tank.

The Redlip Blenny is considered reef safe as long as it is adequately fed. They ignore invertebrates , most corals and clams but have been observed picking on soft coral polyps.

In community aquariums, Redlip Blennies may become aggressive toward other blennies or gobies that infringe on their territory.   They do well with other non-similar shaped species.

Unless they are kept in a large aquarium with copious amounts of live rock, it’s safer to keep only one individual or mated pair in a community tank.

Redlip Blennies are egg-layers that deposit their spawn in crevices within the male’s territory.   They have been bred in an aquarium environment however the larvae are difficult to rear.

In their natural environment, Ophioblennius atlanticus are polygynous.     Females consistently mate with multiple males.  When a pair is ready to spawn, usually in the ten days prior to and four days after the full moon, the male clears algae, rocks, and debris from a crevice or cavity to create a small, box like nest to attract a female. A single male will maintain several nests, usually around five of differing sizes.   The male hovers near the nest with dorsal and anal fins spread to entice a female. When a female selects a nest, adhesive eggs are laid in a single layer along the walls or ceilings of the nest crevice. Multiple females often lay their eggs in the same nest.  After fertilizing the eggs, the male cares for the eggs by fanning, removing any fungus infected eggs, and protecting them from predators.

The demersal eggs hatch into planktonic larvae after about five days, usually at night.   The buoyant larvae float along as plankton and initially feed on rotifers and later on larger foods until they mature into adults.

In their natural habitat, the Redlip Blenny is a territorial herbivore that farms and grazes on filamentous algae.

In addition to grazing on the natural growth of algae in a well established aquarium, they should be provided Spirulina based flake or pellet foods, marine algae sheets (nori), and commercially frozen preparations with high vegetable content.   Occasional offerings of frozen mysis shrimp may also be accepted.   Two to three feedings per day are recommended.

The Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus) is only occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as wild caught specimens from a variety of local aquarium shops and online retailers, wholesalers, and transhippers at prices that vary on size and area of collection.  Despite their abundance in the wild, Caribbean and Florida collectors prioritize higher priced species and seldom collect them.

Approximate purchase sizes:  1 1/2″ to 3″   When available, prices range from $29.49 to $49.99

Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus)

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallon (55+ gallons for pairs)
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOWLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 – 12°, pH 8.1–8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 5″
Color Form: Black, Red, Yellow
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility: Reef Safe
Origin: Indo Pacific
Family: Blenniidae
Lifespan: 4 – 6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai)

The Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai) is one of the rarest Chromis species known to high end tropical fish keeping enthusiasts and the aquarium trade.

The Okinawa Chromis is only found in the Northwest Pacific Ocean where it is rarely collected from the Okinawa Trough in the East China Sea which sits directly behind Japan’s Ryukyu island chain.   Until recently, only a single known specimen was dredged up in 1979.

Because the Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai) lives in extreme deep-water habitats, specific scientific observations of its social behavior in the wild are very limited.   However, based on general genus traits and data from the few specimens kept in aquariums, we can outline its primary social dynamics.

Chromis okamurai are a peaceful, deepwater, non migratory, reef associated species that are found at depths from 330 to over 570 feet where they hover over rocky and coral slopes in loose aggregations feeding on zooplankton.

When threatened by predators, the entire school acts in unison, diving together into the safety of rock crevices or deep coral structures for protection.

Most damselfish are extremely territorial and aggressive however, Chromis okamurai is exceptionally peaceful, even when compared to more common Chromis species.

Observations made by high end Japanese collectors note that Okinawa Chromis show no aggression toward other fish species and tend to completely ignore other tankmates.

Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai)

The Okinawa Chromis has an oval, compact, laterally compressed body with a deeply forked caudal fin, and a beautiful, iridescent silver pink to lavender purple body color with subtle yellow to gold shading along the dorsal ridge and the upper margins of the fins.

They have extremely smooth, fine ctenoid scales that give the fish a shimmering appearance; large, highly reflective dark eyes, and a distinct small dark blotch at the base of the pectoral fins.

Okinawa Chromis must be housed in a mature FOWLR or deep water azooxanthellate (non-photosynthetic) coral reef aquarium of at least 55 gallon capacity with a live sand or coralline gravel substrate, live rock arranged into caves, ledges, cervices and overhangs for them to hide among and plenty of lateral free swimming space to mimic their reef slope habitat.

Because they require colder water temperatures, lower lighting and moderate water movement; an aquarium chiller, wave makers, and a reef filtration system

Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai)

with excellent protein skimming is needed to maintain the pristine, stable water quality essential to their well being.

Because intense reef LEDs will stress Okinawa Chromis, use dimmable fixtures with a heavy blue spectrum to simulate their depth range.

Chromis okamurai are completely reef safe and will not bother corals, clams, or ornamental invertebrates.    They can be housed with peaceful, deep water community fish like Anthias, Assessors, candy basslets, or deep water gobies.

Avoid aggressive tankmates like larger damselfish, dottybacks, or triggers.

Although it is unlikely for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts in this country to acquire even a single specimen, a 75 to 100 gallon aquarium would be needed to house 6 or more individuals.

Breeding the Okinawa Chromis in a home aquarium is exceptionally difficult and has not yet been achieved.   Because they are an extremely rare, expensive deepwater species and all specimens in the trade are wild caught by divers using specialized technical rebreathers, obtaining a pair is highly unlikely.

The life history characteristics for the family specify that this group is oviparous, with distinct pairing during breeding.   The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate where the males guard and aerate the eggs. In a chilled deep water setup (around 70°F), the demersal eggs typically take 4 to 5 days to mature and hatch.   Hatching almost always occurs in total darkness.

The 2 mm long larvae lack functional eyes, a mouth and a digestive gut.  During the first 48 hours they drift in the water column as plankton as they absorb their yolk sacs. Any surviving larvae require micro foods like Oithona colcarva or Parvocalanus crassirostris.

In their natural deep water environment, Okinawa Chromis are pelagic planktivores that constantly feed on drifting copepods, shrimp larvae, Mysids and Amphipods, invertebrate spawning, and floating fish eggs.

They have high metabolisms that in an aquarium environment require constant, small feedings of frozen or live Calanus, copepods, Mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, reef plankton blends, tiny krill, Masstick, Cyclops and rotifers for juveniles.   Because they are continuous grazers in the wild, at least 3 to 4 small portions should be fed daily.

This Okinawa Chromis is one of the rarest Chromis species in the aquarium trade and is incredibly difficult to obtain. Hand collected by technical rebreather divers at depths below 330 ft. only a single retailer so far has been able to bring this species into the United States aquarium trade alive.

Because it is seldom even seen at mesophotic depths in the Okinawa Trough, and Japan rarely exports deepwater species; the Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai) is not currently available to either tropical fish keeping enthusiasts or high end collectors.

Unique Fins was the first retailer to bring this species into the United States aquarium trade, and this specimen is likely the first or one of the first ever collected alive.   Their asking price for the hand collected 2″ juvenile specimen was $5,499.99 USD.

If or when another rarely collected individual at some point becomes available for sale; you can expect prices to be in that range per individual.

Okinawa Chromis (Chromis okamurai)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy when acclimated
Water Conditions: 68-74° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.024-1.026, Nitrate< 10 ppm
Max size: 3.5″
Color Form:
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Japan; possibly China
Family: Pomacentridae
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced/Expert

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi)

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Threadfin Anthias are native to the western Indian Ocean and range from the Maldives to Malindi, Kenya along the coast of East Africa.

Carberryi Anthias are usually encountered hovering just off the outer coral reef slopes of their range in the strong nutrient rich waters feeding on zooplankton at depths from 12 to over 100 feet.

During daylight hours, they form huge, hovering aggregations swimming into the current above branching corals with their bodies acting like a net to pluck out planktonic organisms. At dusk the entire school retreats into the safety of reef crevices and branching corals to hide from predators.

Carberryi Anthias are haremic, protogynous hermaphrodites where all individuals are born female.   The largest and most dominant female in a group or given territory will gradually transition into a male.   The male’s role in a “harem” is to defend it from rival males and lead the shoal in open water feeding.

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi)

Carberryi Anthias are sexually dimorphic.   Females have a bright orange to pinkish body color with a bright yellow dorsal ridge that extends into the caudal fin.

Males are more dramatically colored with the head, throat, and lower abdomen a

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi)

deep purplish magenta, and the rear half of the body a bright canary yellow.    The long, streaming filaments of their iridescent dorsal and caudal fins are often edged in red, violet or electric blue along the margins; particularly during mating displays.

Nemanthias carberryi are best housed in a mature reef or FOWLR aquarium of at least 70 gallon capacity with a coralline sand substrate, tons of live rock aquascaped into overhangs, caves, and tight crevices fort them to hide among, and plenty of midwater free swimming space.

Because of their heavy feeding regimen, they require robust mechanical and biological filtration, heavy protein skimming and regular water changes to prevent phosphate and nitrate spikes.   Carberry Anthias love strong currents, so at least one wavemaker or programmable powerhead is needed to replicate the brisk currents encountered on the outer reef slopes.

Because all anthias are notorious jumpers, a tight-fitting mesh or glass lid is mandatory.

Carberryi Anthias thrive when kept in groups or shoals of one male with four to six or more females or juveniles in at a 70 gallon or larger tank.    They are completely reef safe and will not harm corals, decorative clams, or invertebrates in the system.

Carberryi Anthias are generally peaceful and are easily bullied by aggressive fish like large dottybacks, territorial wrasses, and aggressive damsels.    They do well with peaceful reef species like wrasses, gobies, cardinalfish, and peaceful surgeonfish.

Although many tropical fish keeping enthusiasts with large systems have witnessed spawning behavior in their tanks, Carberryi Anthias have not been successfully bred in an aqurium environment for a variety of reasons.

Nemanthias carberryi are pelagic spawners that require massive, vertical tanks to support the spawning of a full harem.

Aquaculture specialists have commercialized other anthias species like Borbonius Anthias, but the rearing of Nemanthias carberryi larvae has been elusive without an existing basline.

Harvesting viable eggs is difficult.   The mouths of newly hatched larvae are microscopic and require feedings of ultra tiny strains of first stage copepod nauplii which are extremely difficult to keep alive.   For these reasons, all Carberri Anthias available in the aquarium trade are wild caught.

Carberryi Anthias are mid water planktivores that continuously feed on microscopic organic matter drifting in the outer reef slope currents. Their primary food is zooplankton that consists of tiny benthic pelagic larvae, rotifers, copepods, fish eggs, and tiny crustaceans.

In an aquarium environment they require a nutrient dense diet that remains suspended in the water column.   Live and frozen Calanus, Cyclops, Mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, finely chopped seafoods and occasional offerings of small, slow sinking micro pellets should be fed 3 to 5 or more times a day.

A refugium stocked with macroalgae like Chaetomorpha is highly recommended when keeping Nemanthias carberryi.    As the copepods and amphipods multiply, the water flow from the refugium washes them into the tank to provide a nutritional 24/7 food source to the fish.

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi) are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a number of online wholesalers, trans shippers, and marine retailers as wild caught specimens at prices that vary by size and area of collection.   They typically retail between $40 to $90 or more per individual at approximate purchase sizes: Small: 1″ to 1-3/4″ Medium: 1-3/4″ to 2-1/2″ Large: 2-1/2″ to 3-1/4″.

Carberryi Anthias (Nemanthias carberryi)

Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons; 125 gallons for small groups
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy after acclimated
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 4″
Color Form: Orange, Purple, Yellow, Black
Diet: Carnivore/Planktivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Western Indian Ocean
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) pair

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Tierra Anthias, Elegant Anthias or Resplendent Goldie is native to the western Indian Ocean and have been documented in the Maldivian archipelagos, Chagos Archipelago, the Seychelles and the coastal reefs bordering the Andaman Sea.

Resplendent Anthias are typically found in close knit social groups or harems hovering above caves and steep overhangs on the deeper outer reef slopes of their range at depths from 30 to well over 230 feet.

Dense concentrations of Resplendent Anthias are most often encountered feeding on plankton along the deep channels, steep outer drop offs, and current swept edges of the seaward reefs found on the deeper reef slopes; below 100 feet.

Resplendent Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites that thrive in groups (harems) consisting of one dominant male with multiple females. If the dominant male dies, the largest, most aggressive female will undergo a biological change and turn into a male.

Pseudanthias pulcherrimus exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females have a mainly orange colored body with a pinkish-purple hue, and a bright yellow face, nose, dorsal and caudal fin.

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) female

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) male

Males are more intensely colored with the same orange colored body with a pinkish-purple hue, a deep yellow orange face, nearly transparent caudal fins, deep pink edges on their pectoral and anal fins, and iridescent blue pelvic fins that are edged in red.

Resplendent Anthias can be housed as single specimens, in small groups of females, or ideally in small harems in a mature FOWLR or well established reef aquarium of at least 80 gallon capacity with a coralline gravel substrate and copious amounts of live rock arranged into crevices, caves, ledges and overhangs for shade, and plenty of midwater free swimming space.

Resplendent Anthias prefer lower light levels, which is why plenty of shaded areas in the tank are needed.   A lighting system with a dawn to dusk cycle will greatly benefit this species if your reef system is brightly lit for corals.

To replicate their natural deep water reef slope environment, multiple powerheads or a wavemaker is needed to provide strong, continuous water movement and proper oxygenation necessary for them to thrive.

Because they require multiple small feedings daily; heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are recommended to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero.

Although an aquarium chiller is not mandatory to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range, a tight fitting mesh lid or glass cover is highly recommended to keep Pseudanthias pulcherrimus in their tank.

Resplendent Anthias are peaceful, reef safe and fully compatible with all types of corals and invertebrates.

Although they can become aggressive towards conspecifics when kept in groups in smaller aquariums; housing them in larger groups or as a single male with several females is strongly recommended to mitigate aggression.

Resplendent Anthias really thrive in large harems (preferrably one male and up to ten females) in a 150 gallon or larger tank.    Avoid housing them with aggressive or overly large species that may intimidate or outcompete them for food.

Compatible tank mates in a FOWLR setting include cardinalfish, gobies, several species of blennies, clownfish, and wrasses.

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) have not been bred in an aquarium environment.

Like the Sacura margaritacea (Cherry Sakura Anthias) all wild-caught specimens available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts are collected from their natural deep-water environments in the Indian Ocean.

Pseudanthias pulcherrimus are pelagic spawners that broadcast microscopic, buoyant eggs.   Hatched larvae require microscopic strains of copepod nauplii and have an exceptionally long pelagic larval period that lasts up to 90 days. Rearing the larvae even in specialized, high oxygen, pristine larval rearing tanks is extremely challenging which is why rearing them is elusive.

In their natural habitat, Resplendent Anthias feed on drifting oceanic plankton specifically pelagic copepods, invertebrate larvae, floating fish eggs, tunicate larvae, tiny amphipods and Mysid shrimp.

In an aquarium environment, they can be fed frozen Calanus and Cyclops, enriched or vitamin fortified frozen Mysis and brine shrimp, finely chopped prawn and krill, and over time high protein pellets and flakes.  Small amounts should be fed 2 to 4 times a day. Their natural hunting instinct can be triggered by putting the food into the flow of your wavemakers.

An attached refugium that cultivates live copepods and amphipods is highly beneficial to all anthias species.

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a number of online wholesalers, trans shippers, and marine retailers as wild caught individuals at prices that vary by size and area of collection. They typically retail between $50 to $115 per individual. Maldives specimens range from $56.99 for small individuals up to $73.99 for larger specimens.

Resplendent Anthias (Pseudanthias pulcherrimus) female

Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons; 125 gallons for small groups
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy after acclimated
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 2.5″ to 3 ”
Color Form: Orange, Purple, Pink, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore/Planktivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Western Indian Ocean
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis) Pair

Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Longfin Anthias, Longfin Basslet, Hawaiian Ventralis, Hawaiian Longfin Anthias, and Marshall Islands Ventralis are found in the Western and Southern Pacific Oceans.

Their range extends from Southern Japan and the Mariana Islands in the northwestern Pacific, to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia in the Central Pacific, to the Great Barrier Reef, the Coral Sea, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia in the southwestern edge of their range; and the Cook Islands and French Polynesia, all the way east to the remote Pitcairn Islands in the southeast.

Ventralis Anthias are a cryptic, deepwater species that are usually encountered alone, in pairs, and in tight clusters inside the caves of coral rubble, deep channel walls, and steep outer reef drop offs of their range in the ocean’s twilight zone depths exclusively from 180 to over 400 feet.   They seldom venture into the open water column except to feed on passing zooplankton outside their cave entrances.

The Ventralis Anthias is a sexually dimorphic species. Males and females display entirely different, yet equally vibrant, color patterns that vary slightly depending on the area of collection.

Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis)

Adult males have a brilliant magenta, fuchsia, or deep violet pink body color with a distinct, bright yellow stripe or mask that runs from the snout, through the eye, and down toward the pectoral fins. The back and upper portion are covered with irregular, electric yellow patches and metallic blue or lavender spots that form a mosaic like pattern. Both dorsal and pelvic fins are highly elongated. The bright yellow dorsal fin has an electric blue or translucent lavender margin, the caudal fin is clear or lightly trimmed in neon blue.

Females have a solid radiant yellow or soft golden orange upper body that fades into a

Female Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis)

soft lavender , pearlescent pink or white along the lower body and belly. Their fins are shorter and more rounded than the males and they have large dark eyes that are often ringed with a thin, bright violet or blue circle.

Ventralis Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites (all are born female, and the dominant female transitions into a male), you will occasionally see a transitional specimen. During this phase, the fish will temporarily look like a blend of both—developing the elongated fins and starting to sprout the intense magenta patches and blue spots over its yellow female base color.

Ventralis Anthias can be housed either singly, or in small groups in a mature, well established, deep water FOWLR or reef aquarium of at least 100 gallon capacity with a crushed coralline substrate, copious amounts of live rock arranged into crevices, caves, and overhangs for them to hide among and plenty of free swimming space.

To mimic their natural deep water environment, Ventralis Anthias require plenty of dark or low light areas with multiple interconnected caves, overhangs, and large micro caverns for them to retreat to.   They are extremely light sensitive and are easily intimidated by the intense lighting configurations used in shallow-water SPS reef tanks.

An aquarium chiller is essential to keep water temperatures in their targeted range of 68°F to 74°F. In the wild, these fish live far below the warm surface waters of the reef. Shallow water reef tank temperatures will cause them severe metabolic stress and drastically shorten their lifespan.

Finally, to replicate the deep water currents they are found in, at least one wavemaker should be added to the system.

Ventralis Anthias are completely reef safe and will not disturb corals or invertebrates.   Generally peaceful, they can be kept alone, in mated pairs, or in small groups of females. They can become aggressive towards conspecifics when housed in small groups in smaller tanks.

Clownfish, blennies, dottybacks, tangs, and gobies all make suitable tankmates for Pseudanthias ventralis.

The Ventralis Anthias has not yet been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.

While other exotic deepwater anthias like the Blotched Anthias (Odontanthias borbonius) and Marcia’s Anthias (Pseudanthias marciae) have seen breakthroughs in captive breeding; all Ventralis Anthias found in the aquarium trade are wild caught specimens.

In their deep water environment, Ventralis Anthias are zooplanktivores that feed almost entirely on microscopic organisms drifting in the deep ocean currents. Tiny pelagic and benthic copepods and amphipods, invertebrate larvae, small fish eggs, and Mysid shrimp that school in the crevices of the reef make up their primary diet.

In an aquarium environment, their incredibly high metabolism requires almost continuous feeding. Small quantities of nutrient dense foods like Calanus (high protein, red copepods), cyclops or Cyclop-eeze, finely chopped Mysis shrimp, enriched live brine shrimp, live copepods, and high quality marine pellets should be fed 5 to 8 times a day. An attached refugium seeded with live copepods will help provide a constant supply of food.

The Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis) is an uncommon anthias in the aquarium trade that is occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from high end marine wholesalers, trans shippers and specialty retailers from the Philippines, New Caledonia, and rarely Japan.   They are rare, seasonal, and expensive.

Waiting lists for unquarantined individuals price them from $350 to over $600 depending on size, sex, and area of collection.

Because they suffer from extremely high mortality rates during shipping and decompression, specialized vendors who fully condition and prophylactically quarantine them for several weeks list them for $1,200 to over $1,500 per individual.   Currently $1,200.00 for 1″ to 2″ female Coral Sea specimens and $449.00 for female Marshall Island specimens.

Ventralis Anthias (Pseudanthias ventralis)

Minimum Tank Size: 100 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: High
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Delicate
Water Conditions: 68-74° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Max size: 3.5″
Color Form: Pink, Orange, Purple, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Coral Sea, South Pacific, French Polynesia, Japan
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert Only

Juvenile Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting)

The Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting) is one of the rarest chromis species available to high end tropical fish keeping enthusiasts. First described from Sagami Bay, Southern Japan in 2019; their natural range in the Northwest Pacific includes the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa region, Southern Japanese archipelago and according to deep reef surveys, probably Korea.

Although the scientific range for Moonstone Chromis was not originally described as extending into the Northern Philippines, deep water specimens have been collected from this region.

Moonstone Chromis are found in pairs and loose groups or schools hovering near structure along the sponge dominated steep reef drop offs and low light coral reefs of their range, in areas with strong steady currents at depths from 80 to over 280 feet, often in areas where deepwater anthias reside.

Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting)

Adult Moonstone Chromis have a soft, silvery-green to pastel lavender to moon blue body color that is slightly iridescent and appears to glow softly under low light. They have large golden or copper ringed eyes and semi transparent, bluish tinted dorsal, anal, and caudal fins edged in pale lavender with a slightly iridescent sheen.

Juveniles are slightly more translucent with less lavender and a more silvery blue tone.   The entire head and body is a silvery gunmetal grey color,

Juvenile Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting)

overlaid with greenish blue iridescence along the dorsal, with a large black spot at the base of the pectoral fin axil. The dorsal fin is edged in bright yellow, the base of the caudal and anal fins are a grayish yellow and the pectoral fins are hyaline.   The eyes in juveniles have a bright blue “eyebrow” like splotch above.

Despite having larger eyes and differences in coloration, Chromis tingting were earlier confused with Chromis mirationis.

Although no specific husbandry data for the Moonstone Chromis has been published, mesophotic species require cooler water parameters, lower lighting, high oxygenation and more vertical swimming space than shallow water species.

Chromis tingting are best housed in a mature deep water reef or FOWLR tank of at least 55 gallon capacity with a coralline substrate, copious amounts of live rock arranged into tall vertical pinnacles, dark overhangs and caves for them to shelter among and plenty of open swimming area in the upper water column.

To replicate their natural deep water reef slope environment, multiple wavemakers are needed to provide strong, continuous water movement and proper oxygenation along with an aquarium chiller to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range of 72-76° F.

The Moonstone Chromis is a shoaling species that is reef safe and can be housed with sponges, corals, and species of the genera Sacura, Pseudanthias, Tosanoides and Pseudolabrus.   Like many deep water species, they are more peaceful, less prone to hierarchy culling and more cohesive in groups of 5 to 7 individuals.

The Moonstone Chromis is a newly described species that has not yet been bred in an aquarium environment.

Based on the breeding patterns of other deep reef damselfish, they are believed to be egg scatters that lay demersal eggs on rock or coral rubble. Males are believed to guard and fan the adhesive eggs until they hatch out in 3 to 5 days into tiny pelagic larvae that drift for 20 to 30 days or more.

Moonstone Chromis are strict, opportunistic mid water planktivores that continuously feed on copepods like Calanus spp., Parvocalanus spp., Acartia spp., Harpacticold copepods drifting from the benthos; Mexozooplankton like small pelagic amphipods, larval shrimps, larval crabs, larval gastropods, Chaetognaths; Microcrtustaceans including Ostracods, Cladocerans, and tiny Mysids; Larvaceans and Tunicate Larvae; floating fish eggs and newly hatched larvae.

In an aquarium environment they can be offered frozen or live Calanus, live copepods, Mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, reef plankton blends, tiny krill, Masstick, Cyclops and rotifers for juveniles. Because they are continuous grazers in the wild, 2 to 3 small portions should be fed daily.

Because it is a newly described species that is rarely even seen at mesophotic depths in Japan, Korea or the Philippines; the Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting) is not currently available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts or high end collectors anywhere.

Japan rarely exports deepwater species and Korean deep reef collection is minimal. The Philippines has the largest deep‑reef collection infrastructure in the world.

Collecting teams in the Philippines regularly work at mesophotic depths in excess of 100 feet with mixed gas or rebreathers using slow decompression protocols to collect Blotched anthias, Narcosis angelfish, deepwater wrasses and nearly all of the rare mesophotic species available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts globally.

If or when a rarely collected Moonstone Chromis at some point becomes available for sale; you can expect prices between $2,000 to $3,500 USD per individual.

Moonstone Chromis (Chromis tingting)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy when acclimated
Water Conditions: 72-76° F, dKH 8 to 9, pH 8.1-8.3, sg 1.025-1.026
Max size: 3.5″
Color Form: Lavender, Bluish Silver, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Japan; possibly South Korea
Family: Pomacentridae
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced/Expert

Super Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus)

The Super Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus) know to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Super Tongan Nassarius is widely distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific. It’s range extends in the Western and Central Pacific from Eastern Asia down through the tropical islands of the South Pacific including Fiji and Tonga; hence their common name.

In Australia they are found in the tropical waters of Queensland off the coast of northern and eastern Australia’ and in the Indian Ocean their range extends westward into the Indian Ocean including populations along the coasts of East Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar.

Nassarius distortus are are carnivorous, opportunistic nocturnal scavengers that can be found in the warm, shallow tropical waters of their range at depths from the intertidal zone, down to 40 or 50 feet, where they bury themselves within the substrate during daylight hours.

Super Tongan Nassarius are unparalled scavengers that typically emerge at dusk or when they detect the scent of food in the water column. In an aquarium environment, they are ideal detritus eaters that help maintain adequate oxygen levels in the substrate as they sift and burrow through the sand bed.

Super Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus)

The Super Nassarius Snail has a heavy, ornate, oval shaped, spiral shell that resembles an olive pit. the heavily sculpted surface of their shell has a lattice like pattern that is formed by the sharp axial ribs crisscrossing with fine spiral grooves.   This gives the shell a distinct beaded or rough ridged texture. The wide, oval shaped shell opening is protected by a thick, flared outer lip which has a glossy enameled columellar callus that the snail presses against the sandy substrate.

The body of Super Nassarius Snail is typically a mottled cream, soft ivory white, or pale gray color sprinkled with tiny dark freckle like specks that can be tan, a soft brown, or olive-gray colored.  The elephant trunk like siphon is long and extremely flexible. When buried in the sand, the snail uses it like a snorkel to “taste” and sniff out food items.

Super Nassarius Snails have a small, thin, fingernail like operculum attached to the back of their foot that they use to completely seal themselves inside their shell when threatened. There are no visible differences between sexes.

The Super Nassarius Snail is occasionally misidentified as the Tiger Nassarius or Babylon Snail which have bold, leopard like spots or deep orange/brown checkerboard squares on a completely smooth, heavy shell. Nassarius distortus have more subtle mottled markings and a much more distinctly ridged shell.

The Super Nassarius Snail is completely reef safe and can be housed in a well established FOWLR or reef aquarium of at least 20 gallon capacity with live rock and a fine to medium grained sand substrate that is at least 2 to 3 inches deep for them to completely submerge their shells. Do NOT keep them in bare bottom tanks or aquariums with rough substrates of coarsely crushed coral or gravel.

Nassarius distortus are hardy scavengers that make an excellent cleanup crew for detritus, decaying organics, fish waste and leftover meaty foods. They are strictly carnivorous scavengers and will not clean algae off your glass or rocks.   They make ideal residents for larger reef systems.

The Super Nassarius Snail is a gonochoric species; with distinct individual sexes. They are extremely difficult to breed in an aquarium environment. Short of observing a female actively depositing egg capsules onto the aquarium glass or rockwork, it is virtually impossible for tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to sex them visually.

A mature male and female in a well fed tank will eventually mate. The breeding pair will lock together and remain entirely immobile on the substrate for 2 to 3 hours.

The female will deposit 35 to 40 small, transparent, jelly like egg capsules onto a hard surface, typically in neat rows or grids on the aquarium glass, powerhead, or rockwork. Each capsule contains 350 to 800 individual eggs and hardens when in contact with saltwater to protect the developing embryos.

In a week to ten days the eggs hatch into microscopic, free swimming larvae called veligers that in the wild float away as part of the plankton chain. The veligers feed on microscopic phytoplankton for several weeks before dropping out of the water column and settling onto the substrate as tiny juvenile snails.

During the entire multi day spawning period, the female will completely stop eating.

The Super Nassarius Snail is a benthic scavenging carnivore that in their natural habitat feeds on dead fish, crabs, shrimp, and other invertebrates, clams and other bivalves.  When large meals are not available, they consume organic detritus which includes fish waste and organic materials that settle into the substrate.

In an aquarium environment, they will normally feed on leftover fish flakes or pellets, pieces of frozen mysis or brine shrimp, dying organic tissue and basically anything that your fish don’t consume. They have an incredibly powerful sense of smell and will burst out of the sand bed as soon as food hits the water column. As a general rule, 1 snail is recommended for 2 or 3 gallons of tank water.

Because they are super efficient scavengers; a clean, lightly stocked tank with an aggressive filtration system can lead to starvation.   If this occurs, target feed your snails high quality carnivore pellets, chunks of chopped clam, scallops, or mysis shrimp 2 or 3 times a week after the aquarium lights are turned off.

If you notice the Super Nassarius Snails in your tank scaled up on the glass during daylight hours or completely buried when you feed your fish; it may be an indication that there is not enough food in the sand for them to eat and they are starving.

The Super Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus) is readily available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a variety of online retailers at approximate purchase sizes of 1/4″ to 3/4″ at prices that vary from $3.99 for individuals to $11.99 for a 5 pack. Larger quantity “clean up crews” are normally less expensive per individual.

Super Nassarius Snail (Nassarius distortus)

Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons
Aquarium Type: Established Reef or FOWLR
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72°F – 78°F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.023-1.025
Max. Size: 1″
Color Form: White, Tan, Brown,
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef Compatible
Origin: Indo-West Pacific
Family: Nassariidae
Lifespan: 4 – 5 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Pelicier’s Perchlets (Plectranthias pelicieri)

Pelicier’s Perchlets (Plectranthias pelicieri) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as Pelicier’s Anthias, Pelicier Hawk. Mottlet Perchlet or Red Blootched Perchlet are found in the Indian Ocean around the tropical west coast of Africa. Another distinct population exists in Melanesia; a sub region of Oceania, northeast of Australia.

Pelicier’s Perchlets are an uncommon deepwater reef dwelling species typically encountered alone or in pairs close to the substrate along the rocky drop offs, deep reef slopes, caves and large coral structure of their range, in depths from 100 to well over 250 feet.

In the wild, Pelicier’s Anthias behave more like hawkfish than free swimming Anthias. They spend the majority of their time on their specialized pelvic fins propped up on large coarse substrates, rocky ledges, and rubble where they remain completely still for extended periods waiting for tiny passing prey in the water column.

Though frequently observed by divers living in pairs in their rocky territories, capturing them together is extremely difficult.

Pelicier’s Perchlets (Plectranthias pelicieri)

Pelicier’s Perchlets have a brilliant white to silvery white body color overlaid with large, irregularly shaped patches and vertical bands of crimson red to deep orange that give the fish a mosaic or marbled look. Some individuals have yellow to golden accents tipping the dorsal spines and highlighting the face and pelvic fins. The overall effect is a fiery checkerboard pattern.

Plectranthias pelicieri are monomorphi and share the same red, orange, and white checkerboard coloration.  Males have slightly longer and more intensely colored dorsal filaments of the first few spines and are generally more dominant and larger than females.

Pelicier’s Perchlets are best housed in a mature deepwater reef or FOWLR aquarium of at least 55 gallon capacity with a coarse coral rubble or sand substrate, plenty of live rock arranged into shady caves, ledges, and wide crevices, and a good amount of swimming space. Once acclimated, they will adopt a dimly lit cave or shady ledge as their permanent home.

Pelicier’s Perchlets are remarkably hardy and adjust incredibly well to aquarium life. They perform excellently in holding systems and adapt quickly to captivity.

Because they are collected from deep waters, they need a lower light aquarium. If placed in a reef setup with intense LED or T5 lighting, acclimate them slowly and provide plenty of shadowed overhangs and caves for them to escape the light. A lighting system that provides a gradual dawn to dusk lighting cycle will greatly benefit this species.

An aquarium chiller is recommended to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range, and a wavemaker is needed to provide the strong, continuous water movement found in their deep water environment.

Heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are also required to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero and maintain pristine water conditions.

Pelicier’s Perchlets are completely reef safe with corals, will not harm sessile invertebrates. and are incredibly peaceful toward other fish, but because they are true carnivores with surprisingly large mouths, they will consider small ornamental shrimp potential snacks. Cleaner Shrimp and Fire Shrimp are normally safe.

Plectranthias pelicieri are cryptic, passive, relatively peaceful and won’t actively harass standard community fish.

Keep one Pelicier’s Anthias per tank unless you have a mated pair or a large system with several distinct, separated rock piles. They are highly territorial toward their own kind and other similar-shaped bottom dwellers. In general, their temperament is comparable to basslets or smaller groupers.

Avoid keeping them with very aggressive tankmates that are likely to pick on them.

Plectranthias pelicieri have not been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.

They are broadcast pelagic spawners that release their eggs directly into the open water column where the fertilized eggs drift as plankton with ocean currents.

Pelicier’s Perchlets are strict, demersal carnivores that in their natural deep water environment sit motionless among the rubble and plate corals waiting to snatch up larger pelagic zooplankton, a variety of benthic crustaceans like small crabs, microscopic ornamental shrimp, and other tiny invertebrates crawling on the substrate, and small reef fish.

In an aquarium environment they adapt quickly to high quality meaty frozen foods like vitamin enriched brine shrimp, Myhsis, Calanus, and finely chopped krill, fresh shrimp, or saltwater fish. This species should only be fed once a day or once every other day after properly conditioned. Do not overfeed.

Pelicier’s Perchlets (Plectranthias pelicieri) are a rare, deep water species that are highly seasonable and only occasionally enter the market as single specimens (often only a couple of specimens per month globally).

Because they live at greater depths in the wild, they are infrequently collected and arrive in the aquarium trade in very limited numbers .

Like Sagamai Perchlets (Plectranthias sagamiensis) Pelicier’s Perchlets live in a mesophotic habitat that is below standard recreational diving limits.   Specimens that enter the aquarium trade are ocasionally hand collected by specialized deep diving collectors using mixed gas, closed circuit rebreathers.

They can only be acquired from specialized elite builders and boutique online retailers where they are frequently listed as backordered or available by waiting list only.   Major tropical fish wholesalers occasionally import them from Melanesia or Japan by custom request if their overseas collectors manage to safely decompress one.

When individual specimens are available, they typically command prices from $3,500 to $5,000 USD depending on size, origin, and quarantine protocols.

If you are a serious tropical fish keeping enthusiast looking to acquire a Pelicier’s Perchlet, your best strategy is to establish contact with a high end, rare fish supplier directly, and get placed on a dedicated deep water specimen notification list.

Pelicier’s Perchlets (Plectranthias pelicieri)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 68°F to 74°F, dKH 8 to 11, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.024-1.026
Max size: 3″
Color Form: Orange, Red, White, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Melanesia, Japan
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 4-8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert/Advanced

Sagamai Perchlet (Plectranthias sagamiensis)

The Sagamai Perchlet (Plectranthias sagamiensis) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Threadtail Perchlet is a highly sought after deep water anthiadine species found in western Pacific waters from Japan, south to the Philippines and southern Indonesia.

The Sagamai Perchlet was originally discovered in Sagami Bay, Honshu Japan where it gets its name, sagamiensis.

Like other Plectranthias, the Sagami Perchlet prefers cool, low light, rariphotic waters below the mesophotic zone at 400 to 1,000 foot depths where they can be found hovering tightly over complex rocky structures, deep reef ledges, mixed sandy-rocky bottoms and photosynthetic corals.

Plectranthias sagamiensis are a secretive, demersal species that rely on the rocky crevices for protection. They use the caves, crevices and ledges to hid from predators and to ambush small mobile invertebrates and zooplankton carried by the deep water currents. They like to sit on elevated rocky, lookout posts to snatch food from the water column.

Although the Sagamai Perchlet is in the Serranidae family, it is technically not a true anthias however, it is a very close cousin. Pseudanthias species like the Dispar Anthias belong to the subfamily Anthiadinae.   The Sagamai Perchlet belongs to the subfamily Ananthiinae, formerly Anthiadinae, and commonly called Perchlets or Hawk Anthias.

Unlike true anthias that thrive in close groups with plenty of free swimming space and need multiple feedings a day; perchlets are more solitary ambush predators that have a much slower metabolism and need less attention.

Sagamai Perchlet (Plectranthias sagamiensis)

The Threadtail Perchlet has a stocky, diamond shaped body with a sharply pointed snout, large expressive eyes adapted for dim light, and a prominent, spiked dorsal fin that they they flare when displaying or hunting. Depending on their emotional state and activity, they have a chameleon like ability to drastically change colors.

At rest they Plectranthias sagamiensis have a uniform, monochromatic pinkish orange to muted red body color that blends into their surroundings; much like the Pygmy Hawkfish. When excited or feeding, they transform into a striking bi-color or tri-color form. Their body turns a vibrant reddish-orange color on the front upper half and a pale, pearlescent pink or white on the rear lower half; frequently accented by mottled yellow and white patches across the back and dorsal spikes.

Like most deep-water species, their intense red and orange colors make them completely invisible in the blue filtered light of the twilight zone, but under home aquarium actinic lighting, their colors pop.

The Sagami Perchlet is best housed in a mature deep water reef or FOWLR aquarium of at least 55 gallon capacity with a coralline substrate and plenty of live rock arranged into a slope with overhangs, deep crevices, ledges, and shaded caves for them to hide. They rarely swim in the open water column but enjoy hopping from ledge to ledge and hanging upside down in the cave ceilings.

Because they are collected from depths in excess of 400 feet, they are extremely sensitive to reef lighting. If you are keeping them in a brightly lit coral reef tank, it is essential to have deep dark caves for them to escape the light.

When first introduced, keep the aquarium lights dim or completely off for the first couple of days or run a heavily blue-skewed spectrum. A lighting system that provides a gradual dawn to dusk lighting cycle will greatly benefit this species in a tank that is brightly lit for corals. Over time, this species will adjust to brighter lights if they have plenty of shady rocky areas to retreat to.

An aquarium chiller is recommended to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range, and a wavemaker is needed to provide the strong, continuous water movement found in their deep water environment.

Heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are required to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero.

Sagami Perchlets are completely reef safe with corals and incredibly peaceful toward other fish, but because they are true carnivores with surprisingly large mouths, they will consider small ornamental shrimp potential snacks.    Cleaner Shrimp and Fire Shrimp are normally safe once Sagami Perchlets are acclimated.

Keep one Sagamai Perchlet per tank unless you have a huge system with several distinct, separated rock piles. They are highly territorial toward their own kind and other similar-shaped bottom-species.

Good tankmates include deep water true anthias, tangs, or wrasses.   Do not house them with highly aggressive bottom dwellers like large dottybacks or aggressive hawkfish that might run them out of their caves.

Plectranthias are pelagic spawners that have not been bred in a home aquarium or commercially.

The Sagamai Perchlet is a strict carnivore that in their mesophotic habitat feed on small, mobile benthic invertebrates like tiny crabs, microscopic ornamental shrimp, amphipods, and small fish larvae. Their surprisingly large mouths enable them to swallow their prey whole.

In an aquarium environment they do not require constant small feeding like true anthias. Instead they can initially be fed larger meals of live ghost shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, copepods, and amphipods. Once acclimated to live foods they will eagerly accept frozen Mysis shrimp, frozen chopped Krill, Calanus, chopped saltwater feeder shrimp, and potentially high quality carnivore pellets. Feeding once a day or even once every other day is sufficient for their low energy lifestyle.

The Sagamai Perchlet (Plectranthias sagamiensis) is a rare, highly coveted deep water species that is extremely limited and seasonal in the United States and can only be acquired from high end online retailers, specialized boutique importers, or elite quarantine builders.

Because Threadtail Perchlets live below standard recreational diving limits, specimens that enter the aquarium trade are hand-collected by specialized deep-diving collectors using mixed gas, closed circuit rebreathers.

When specialized deep-water collectors in Japan successfully collect them up and safely decompress them, they usually enter the United States market as single, isolated specimens that command a price tag typically ranging from $1,000 to well over $2,500 depending on the size, condition, and length of quarantine or conditioning.

If you are a serious tropical fish keeping enthusiast looking to acquire one, your best bet is to contact a specialized rare fish boutique vendor directly and ask to be put on a dedicated deep-water specimen waiting list.

Sagamai Perchlet (Plectranthias sagamiensis)

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72°F to 76°F, dKH 8 to 11, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.024-1.026
Max size: 3.8″
Color Form: Orange, Red, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Sagami Bay, in Honshu, Japan
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 4-8 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert/Advanced

Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea) School

The Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Cherry Anthias, Sakura Anthias or in Japan; Sakuradai, is a rare deep-water species of marine anthias native to the Northwest Pacific Ocean, the coastal waters of Japan and a unique population farther south.

Cherry Sakura Anthias range extends across Eastern Asia and includes Japan, the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, South Korea, coastal China, Taiwan and much farther south to New Caledonia.

Cherry Anthias frequently congregate in large schools above rocky environments and among deep water gorgonians and soft corals that rely on strong, rapid ocean currents to sweep massive clouds of zooplankkton and tiny invertebrates for them to extract from the water column.   Unlike other anthias species, Sacura margaritacea are found in very numerous schools with hundreds of individuals and harems with several males.

Sakura Anthias are often found in large numbers of “super schools” hovering over deep rocky reefs, steep slopes, and rocky outcrops of their range at depths from 50 to almost 400 feet, where plenty of crevices, caves, and ledges occur for them to retreat to and escape from predators.

Sacura margaritacea practice a phenomenon known as tropical submergence.

In their northern range around Sagami Bay in Japan, Cherry Sakura Anthias are occasionally found in just 30 to 50 feet of water during the winter months.

In their southern range toward Okinawa and the Ogasawara Islands where surface water temperatures are much warmer, they are almost always found at depths between 130 to 150 feet or more.

Like other anthias species, Cherry Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites where all individuals start life as females. They display clear sexual dimorphism.

Male Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea)

Males are exceptionally vibrant and have a rich, intense red orange to scarlet pink or cherry red body color with prominent, irregularly shaped, pearly white to platinum silver spots arranged in horizontal rows along the flanks.

The fiery reddish pink colored fins are tipped with blue or turquoise and iridescent highlights along the margins, ending in elegant, elongated filaments as they mature into adults.

Females are a bright yellow orange to solid orange body color and lack the pearlescent white spots found on the

Female Male Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea)

flanks of males. They have a black blotch located on the last four spiny rays of the dorsal fin that reliably distinguishes them from males.

Transitioning fish will have a body color that shifts from bright yellow orange to a deep cherry red. The defining black spot on the dorsal will fade and regress, and the pearlescent white pattern will begin to develop along the sides of the body.

Because Cherry Anthias are a subtropical, deep water species, they cannot be kept the exact same way as other anthias species.

A single individual is best housed in a mature reef or FOWLR tank of at least 75 gallon capacity with a coralline gravel or sandy substrate, plenty of live rock arranged into large crevices, deep caves, and dark overhangs for the to hide among and plenty of open swimming area in the upper water column.

A small harem of one male and 3 or more females or a group of all juvenile/female individuals are best kept in at least a 150 gallon tank with the same décor. Over time the most dominant female will transition into a bright cherry red male. Avoid housing multiple mature males together unless you have an exceptionally massive system.

Cherry Sakura Anthias are completely reef safe and will generally ignore corals and invertebrates.

They require lower light levels, which is why plenty of shaded areas in the tank are needed. A lighting system that provides a gradual dawn to dusk lighting cycle will greatly benefit this species if your reef system is brightly lit for corals.   When first introduced, keep the lights dim or run a heavily blue-skewed spectrum. They look their absolute best under deep blue or actinic lighting Over time, this species will adjust to brighter lights if they have plenty of shady rocky areas to retreat to.

To replicate their natural deep water reef slope environment, multiple wavemakers are needed to provide strong, continuous water movement and proper oxygenation necessary for them to thrive.

Because they require multiple small feedings; heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are required to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero.

An aquarium chiller is mandatory to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range, and because they are excellent jumpers; a tight fitting mesh lid or glass cover is recommended to keep them in the tank.

Cherry Sakura Anthias are peaceful toward other non-anthias species but can be territorial against rivals. They do best with other cool water or deep water reef fish like wrasses, assessors, or basslets.

Sacura margaritacea have not been successfully bred in an aquarium environment.

Like all anthias, Cherry Anthias are broadcast pelagic spawners.   When a harem is ready to spawn the dominant male will initiate a dramatic courtship dance by flaring his fins, flashing his pearlescent white spots, and darting rapidly around the females.  Once a female accepts his advances, the pair will engage in a darting dash toward the surface where they simultaneously release their eggs and sperm into the water column before immediately diving back down to the rockwork. The fertilized eggs are buoyant, transparent, and typically under 1mm in diameter.

In the wild, the eggs drift out into the open ocean currents as plankton. In an aquarium environment, they are usually swept into the filtration system or consumed by other tankmates.

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts who manage to collect the eggs before they are destroyed must be able to feed the microscopic larvae. Hatched out larvae survive on their yolk sacs for a few days but then need specific strains of pelagic copepod nauplii like Parvocalanus crassirostris to continue their existence. Deep water anthias have a long larval stage that can last anywhere from 30 to 90 days before metamorphosis into recognizable post larval juveniles. Without specialized equipment, keeping water quality pristine in a specialized larval rearing tank for that long is impossible.

Cherry Sakura Anthias are strict, opportunistic zooplanktivores that continuously feed almost entirely on floating fish eggs, primitive tunicate larvae, crab and invertebrate larvae, mysid shrimp, tiny amphipods, and pelagic copepods and their larvae.

In an aquarium environment they need a varied diet rich in carotenoids and marine proteins.   Frozen high quality Mysis shrimp, Calanus, chopped krill, fortified brine shrimp, cyclops, and over time high quality protein rich pellets and flake foods rich in astaxanthin will be eagerly accepted. Small targeted feedings 2 to 3 times a day broadcast directly into the water flow will trigger their natural hunting instinct.

The Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea) is a rare, highly coveted “holy grail” species that is very limited and seasonal in the United States. Because they are a deep-water species collected from specific subtropical areas around Japan, they demand a high price. This species is almost exclusively supplied by high end online livestock divers and specialized boutique importers.

Major online wholesale and retail outlets, specialty trans shippers, and vendors who list them as unavailable require tropical fish keeping enthusiasts to be on a waiting list for purchase when available.

When available in the United States, prices vary according to size, sex, and area of collection.

Individual female and juvenile Cherry Sakura Anthias typically retail between $599.00 and $600.00 each.
Individual fully transitioned supermales with cherry red colors and long fin filaments sell for $750.00 to $875.00.

Specialty vendors occasionally offer conditioned pairs of one male and one female at around $950.00; and a small harem can easily cost thousands of dollars.

Male Cherry Sakura Anthias (Sacura margaritacea)

Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons; 150 gallons for groups
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 65°F to 72°F, dKH 8 to 11, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.024-1.026
Max size: 5″
Color Form: Orange, Red, Yellow
Diet: Carnivore (zooplanktivores)
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Izu Peninsula & Sagami Bay and Ogasawara Islands
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 4-6 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Expert/Advanced

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus)

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Flame Anthias, Flame Basslet, Flame Fairy Basslet, Flame Fairy Anthias, and Indian Flame Anthias are found in the eastern Indian and far western edge of the Pacific Ocean.

The range of the Flame Anthias extends into the Maldives, the Andaman Islands, the Similan Islands off western Thailand, and Sumatra, Indonesia.

Ignitus Anthias are typically found in masive schools hovering over the outer coral reef slopes and passes of their range in areas with heavy wave action and strong tidal currents in shallower depths from 10 to 50 feet.

Schools of Pseudanthias ignitus are frequently seen by divers several feet above live corals where they use the strong currents to their advantage by snatching passing zooplankton from the water column.

Most Ignitus Anthias are collected in strong currents from the reef passes and drop offs as they feed.

Although Ignitus Anthias display clear sexual dimorphism, both males and females have the fiery hues associated with their name Flame Anthias.

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus)

Male Ignitus Anthias have an elongated, laterally compressed body with large eyes suited for spotting tiny zooplankton in the water column, a medium sized mouth that opens at an upward angle, and a fleshy, moveable protuberance on the front of their upper lip.

The head and mid section of the body are an intense orange yellow color that becomes firey red toward the back and upper torso.   The lower jaw and bottom half of the head are pale yellow with an orange stripe edged with lavender or purple that runs from the tip of the snout across the lower half of the eye to the edge of the gill cover.

The top of the bright firey red dorsal fin in males is edged in purple or lavender, and is yellow at the base. The transparent anal fin has a lavender hue, the pectoral fins have a red spot at the base, and the deeply forked caudal fin has an orange base that transitions into bright red lobes at the tips. The lower abdomen and belly are a soft lavender to silvery white color.

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus)

Females have similar but more subdued colors. The body is yellow orange with a red dorsal fin and pectoral fins with a red dot at their base. The intense lavender highlights and deep crimson rear body shading found in males is absent in females.

Juvenile Flame Anthias have a uniform orange to soft yellow body color that deepen as they age.

Ignitus Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites. When a community of females lacks a male, the dominant female will transition into a male within a few weeks.

A single Ignitus Anthias can be housed in a mature reef or FOWLR aquarium of at least 70 gallon capacity with a coralline substrate, large amounts of live rock arranged into caves, crevaces, ledges and overhangs for them to hide among, and plenty of free swimming space.

A small harem of one male and several females or a group of females are best kept in at least a 125 gallon tank decorated in the same fashion. They thrive in well established reef aquariums with stable water conditions.

To replicate their natural reef slope environment, multiple wavemakers are needed to provide strong, continuous water movement and proper oxygenation necessary for them to thrive. Try to create a brisk current across the upper and middle sections of the tank where they prefer to swim

Because Ignitus Anthias require constant small feedings; heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are required to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero.

Ignitus Anthias are notorious jumpers, particularly when startled, during feedings, or when minor hierarchy disputes arise. Providing a tight fitting mesh or glass lid on their tank is non negotiable.

Flame Fairy Anthias are completely reef safe and will ignore corals, clams, crabs, and ornamental shrimp.   They are quite docile and should only be kept with peaceful, non aggressive tankmates like gobies, basslets, firefish, pygmy angels, small wrasses, or peaceful tangs.   Avoid aggressive triggers, eels or large groupers.

When housed with conspecifics, Ignitus Anthias do best in harems of one male with 3 to up to 10 females. Never introduce more than one mature male, or they will fight aggressively.

When keeping a group, it is best to buy females of slightly varying sizes and introduce them all into the tank at the same time. This allows the group to establish a natural pecking order with minimum stress. Within a few weeks, the largest, most dominant female in the group will physically transition into a male.

Unlike deep water Anthias that prefer lower light levels and need plenty of shaded areas in the tank to retreat to, Ignitus Anthias quickly adjust to reef lighting. However, a lighting system that provides a gradual dawn to dusk lighting cycle can greatlly benefit this species.

Breeding Ignitus Anthias in an aquarium environment is extremely rare. Like Squarespot Anthias, healthy harems will display spawning behavior and even release eggs in an aquarium environment but raising the larvae to adulthood is virtually impossible without specialized kreisel tanks.

When a stable mature harem is well fed and the females are fully conditioned; courtship behavior will typically occur during the evening or at dusk.

The male’s colors will intensify, his bright red dorsal fin will become fully erect, and he will perform a U turn swimming pattern “dance” swimming downward to a receptive female and then darting up to the surface. A receptive female will simultaneously rush toward the surface with the male and release their eggs and sperm into the water column before darting back down to the safety of the live rock in the tank.

The pelagic, transparent, fertilized eggs contain an oil globule that keeps them afloat on the water surface. In the aquarium they are usually sucked into the filtration system, protein skimmer, or eaten by other fish in the tank before they can be captured.

Any collected eggs will hatch out in just 14 to 16 hours depending on water temperature.   The tiny hatched out larvae will survive on their yolk sac for about 48 hours before they need microscopic live foods like first stage rotifers and copepod nauplii. After a week or two, any surviving larvae will be able to handle brine shrimp. The larval fry have to drift as plankton in a specialized, perfectly circular flow tank for about 30 to 35 days before they metamorphose into recognizable juveniles.

Ignitus Anthias are zooplanktivores that in the wild gather in large shoals in the open water column, just above the the safety of the corals where the ocean currents deliver a continuous suply of copepods, amphipods, fish and invertebrate larvae, pelagic fish eggs, tunicates and rotifers.

In an aquarium environment, they need to be fed small amounts of zooplankton 3 to 4 times a day. Mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, frozen Cyclops, Calanus, rotifers, finely chopped clams or shrimp. Over time high quality protein rich marine pellets or flakes may be accepted and should be broadcast into the water current to mimic zooplankton.  Any food that falls to the bottom of the tank will generally be ignored.

An established refugium connected to your main tank is strongly recommended to provide this species a continuous, natural supply of live copepods into the water column between regular feedings.

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus) are available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a number of online wholesalers, trans shippers and retailers, usually by special order.

Prices vary by size and area of collection but start around $49.99 to $59.99 for small size .5″ to 1.5″ females collected from the Maldives. South Asia specimens 2.25″ to 4.75″ are priced from $56.99 to over $79.99.

Ignitus Anthias (Pseudanthias ignitus)

Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: Males 4″, Females 3″-3.5″
Color Form: Orange, Red, Yellow, Purple
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Squarespot Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia)

Squarespot Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Pink Square Anthias, Mirror Basslet or Squarespot Fairy Basslet is found throughout Indonesia, Micronesia and Samoa. Its range in the Pacific Ocean extends from Indonesia to Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to New Caledonia and the Rowley Shoals in the eastern Indian Ocean, and Christmas Island.

Squarespot Anthias are normally found in large schools and harems of one male with many females over the deep water current swept coral colonies, drop offs, and outer reef slopes of their range at depths from 30 to almost 600 feet.   Divers frenquently encounter large shoals a few meters above the edges of current swept drop offs feeding on microscopic organisms drifting in the currents.

Squarespot Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia)

Squarespot Anthias are sexually dimorphic.   Adult males have a vivid pinkish purple body color with a prominent square shaped violet patch on their flanks and caudal fins with long filamented streamers. Squarespot Anthias body and patch colors are highly variable, as is the size of the patch which can be absent, or up to half the size of the body.

Adult females have a bright yellow orange body color with two rather thin iridescent blue stripes running from the eye across the gill plates and generally no streamers on their caudal fins.

Males are slightly larger and longer than females. Juvenile Pseudanthias pleurotaenia are solitary, less colorful, and usually remain close to shelter.

A single Squarespot Anthias can be housed in a mature reef or FOWLR aquarium of at least 130 gallon capacity with a coralline substrate, large amounts of live rock arranged into caves, crevaces, ledges and overhangs for them to hide among, and plenty of free swimming space.

A small harem of one male and several females or a group of females are best kept in at least a 180 gallon tank with the same decor.

To replicate their natural deep water reef slope environment, multiple wavemakers are needed to provide strong, continuous water movement and proper oxygenation necessary for them to thrive.

Because they require constant small feedings; heavy filtration, aggressive protein skimming, regular water changes, and media reactors are required to keep nitrates and phosphates at zero.

An aquarium chiller should be considered to maintain water temperatures at their recommended range, and because they are excellent jumpers; a tight fitting mesh lid or glass cover is recommended to keep them in the tank.

Mirror Basslets are completely reef safe and will generally ignore corals and invertebrates.   They prefer lower light levels and need plenty of shaded areas in the tank to retreat to.   A lighting system that provides a gradual dawn to dusk lighting cycle can greatlly benefit this species if your reef system is brightly lit for corals.

Although Squarespot Anthias can be kept singly, as a mated pair, or in small groups of females; they are best kept in a harem of one male with 4 to 6 females.   If you cannot find a male, purchase a group of juvenile females and within a few weeks, the largest, most dominant female will naturally transition into a colorful male.   Never introduce multiple males into the same tank, as they will fight to the death.

Because Pseudanthias pleurotaenia are timid, easily stressed, and slow to feed; they should be housed with peaceful, slow-moving, non-aggressive tank mates that will not intimidate them or outcompete them for food

Compatible tank mates include Foxfaces, Tangs, Midas Blennies, Watchman Gobies, Fairy Wrasses, Firefish and Dartfish, Mandarinfish, and Invertebrates.

Avoid conspecific males, large angels, large wrasses, aggressive tangs, surgeonfish, dottybacks, damsels, and predatory Groupers, Lionfish, or Eels.

Breeding Squarespot Anthias in a home aquarium is virtually impossible. Healthy harems will display spawning behavior and even release eggs in an aquarium environment but raising the larvae to adulthood is impossible without specialized kreisel tanks.

Squarespot Anthias are pelagic broadcast spawners. During the evening, the male and female will swim upward in the water column and simultaneously release their eggs and sperm. The tiny floating eggs are usually sucked into the filtration system, protein skimmer, or eaten by other fish in the tank before they can be captured.

The microscopic larvae need microscopic copepods like Parvocalanus crassirostris of a spceific micron size to survive. The primitive larvae lack eyes or mouths, and are unable to eat rotifers or baby brirne shrimp. The larval fry have to drift as plankton in a specialized, perfectly circular flow tank for about a month before they lmetamorphose into recognizable juveniles.

The Oceanic Institute & Georgia Aquarium and aquaculture companies like Biota have successfully cultured and captive bred Squarespot Anthias for sale to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts on a limited basis, but most offered for sale are wild caught.

Squarespot Anthias are planktivores that in the wild gather in large shoals just above the steep drop offs and outer reef slopes where the ocean currents deliver a continuous suply of copepods, crustacean larvae, pelagic fish eggs, tunicates and rotifers. They to not graze on the substrate or corals.

In an aquarium environment they need to be fed small amounts of zooplankton 3 to 4 times a day.    Mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched brine shrimp, cyclops, calanus, finely chopped clams or shrimp, and over time high quality protein rich marine pellets or flakes should be broadcast into the water current to mimic zooplankton.    They will ignore food that falls to the bottom of the tank.

An established, oversized refugium connected to your main tank is strongly recommended to provide a continuous, natural supply of live copepods into the water column between regular feedings.

Squarespot Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia) are occasionally available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from Indonesia and the Philippines as wild caught specimens from a number of online wholesalers, trans shippers and retailers, usually by special order at approximate purchase sizes: S: 1″-2″, S/M: 2″-3″, M: 3″-4″, M/L: 4″-5″, L: 5″-6″.

Prices vary by size and area of collection but start around $118.99 to $176.99 for medium size males collected from the Philipines, to $87.99 for the same size female specimen.

Squarespot Anthias (Pseudanthias pleurotaenia)

Minimum Tank Size: 130 gallons
Aquarium Type: Reef or FOLR
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi Aggressive
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8 to 12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Max size: 7.75″
Color Form: Orange, Red, Purple
Diet: Carnivore
Compatibility: Reef
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Family: Serranidae
Lifespan: 5 – 7 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate/Advanced