All fish / Serranidae

Yellowback Anthias

Pseudanthias evansi

Also known as yellowtail anthias, evansi anthias, evans anthias, yellowback basslet, yellow-back anthias, mirolabrichthys evansi, yellowtail goldie, ケラマハナダイ, 黄背海金鱼, 伊氏拟花鮨

A slim zooplankton feeder with a lilac to magenta body, a bright yellow back and a deeply forked yellow tail. It is kept for the striking colour and lively shoaling behaviour of a group hovering in open water above the rockwork of a reef tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more, ideally one male with several females

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods, finely chopped seafood and quality marine pellets, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 7 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indian Ocean: East Africa and Red Sea region to the Andaman Sea, Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Island

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, so the dominant female in a group can change into a male, and pairs scatter pelagic eggs at dusk. Spawning sometimes happens in large systems, but rearing the tiny larvae is very rarely achieved in home aquariums.

Good to know

Needs frequent small feeds and plenty of swimming room, and can waste away if fed only once a day; keep only one male unless the tank is very large. Fairly reef safe but may be bullied by boisterous tankmates.