All fish / Serranidae

Hawaiian Longfin Anthias

Pseudanthias hawaiiensis

Also known as hawaiian anthias, longfin anthias, hawaiian longfin anthias, hawaii anthias, pseudanthias ventralis hawaiiensis, ハワイアンロングフィンアンティアス, 夏威夷长鳍花鮨

A small anthias from deep Hawaiian reefs, with yellow and pink to lavender colouring and long trailing pelvic fins, the males showing bolder magenta and yellow tones. It is prized by advanced reef keepers for its striking colours and rarity, as it comes from deep water and seldom appears in the trade.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

20 to 25 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, or a small harem

Diet

Carnivore: frequent small feeds of mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods and fine frozen plankton

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll, central Pacific

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in harems, with the dominant female changing into a male if no male is present. It scatters pelagic eggs, and rearing the larvae in home aquariums has not been achieved in any reliable way.

Good to know

This deep-water species needs cooler water, dim lighting, shaded caves and several feeds a day, and it is easily bullied by boisterous tankmates. It may be confused with the closely related Pseudanthias ventralis, which some authors once treated as the same species.