All fish / Serranidae

Red Cheek Anthias

Pseudanthias huchtii

Also known as red-cheeked anthias, threadfin anthias, hucht's anthias, green anthias, huchti anthias, huchtii anthias, ケラマハナダイ, 红颊拟花鮨

Males are greenish yellow with a red stripe from the eye to the pectoral fin and long, pointed lyre tail lobes, while females are a plainer yellow green. It is kept for its lively swimming in open water and its bright colour in reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, or a single fish in smaller systems

Diet

Carnivore: frequent small meals of mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods and quality frozen or pellet foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 7 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, northern Australia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, so the dominant female in a group can turn into a male, and it scatters pelagic eggs. Spawning sometimes happens in large tanks, but raising the larvae is very rarely achieved.

Good to know

Males fight each other, so keep only one per tank unless the tank is very large. It needs feeding several times a day and can be shy or nervous at first, so give it plenty of open swimming space and peaceful tankmates.