All fish / Serranidae

Red-belted Anthias

Pseudanthias rubrizonatus

Also known as red belted anthias, red-band anthias, redbar anthias, red band anthias, red-belt anthias, yes, アカオビハナダイ, 红带拟花鮨

A slender anthias. Females are pinkish orange to yellow, and males develop a broad red band across the body below the dorsal fin. It suits reef aquarists who want an active fish that lives in groups and spends its time swimming in open water.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

One male with several females in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: frequent small feeds of enriched mysis, copepods, brine shrimp and fine marine pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

4 to 7 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Sea and Indonesia to northern Australia, Philippines, Taiwan and southern Japan

Breeding

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning a dominant female can turn into a male. Pairs scatter eggs that drift in open water, and the larvae are very hard to rear, so captive breeding is rare.

Good to know

These fish need feeding several times a day, and males in the same tank fight. The species usually comes from fairly deep reefs, so new arrivals settle best in a calm tank with dim lighting.