All fish / Serranidae

Lyretail Anthias

Pseudanthias squamipinnis

Also known as lyretail anthias, sea goldie, scalefin anthias, jewel fairy basslet, orange anthias, goldie, red sea anthias, squamipinnis anthias, キンギョハナダイ, 丝鳍拟花鮨, 金拟花鮨

Females are bright orange-gold, while males turn magenta-purple with a long third dorsal spine and red pelvic fins. It is kept for its vivid colour and the lively shoaling it adds to the open water of reef tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male with 3 or more females

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and East Africa to Japan and Australia

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite: the dominant female changes into a male when no male is present, and pairs scatter pelagic eggs at dusk. Spawning happens in captivity, but rearing the tiny larvae is very difficult and rarely achieved.

Good to know

Males fight, so keep only one male unless the tank is very large, and feed at least two or three times a day because these fish lose condition fast. They are reef safe but can be bullied by large aggressive tankmates.