Squareback Anthias - Good companions?

So I impulse bought a squareback anthias. In the LFS it was great, active fish. I spent 30 minutes with the iphone reading wet web and a few other places (not much on 3reef!), and it sounded like a good (but not easy) fish for my 75 tank.

I put him in - there's only a pair of tomato clowns currently - and he's doing well. Gets out and cruises around, and so far is taking food i'm offering twice a day. The clowns don't seem to care he's around. He does spend time in his cave (all night, and some of the day).

ok, so now i have to rethink my livestock plan some. i did want to have a tang (thinking about a kole to go with tank size and for potential algae maintenence) and some vanderbilt chromis (very cool looking fish, i think).

i was reading around and found completely opposite recomendations on compatibility of anthias and chromis - look at:

Fish Profile: Lyretail Anthias, Pseudanthias squamipinnis by Peter Martis - Reefkeeping.com
vs.
Anthiinae - the Fancy Basses by Anthony Calfo - Reefkeeping Magazine

So - question is - anyone have any experience that could help me figure out how my squareback anthias will do with these planned future additions?

Thanks!!

 

I think the chromis would be fine with the anthias, as along as the chromis is not aggressive. They usually aren't, but they are part of the damsel family and can be. For example, PufferChick (on 3reef) got three chromis. Two were peaceful and one was very aggressive. You can probably tell if the chromis are aggressive or not by observing them in the store.

 

thanks. there's not alot in the way of reef stores here in the middle of nowhere. i'm gonna have to use liveaquaria or another online source for the chromis i think.

 

I imagine your referring to the pink square anthias. If it is and has the pink square on the side then it's the male. The female is plain looking. The thing with anthias is the male is the more aggressive and will usually not tolerate another male. These guys like to rule over their harem of females so feel free to add a female or two for a companion. They will generally only bother new male anthias' to your tank. Chromis on the other hand start out nice but turn out different. I added a female anthias and the chromis smacked her around. I started with 7 chromis' and now I'm down to 4 as the stronger toughen up. That's my opinion.

 

ya, i think my tank is too small to do more than one anthias.

there seems to be conflicting advice about the best number of chromis, and i think some comes from not being species specific. so far what i've read (which is all internet sources, some reputable some not) suggests that a small group of vanderbilt chromis will coexist happily.

the calfo article says chromis should be fine with anthias (this is what liveaquaria's compatibility chart says too). the peter martis (don't know this name as well as calfo) article says that chromis compete for food in the same part of the water column so might compete with anthias.

not sure, but probably will wait a month or so to make sure anthias is settled, and then try introducing the chromis.

 

I don't really have much to add in terms of the anthias, but as far as the vanderbuilt chromis, a local reputable store here (Aquatouch) as a ~600gal reef tank in which they have a small group of them (not exactly sure on the number, but I think 5-6). I can probably find out more details on the number.

As a sidenote, I keep 3 Barlett's Anthias with 6 different wrasses. I have 2 males in that group and they do tolerate each other, but Barlett's are know to behave as such.

 

Thanks for the info.
Here's a pic of the squareback today

 

Nice pink square you have there. I'm not sure about the vanderbuilt chromis. Honestly I'm only familiar with the kind they sell in South Florida.

 

I had a pink square with 5 chromis no problem. They like to have their harem or they tend to turn into a female depending on the other fish you have. If they are the big boy on the block it may stay pink. I had a yellow tang that owned the tank and my anthias turned into a female. But at least they all seemed to get along.

 

huh - that's good to know. i didn't think about non-anthias forcing a sex change.