Lyretail Anthia

The Lyretail Anthias is arguably the most popular anthias in the marine hobby, prized for its extreme hardiness and dazzling colors. Females are a vivid, solid orange with a distinctive purple-to-pink streak running just below the eye. Males undergo a dramatic transformation, turning a deep fuchsia or dark red with an elongated third dorsal spine and white-tipped fins. In a reef aquarium, they provide constant movement and serve as "dither fish," helping to make more reclusive species feel safe enough to venture into the open. They are very active and should be fed several times a day to maintain their weight and vibrant coloration. They thrive best when kept in a harem, where a single male oversees a group of females.