Evan's Anthias - Large

The Evans Anthias is one of the smaller Anthias species also known as the Yellowtail Goldie. The majority of its body is a deep violet colour, with a yellowtail, dorsal fin, and upper body.

The contrast between the two colours is stunning, making this a stunning anthia to have in your aquarium. There are yellow and orange dots scattered along with the violet and yellow lines, creating a lovely glow. Also, they usually have an orange line running from their eyes to their pectoral fin.

The Evans Anthias, like other Anthias species, are hermaphrodites. In the absence of a male the largest and most dominant female of the group will morph into a male.

This is a beautiful and adorable marine fish that will brighten up your reef tank with its bright and attractive colouration. It can be found all over the world, including the East and West Indian Oceans, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, and the Central/West Pacific.

Tank Recommendations for Evan's Anthias

To house a single Evans Anthias, the best aquarium home would need a well-filtered aquarium with at least of 75 gallons / 284 litres. If they are housed in a group of one male and a few females, at least of 125 gallons / 473 litres tank or larger will suffice. This species is extremely sensitive during transport and acclimatization in the aquarium.

Though these fish will look best against a natural coral backdrop, it isn't always necessary. One thing to keep in mind when keeping these fish is that they are active zooplankton feeders, constantly looking for floating foods. A reef aquarium setting will naturally help to maintain these microorganism populations, reducing the need for manual supplementation. They are calm and can be kept in a reef tank with plenty of live rock, but because they are one of the more sensitive Anthias genera, they will need expert care.

Suitable Tank Buddies

If the aquarium is large enough, anthias can live in a group with one male and multiple females in a harem. If there isn't enough space, the fish at the bottom of the food chain will die from stress and a lack of food. In smaller aquariums, it is best to keep only one or two. If one decides to keep a shoal, it is best to keep 8 or more so that potential aggression is distributed across the group.

Usually Compatible

Compatible tank mates are other peaceful species of similar size and temperament. This includes other Anthias species and a wide range of fish such as Blennies, Butterflies, Clownfish, Goatfish, Filefish, Tangs, and Squirrelfish.

Sometime Compatible

If the conditions are met, these fish will generally keep to themselves. Male lyretail anthias can become territorial at times, but they will not injure other fish, making them normally compatible with Batfish, Wrasse, Triggerfish, and Scorpions.

Rarely Compatible

Because this species is shy and docile, it should be kept apart from more aggressive fish. This means that it is rarely compatible with Sharks, Groupers, Snappers as they may also eat them. They should also not be kept with slow moving fish like Seahorses and Pipefish as they will outcompete them for food and they will starve .

Feeding your Evan's Anthias

Evans Anthias are carnivores with a voracious appetite for planktivores. Meaty foods such as live and frozen Mysis shrimp and enriched frozen brine shrimp can be added to their diet. An attached refugium that ensures copepod and amphipod cultivation will also provide these species with nutritious live foods. They will learn to accept high-quality flaked foods, which they should be offered in small amounts throughout the day.