Anthias

Anthias are found in the wild in great numbers, and in an aquarium it needs to be kept in schools of at least 6 to 8 fish. Because it needs a lot of swimming room it should be kept in as large a tank as possible, with a 100-gallon tank being the minimum size. The school should consist of one male and all the rest females, but because the anthias is hermaphroditic, if the harem loses the male the dominant female will become a functioning male. Males are distinguished by having a bright red dorsal fin and very extended ventral fins.

Anthias can be difficult to acclimate to an aquarium, and it should never be put with fish that are at all aggressive. It is excellent for a reef tank, and will appreciate the strong water movement, as well as having plenty of places in the rocks and coral to hide in when it needs to. Getting peach anthias to feed can initially be a problem, and it may require live brine shrimp (enriched) before it will accept other frozen or prepared foods. Because it is constantly looking for food in the water column, it is a good idea to feed it very small quantities, but many times a day

Scientific Name: Pseudanthias dispar, Peach Anthias (top picture)

Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Size: 4 inches
Temperature: 74 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit
Origin: Pacific Ocean

Finding Nemo

Clownfish, or anemonefish, are of the subfamily Amphiprioninae of the family Pomacentridae. They average 2 to 3 inches in length. Most are brightly colored orange fish with white stripes on the head or side of the body. Clownfish are very popular among marine aquarium keepers, and many were sold as a result of the movie Finding Nemo. This group of fish is extremely hardy, and is well suited to life in the average marine aquarium. They do not need an anemone to live in an aquarium.

It is a long-lived clownfish that is excellent for the beginner hobbyist. It does best in the presence of anemones such as Heteractis magnifica and Stichodactyla gigantea. Like the related damselfish, it is well-suited for all but the most predatory tanks.

Although there are no external characteristics to differentiate male and female, all clownfish are sexually immature when hatched. Meaning that the fry do not have a pre-determined sex, and develop into males and females depending on the hierarchy of the school. A pair will lay eggs along the base of the host anemone, using it to protect the eggs. The eggs normally appear orange in color. Without proper preparation, rearing in the average aquarium is nearly impossible.
This clownfish is an aggressive eater. It will take most meaty foods and frozen herbivore preparations.