Male lyretail anthias too aggressive?

[ninjamyst]

I notice that my two clownfish and one firefish has broken tail fins. I wonder if the male anthias is beating them up. He's the only lyretail anthias in the tank after two females passed away. I never noticed any aggression while I am home but I am at work most of the day. Is it common for male anthias to beat up other species?

 

[Rcunning8]

This is not my experience with lyre tails. After going through a few of them I have learned there are a couple rules. If you are going to buy them then you must buy at least six or only buy one. The rule of six I read because if there are this many then the aggression between the anthias school will be spread out between each individual and not directed at only one. If there are less than six then the weakest one will be targeted for aggression, will start to hide and not eat and then eventually die. This will continue to happen for each successive smallest fish of the group until there is only one left. After learning this the hard way (I had a group of four that was selected down to the male only) I was left with just the male. I never witnessed any aggression between this anthias and other fish and my fish that remained with him were in pristine condition while he was in my tank. hope that helps, will be tagging along to see if anyone else has any different experience with them!

 

[ninjamyst]

Thanks for the info! I was about to buy 1 or 2 more female lyretail to keep him in check but won't anymore. What you described was exactly how the first females died. One by one, they started hiding and not eating. I thought it was worm so dosed prazipro but they died anyways. Most places recommend just a trio but I will keep the male by himself for now.

 

[#theMatrix]

Would sumping the male and placing the females allowing them to get used to the layout...feeding schedules etc etc. Then placing the male in reduce this? Sure if aggression starts. You could place nets like ryan does.

I was always used to this method.

Placing the new fish in a breeder box....and allowing it to be checked and so the tank knows the fish is there and is part of the tank. Then weeks pass and open the box. Worked everytime. Exept for the jumper recently. The net on the breeder box was lose.

I almost want to have a 2ft long by 6in deepxdebt acrylic box made with holes in it and either magnets or suction cups. Placed at the top as a larger pre introductory tank box.

Hmmmm any ideas?

 

[ninjamyst]

I bought the initial 3 females as a trio together and the male still picked them off one by one... =(. I do have a fish trap box that's pretty big that I can use to house new fish.

 

[crazyfishlady]

I have had good luck keeping groups with more aggressive / larger fish ( tangs ect. ). They seem to be more worried about the other fish than fighting among themselves. Had limited success in a more peaceful environment.

 

[ninjamyst]

I have had good luck keeping groups with more aggressive / larger fish ( tangs ect. ). They seem to be more worried about the other fish than fighting among themselves. Had limited success in a more peaceful environment.

yea, my tank is pretty peaceful right now. The lyretails are the biggest fish in the tank.

 

[Sawdonkey]

I have had good luck keeping groups with more aggressive / larger fish ( tangs ect. ). They seem to be more worried about the other fish than fighting among themselves. Had limited success in a more peaceful environment.

This makes me hopeful for my tank. I've always wanted a handful of anthias, but have always just thought they'd pick each other off. Maybe I'll give it a go in a few weeks.

 

[#theMatrix]

Although true...the small fish in this case the anthias mught be too worried about the other fish than themselfs...a chase from a larger more aggressive fish would cause.
A jump.

So, gunner. Im not sure. Is your tank covered?

 

[crazyfishlady]

Although true...the small fish in this case the anthias mught be too worried about the other fish than themselfs...a chase from a larger more aggressive fish would cause.
A jump.

So, gunner. Im not sure. Is your tank covered?

True. I have always had my tanks covered. Although nobody was ever aggressive towards the Anthias, I think their larger presence and movement kept the Anthias aware of them. I had Lyretails.

 

[Rcunning8]

Would sumping the male and placing the females allowing them to get used to the layout...feeding schedules etc etc. Then placing the male in reduce this? Sure if aggression starts. You could place nets like ryan does.

I was always used to this method.

Placing the new fish in a breeder box....and allowing it to be checked and so the tank knows the fish is there and is part of the tank. Then weeks pass and open the box. Worked everytime. Exept for the jumper recently. The net on the breeder box was lose.

I almost want to have a 2ft long by 6in deepxdebt acrylic box made with holes in it and either magnets or suction cups. Placed at the top as a larger pre introductory tank box.

Hmmmm any ideas?

Unfortunately I don't believe this is how anthias work in particular. In this respect I believe they are more like clowns where if you don't have a large enough tank and have more than one pair they will weed eachother out until only two are left. I have seen multiple clowns of 7+ in a 120 but that only seemed to work because each had their own anemone and seemed to completely change their behavior. It works with other fish because they are not competing for position as the male. In species like tangs where they are already born as males or females this works for them to get used to eachother in this fashion because they don't have the ability to switch sexes. In Leopard Wrasses this works( although all are born female and get pushed up to male based on size) but they don't kill eachother due to their more docile nature? Not sure about this statement as I once had a squad of three bipartus wrasses and they weeded themselves down to one. I am able to keep multiple different types of leopard wrasses without issue.

With the introduction of a male anthias after females have gotten used to the new environment and feeding schedule and possible use of netting if aggression still persists I don't believe will work. I think this statement is true because what I have read is that the only way a male anthias keeps other females from also changing into male is by direct constant agression and within the female ranks there is constant agression towards one another for reproductive rights with the male. So even if you were to take all these measures to ensure success I don't believe this would ever work because once the male is introduced to the group everything changes and if u don't introduce a male at all everything will eventually change as one of those females will eventually become male. The male will never stop harassing the females because apparently this is the only way he can keep them from morphogenisis and female to female agression will never subside when a male is present because they all want reproductive rights to the male. The only way that I have personally read that u can be successful with these fish is by keeping six or more so agression is distributed evenly throughout the group and not focused on one individual in particular.

I have heard of the three anthias rule. However that has not been my experience and the only people I have heard that rule from are from people trying to sell me fish. I question their motives in telling me this information because I feel like they are trying to make a sale and not a lot of people come in wanting to buy 6 of all the same type of fish but three? That sounds more reasonable. Hope that helps!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ninjamyst]

such thoughtful response! Thanks Rcunning8!